tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post2266671590217821854..comments2024-03-15T04:58:53.198-04:00Comments on ABC Therapeutics Occupational Therapy Weblog: Is a doctoral degree necessary for entry level Occupational Therapy practice?Christopher J. Alteriohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-29686625881954914052008-03-17T14:32:00.000-04:002008-03-17T14:32:00.000-04:00Doctoral education costs much more more. Saleries...Doctoral education costs much more more. Saleries are the same (BSc, MS, or DOT). Reimbursment is static or shrinking. Quality students will consider other profressions where thay can feel adequately compensated for all their schooling - an additional year or two and they can be an MD.<BR/><BR/>Time limits on length of hospital stay or limits / monetary caps on outpatient visits etc. are making difficult to provide basic therapy. How will DOTs put into practice all this advanced knowledge with less and less time and resources to do so. A typical inpatient OT just about has enough time to introduce the sock aid, reacher, and long handled sponge before the patient is discharged!!<BR/><BR/>I belive that we should focuss on board certification and other advanced cont. education in our areas of specialty, rather than years more "basic training" .<BR/>Perosally I would rather be treated by a COTA or PTA with 20 years experience than a new DOT or DPT who is consumed by student loan debt and who hurries off the read their text books before putting on the hot pack!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-82929745376219967282007-08-15T21:57:00.000-04:002007-08-15T21:57:00.000-04:00I'm a final year OT student in Australia, studying...I'm a final year OT student in Australia, studying at bachelor level (which is still the entry level here although AAOT will eventually shift this to Masters level in order to keep up with the US and Canada, who is raising the entry level in a few years) and I've got a different perspective again...... As someone who is about to enter the profession, I feel that the value of an advanced degree in OT (be it Masters or Doctoral level) lies in allowing practicing clinicians to update their skills and/or improve their clinical reasoning. I think that having an advanced degree as an entry point to the profession may cause difficulties in the long-term ,especially among entry-level doctoral trained clinicians, as they may essentially be stuck with no means of updating and improving their clinical skill level, in a formalised and structured manner, as they have already obtained a terminal degree. It also makes CPD critically important and unfortunately maintaining currency of skills whilst engaged in clinical practice is something that many OTs struggle with despite the huge push for evidence-based practice.<BR/> And, finally ..... the entry level required to the enter the profession is in some ways not very important..... Any level of study will prepare a student for practice only to the extent that they engage in the process of learning, and essentially regardless of the educational level required to begin practicing no one can be prepared for every reality of practice and therefore advanced degrees are most valuable as an aid to practicing clinicians in the pursuit of life-long learning.<BR/><BR/><BR/>It's a very interesting debate which I think eventually will intensify, i look forward to watching from afar :)<BR/>Cheers, mosesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-43072277230381602102007-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:002007-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:00I appreciate Adele's comments, but my question is:...I appreciate Adele's comments, but my question is: What proof do we have that the advanced degree actually makes a difference???<BR/><BR/>I understand the concept that it COULD set people up to be more competent in research, or that it COULD lead to more community-based practice. These seem to be reasonable assumptions, but we really do not know this to be FACTUAL.<BR/><BR/>Unless we ACTUALLY KNOW, on what are we basing our decisions to make such radical changes? A hunch?<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting though and I encourage everyone to keep thinking about it and discussing it!Christopher J. Alteriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-10191666001391835502007-02-28T18:06:00.000-05:002007-02-28T18:06:00.000-05:00I'm a new OT grad (master's level) and while I can...I'm a new OT grad (master's level) and while I can't say I am well-versed in all of the policies and politics governing the changes to the degree/certification in our profession, what I can say is the following:<BR/><BR/>Bachelor's level OTs are certainly competent practitioners who, with their years of experience, are highly valued members of the healthcare team regardless of their degree level.<BR/><BR/>However, the intent of a higher level degree (while I can't deny that there is a monetary aspect to it) is multifaceted. Firstly, evidence-based practice is no longer just a "buzzword," it is a reality and an imperative. While bachelor's level therapists may very well be versed in reading and interpreting the literature to keep their practice evidence-based, the intent of the master's degree is to enable therapists to have the tools to both implement results of research studies done by others and to conduct their own studies if they so desire. Master's level therapists also, I believe, get more training in the business aspects of OT, which gives them the tools to move into leadership positions and "blaze the trails" for new/non-traditional practice arenas (e.g. community-based).<BR/><BR/>Secondly, it may seem that OT is just "copying" other professions by adding extra credentialing--and this very well might be the case. Yet I feel that this may not be such a bad thing; If there are doctorally-trained PTs coming out of school, then OTs need to appear (and be) at or approximately at the same level educationally--after all we are "sister professions." In the world of healthcare the bottom line is do you have the skills; yet it also doesn't hurt to have the additional letters after your name!!<BR/><BR/>I hope I haven't offended anyone by these comments. I am simply being the devil's advocate and bringing another perspective to the situation. I do respect your opinion and believe that AOTA and ACOTE should endeavor to be as thoughtful and methodical as possible before drastically changing the direction of the profession. Hopefully this will be the rule, rather than the exception, as we move into the future of healthcare.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18266064910437968931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-60844548888019375482007-02-06T09:04:00.000-05:002007-02-06T09:04:00.000-05:00Whilst I defend the need for academic rigour withi...Whilst I defend the need for academic rigour within the profession practising OT is fundementally a pragmatic or "doing" process. "Academia" doesn't value the apprenticeship aspects of our training and we can't afford to lose them on the alter of more and more specialist qualification.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com