TY - JOUR
T1 - The next paradigm shift in occupational therapy education
T2 - The move to the entry-level clinical doctorate
AU - Brown, Ted
AU - Crabtree, Jeffrey L.
AU - Mu, Keli
AU - Wells, Joe
PY - 2015/9/1
Y1 - 2015/9/1
N2 - The occupational therapy profession in the United States is considering another shift in the level of entry-topractice education. Currently, all accredited U.S. occupational therapy education programs offer graduateentry master's degrees or clinical doctorates. In 2014, the American Occupational Therapy Association Board of Directors published a position statement supporting the idea of moving all entry-level occupational therapy education programs to the clinical doctorate level by 2025. This article provides an overview of the proposed reasons for doing so and the potential impact of this move on future students, education providers, clients and families, employers, and third-party payers and funding bodies along with the implications for the occupational therapy profession internationally. An open, informed, transparent, multiperspective, comprehensive debate about this education paradigm shift is recommended. In August 2015 the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education decided that the entry-level qualification will remain at both the master's and the doctoral degree; it is anticipated, however, that the move toward the entry-level clinical doctorate will continue.
AB - The occupational therapy profession in the United States is considering another shift in the level of entry-topractice education. Currently, all accredited U.S. occupational therapy education programs offer graduateentry master's degrees or clinical doctorates. In 2014, the American Occupational Therapy Association Board of Directors published a position statement supporting the idea of moving all entry-level occupational therapy education programs to the clinical doctorate level by 2025. This article provides an overview of the proposed reasons for doing so and the potential impact of this move on future students, education providers, clients and families, employers, and third-party payers and funding bodies along with the implications for the occupational therapy profession internationally. An open, informed, transparent, multiperspective, comprehensive debate about this education paradigm shift is recommended. In August 2015 the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education decided that the entry-level qualification will remain at both the master's and the doctoral degree; it is anticipated, however, that the move toward the entry-level clinical doctorate will continue.
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U2 - 10.5014/ajot.2015.016527
DO - 10.5014/ajot.2015.016527
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:84946037215
VL - 69
JO - American Journal of Occupational Therapy
JF - American Journal of Occupational Therapy
SN - 0272-9490
M1 - 2462071
ER -