Postprofessional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Core Curriculum EFFECTIVE: July 2016 Revised Jan 2018
Postprofessional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Program Director: Dr. Marian Gillard, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA The OTD program requires completion of 30 total credit hours. The OTD core coursework includes 15 hours of online coursework. The remaining 15 can be selected by the student from the approved OTD elective catalog. Students also have the option to apply credits completed within a certification track. OTD Program Objectives: Improve the quality of occupational therapy care Promote scholarship in practice Improve therapists knowledge of current evidence and promote the use of evidencebased practice in daily clinical practice Enhance leadership skills to create master clinicians Advocate for the occupational therapy profession Progress the occupational therapy professional through implementation of a capstone project Admission Requirements 1. All applicants must provide a copy of a current and valid license to practice occupational therapy in one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or US Virgin Islands. This license must be in good standing. 2. All applicants must have successfully completed an AOTA accredited professional occupational therapy curriculum, or have had a state OT board approve the applicant s first professional OT program as equivalent to a US AOTA accredited professional OT program. 3. If English is not the applicant s native/first language, specified language proficiency must be met. OTD Core Curriculum (15 credit hours)- The 15 core credits are required for completion of the Postprofessional OTD program. Each course is completed online. Evidence-Based Practice 1 Essential of Musculoskeletal Imaging 2 Essentials of Pharmacology and Clinical Lab Tests 1 Management and Leadership in OT 2 Clinical Theory and Research 2 Teaching and Education Theory 2 Professionalism: Roles and Responsibilities 1 Business Management Principles for Rehab Professionals 2
OTD Capstone Project 2 15 credits Core Coursework (15 credits) Postprofessional Occupational Therapy Doctorate EBP 6100 Evidence-based Practice Topics covered in this course: 1 cr - Define EBP and discuss its philosophy and fundamental principles. - Construct a well-built clinical question. - Search the literature using available search portals, engines and databases effectively and efficiently. - Critically appraise articles dealing with Intervention or Therapy for validity. - Discuss the application of current best evidence into clinical practice. - Discuss evaluation of your performance. - Identify key EBP resources and aides. APPT 6210 Essentials of Musculoskeletal Imaging - Engage in the diagnostic process using musculoskeletal imaging procedures when appropriate to establish differential diagnoses across systems and across the lifespan. - Determine the most appropriate musculoskeletal imaging procedure according to the patient/client presentation and the current best evidence for diagnosis. - Determine the most appropriate radiographic views according to patient/client presentation, current best evidence for diagnosis, ad current best evidence for reducing ionizing radiation exposure. - Describe a systematic approach to the analysis of plain film radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, bone scans, and computed tomography and determine the relevance of visualized pathology to clinical decision-making. - Use evidence-based diagnostic imaging procedures as appropriate to help determine the patient/client who would benefit from physical/occupational therapy interventions and the patient/client who requires referral for medical services.
- Review diagnostic test studies on musculoskeletal imaging according to evidence based criteria for validity, including an explanation of radiographic clinical decision rules for orthopedic pathology related to the spine and extremities. - Understand basic concepts of musculoskeletal image acquisition and interpretation. - Recognize the appearance of normal anatomy and common pathology on musculoskeletal images to facilitate diagnostic accuracy and appropriate intervention strategies and forces. - Effectively educate patients and clients regarding their diagnostic imaging results. - Formulate an enhanced working vocabulary of diagnostic and imaging terminology and appropriately communicate with other medical professionals using the language of diagnostic imaging. APPT 6110 Essentials of Pharmacology and Clinical Lab Tests 1 cr - Understand the basics of pharmacokinetic and pharmacotherapeutic principles and how they impact our patients. - Identify indications for common classes of drugs, as well as their intended therapeutic actions, potential side effects, and potential implications for physical/occupational therapy practice. - Use information on therapeutic actions, potential side effects, and implications for PT practice in planning and modifying patient plans of care. - Use selected web-based resources on pharmacology - Understand key indications for requesting selected clinical lab tests, as well as the ranges for normal test results. - Understand potential reasons for abnormal clinical lab tests, and identify a plan of action once an abnormal clinical lab test is identified. BUSI 6250 Management and Leadership in Occupational Therapy Topics covered in this course: - Discuss clinical management while examining current research and practices of leadership - Evidence-based tools are analyzed for their contribution to developing leadership as a meaningful activity. - Leadership delivery models, self-mastery, professional integrity, credibility and other leadership-related concepts - Self-exploration of intentions for leading in health and human service beyond degree conferral.
- Understand the difference between leadership and management. - Develop skills to practice leadership in daily clinical practice with patients, families,and co-workers. RES 6210 Clinical Theory and Research - Apply and design research methods - Ethical issues related to research and funding options - The role of research as an agent of change in practice - Evaluate the ways theories and models are used to guide clinical practice - Distinguish between models of function and disablement and theories of how change occurs as a result of intervention - Critical appraisal of quantitative and qualitative studies - How to apply evidence to daily clinical practice becoming evidence-based practitioners EDU 6200 Teaching and Education Theory - Foundational knowledge of best evidence associated with teaching and learning in clinical and academic settings. - Curriculum design and learning theory - Identifying instructional settings in one's own practice, the impact of ethical, legal, and economic factors on the educational process - Effective teaching techniques and strategies that are needed in a variety of clinical and academic contexts. - Expose students to a range of educational delivery mechanisms and to basics of policies and procedures per educational setting - Understanding and utilizing different learning styles PROF 6100 Professionalism: Roles and Responsibilities 1 cr - Understand the importance and impact of participation in professional associations. - Review the core values of professional associations and how they pertain to the topic of professionalism. - Understand what it means to be a professional and how it differs from simply having an occupation. - Understand the importance of communication skills with colleagues and clients.
- Develop an appreciation for legislative efforts, how it impacts our profession and patients, and learn ways to become more engaged. BUSI 6200 Business Management Principles for Rehab Professionals - Understand the concept of strengths based management. - Identify their five top strengths and how a better understanding of these strengths can be turned into performance. - Understand how to document and code treatment in an outpatient private practice setting to optimize payment while remaining compliant. - Understand the importance of customer service in building brand loyalty. - Understand how to build a culture of over the top customer service. - Create customer evangelists through word of mouth (WOM) marketing. - Conduct a successful sales call for all referral sources. - Conduct a competition analysis in a target market. - Understand the available resources for continued education in private practice management. OTD 7180 OTD Capstone Project - Create a scholarly project to promote professional practice advocating for occupational therapy in the current health model - Locate, evaluate, and use current evidence to guide the project - Demonstrate understanding of theory and model to guide the capstone project - Begin implementation of the capstone project in order to participate in continued development and promotion of the occupational therapy profession - Disseminate the final capstone project in a professional setting