Clinician, Educator, and Student Perceptions of Entry-level Academic Degree Requirements in Occupational Therapy Education

Abstract

Entry-level occupational therapy degree requirements have varied since the establishment of the profession. Currently multiple degree paths exist. There are cited benefits for a multiple degree path system; however, barriers also exist. Most notable among these are confusion among recipients of services and other health care providers. As other healthcare professional programs have transitioned to a single point of entry at the doctoral level, occupational therapy, until recently, had not yet made this change. A nationwide online survey was used to assess perceptions of the entry-level doctorate. Participants included current occupational therapy practitioners (clinicians or educators) and students in entry-level occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant programs. Results indicated decreased awareness of the benefits of an entry-level doctorate and suggested that the majority of occupational therapy practitioners, educators, and students surveyed were in favor of an optional entry-level doctorate. Fewer respondents believed that the doctorate should be required for entry-level competence. Education among current occupational therapists and occupational therapy students regarding the benefits of a mandatory entry-level clinical doctorate would be beneficial as the profession moves towards this as the mandated degree. Future research should address to what extent experiential learning, carried out during a doctoral rotation, increases student preparation, as well as how these experiences influence clinical practice and scholarship.

Keywords

• Clinical doctorate
• history
• survey
• accreditation