Occupational Therapy

Competence is achieved when future practitioners apply the OT process.  Fieldwork experiences allow the opportunity to use evidence based interventions to meet the occupational needs of a diverse population. These experiences provide opportunities for OT students to apply theoretical and scientific principles learned from the academic program.  Working with actual client needs within the context of varied practice environments enhances the didactic education and skills. Both fieldwork and service experiences provide diverse opportunities for the learner to develop advocacy, leadership, and managerial skills and the opportunity to develop entry level competencies. 

As learners progress through community assignments, performance expectations will become progressively more challenging. Two types of fieldwork will occur:   

• Level I Fieldwork Experiences: Occur concurrently with academic coursework.  These experiences are designed to enrich didactic content through supervised experiences and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process. Level I experiences will occur during Semesters 1-5.   
• Level II Fieldwork experiences: Occur at the conclusion of the didactic phase of the occupational therapy curricula.  These experiences are designed to develop competent, entry-level, generalist practitioners. Level II fieldwork assignments will provide comprehensive experiences for the delivery of occupational therapy services to varied clients and settings. Level II experiences require the learners to focus on the advancing application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and evidence-based practice. Level II experiences will occur in the last 6 months of the program.  

The fieldwork experiences allow for real world reinforcement of didactic learning experiences. Students will have the opportunity to compare the didactic content with client-based experiences from a variety of practice settings.  The learners will apply their critical reasoning skills and adult learning experiences to address new and innovative situations.  Learners will also be expected to seek out additional information and evidence that supports their decision-making processes. These learning experiences will serve to foster the development of a competent, OT health care professional.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Occupational Therapy is to prepare exceptional occupational therapy professionals that recognize the importance of participating in community service, scholarship and lifelong learning, as they employ evidence-based clinical reasoning skills and an occupation-based, client-centered focus, in meeting the health care needs of diverse populations.

Goals

Graduates of the Allen College OT Program will be able to:

• Use critical reasoning to provide evidence based occupational therapy services in a variety of service delivery models, health care settings and community-based systems.
• Provide services within a client-centered, occupational-based theoretical foundation with consideration of the underlying factors including, but not limited to, the culture and contexts that influence the individual's ability to engage in meaningful occupational tasks and roles.
• Clearly articulate, document and apply professional principles and ethics, in the advocacy of the client's needs as well as the needs of the OT profession.
• Provide direct and indirect services to promote and sustain health, facilitate typical growth and development, prevent deficits and maintain, restore or enhance function through compensation, adaptation and the selection and participation of appropriate therapeutic methods, environmental modifications, use of adaptive equipment and assistive technologies to enhance meaningful occupations.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage and evaluate the efficacy of occupational therapy services including client care outcomes, departmental operations, documentation and reimbursement and the supervision of appropriate personnel including fieldwork students within the guidelines of the professional practice.
• Initiate and participate in collaborative and cooperative interactions with intra-disciplinary and interdisciplinary professionals, clients, significant others and caregivers to achieve the desired occupational therapy outcomes.

Competencies

• Use critical reasoning to provide evidence based occupational therapy services in a variety of service delivery models, health care settings and community-based systems. These services includes procedures related to screenings, referrals, assessments, goal setting, interventions, discharge planning and outcome assessments that foster continuous improvement efforts. All services will be provided within a client centered occupational based theoretical foundation with consideration of the underlying factors including but not limited to culture, Allen College's and AOTA's core values and contexts that influence the individual's ability to engage in meaningful occupational tasks and roles.
  
• Clearly articulate, document and apply professional principles and ethics, in the advocacy of the client's needs as well as the needs of the OT profession and society.
  
• Provide direct and indirect services to promote and sustain health, facilitate typical growth and development, prevent deficits and maintain, restore or enhance function through compensation, adaptation and the selection and participation of appropriate therapeutic methods, environmental modifications, use of adaptive equipment and assistive technologies to enhance meaningful occupations.
  
• Within the guidelines of the OT profession, demonstrate the ability to manage and evaluate the efficacy of occupational therapy services including client care outcomes, departmental operations, documentation and reimbursement and the supervision of appropriate personnel including fieldwork students.
  
• Initiate and participate in collaborative and cooperative interactions with intra-disciplinary and interdisciplinary professionals, clients, OTs and OTAs, caregivers and significant others to achieve the desired occupational therapy outcomes.
  
• Continue to assume responsibility for personal and professional growth needed for professional and cultural competence, ethical practices and life-long learning.
  
• Demonstrate skill in critiquing and applying research evidence and a working competence in scientific inquiry, research methodology and dissemination of knowledge, which will contribute to the validation and future development of occupational therapy theory and practice.
  
• Advocate for individuals, populations, and society as well as the OT profession to ensure the promotion of wellness and access to quality preventive health care services. Work to discourage or counteract incidences of health care disparity.
  
• Participate in the leadership, advocacy, and promotion of occupational therapy through membership and participation in professional organizations, government agencies, human service organizations and community outreach.
  
• Demonstrate professional behavior in all interactions and demonstrate caring, values and attitudes consistent with the current Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. and its credentialing and regulatory agencies.
  
• Demonstrate a proficiency in the use of advancing technology to advance OT practice, enhance proficiency and competence and client centered outcomes. Work to teach the use of appropriate technology, modifications and adaptations to enhance productivity and the engagement in meaningful occupations.
  
• Develop the research skills to critique today's practice for tomorrow's needs. The outcomes for this ability include developing a research proposal, conducting a study, interpreting results and discerning the implications for the OT profession. These skills will contribute to the advancement of OT profession's contribution to the client and society.

• Experienced faculty with a wide range of clinical specialties
• Passionate advocates for the occupational therapy profession
• Open door policy with exceptional faculty-student support
• Promote a family feel culture within the program
• Committed to 1:1 meetings with advisees to promote student success
• Facilitate faculty led student clinic opportunities on campus