Occupational Therapy, M.O.T.

Mission

Trinity Washington University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program aims to develop competent, caring, and committed generalist practitioners who exemplify core values of respect, justice, and service that are reflective of the occupational therapy profession and Trinity, and are prepared to meet the occupational needs of diverse populations in our community. Our blended learning program is committed to:

• Offering high-quality hybrid professional education to a diverse student population;
• Providing classroom, clinical and community experiences that enrich student learning and prepare students for current and emerging practice settings in their communities
• Establishing strong clinical partnership with the local and global community

Vision

The Master of Occupational Therapy program at Trinity, envisions building a community of faculty, students and alumni with strong ties to the OTA and other allied health profession programs at Trinity, and to the community of Washington, DC.   We want our program to be recognized for:

• The quality of our faculty, program of study, and clinical experiences;
• The professional preparation and quality of our graduates; and
• Our contributions to promoting access and health through consultation, collaboration, research, and service.

From: Mission, Vision and Philosophy

Philosophy

The Trinity MOT program is designed in accordance with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education (AOTA, 2007) to meet the missions of Trinity Washington University and the Master of Occupational Therapy program. The program seeks to educate clinicians who embody the core values of Trinity and the profession of occupational therapy and who possess the necessary skills for success in entry-level practice. With practical and fieldwork experiences we develop clinical skills, support evidence-based practices and build professionalism.  We are committed to providing innovative teaching, mentoring, and supportive learning to educate strong, caring clinicians who contribute to the practice and profession of occupational therapy.

 Occupational Therapy Program Philosophy:

The Trinity MOT program is designed to meet the missions of the University and the OT program. The educational goal is to train clinicians who embody the core values of Trinity and the profession of occupational therapy, and who possess the necessary skills for success in entry-level practice. Educating future professionals is a complex process, and current models of medical education suggest that occupational therapy education must combine academic knowledge with training in clinical skills and professional identity in order to prepare graduates for entry-level practice (Harden, Sowden & Dunn, 1984). The MOT program combines foundational knowledge about occupation, occupational therapy and biomedical and sociocultural contributors to health and disability, with practical and fieldwork experiences that develop clinical skill, support evidence-based practice, and build professionalism. Innovative teaching and professional mentoring support a learning environment to educate strong, caring clinicians who contribute to the practice and profession of occupational therapy.

Students must be prepared to invest considerable time and effort outside of class, and to participate actively in classroom discussions, assignments, practicums, simulations and clinical placements. Students who invest in learning will be challenged to become self-directed learners, reflective and critical thinkers and creative problem-solvers, which is the ultimate goal of all graduate and professional education (Knowles, et al., 1998). These skills and a commitment to lifelong learning are needed for occupational therapy practice in current practice settings, and will provide the skills needed to expand occupational therapy into emerging settings and new communities and populations.

Our View of Learning and Occupational Therapy Education:

In a professional program, learning must be an interactive and reciprocal process that requires both teacher and learner to be involved and committed. The Trinity MOT program recognizes that students come to their professional program with a variety of educational backgrounds and life experiences, as well as different preferred ways of learning. Trinity’s integrated MOT curriculum is designed to help students, with varying backgrounds and learning preferences, make on-going connections between coursework and clinical practice and to apply what they are learning to clinical situations from the first semesters of the program.  The curriculum is designed so that core concepts and themes connect between courses and across semesters.   Courses are designed with clear learning outcomes that allow students to measure what they are learning and faculty are committed to providing varied learning experiences and teaching methods that make course material accessible and meaningful to every student who enters the program.   We believe that this integrated model of professional education will facilitate active learning, build clinical reasoning and professional-practice skills and prepare students from diverse backgrounds for entry-level practice and professional success.

We also believe that students in a graduate program must take responsibility for their own learning and become actively engaged in the learning process. To succeed in this program, students need to be prepared to invest considerable time and effort outside of class and to participate actively in classroom discussions, assignments, practicums, simulations and clinical placements.  Students who invest in learning will be challenged to become self-directed learners, reflective and critical thinkers and creative problem-solvers.

References:

Corcoran, M. (2003).  Clinical scholars.  AJOT, 57, 607-608

Harden, R., Sowden, S.,  & Dunn, W. (1984).  Some educational strategies in curriculum development: The SPICES model.  Medical Education, 18, 284-297.

Holm, M. B. (2000). Our mandate for the new millennium: Evidence-based practice, 2000 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture. AJOT, 54, 575-585.

From: Mission, Vision and Philosophy

Fieldwork Manual 

Level I Fieldwork

• Student Performance Evaluation Level I : Performance
• Student Evaluation of the Fieldwork experience Level I Student Performance Evaluation: Level I Student Evaluation
• Fieldwork Criteria Form Level I Fieldwork Criteria Form : Criteria
• Fieldwork Objectives Collaboration Level I FW Objectives Collaboration Form : Collaboration

Level II Fieldwork

• AOTA Performance Evaluation AOTA FW Performance Evaluation
• Student Evaluation of the Fieldwork Experience
• Supervisor Qualifications : Qualifications
• COE Guidelines for an Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Experience Guidelines

 AOTA website has an abundance of resources to help program coordinators and clinicians develop education programs and the necessary skills to provide fieldwork education and supervision. We encourage fieldwork educators to review and utilize the many tools available.

AOTA

• Steps to Starting a Fieldwork Program – Starting a Fieldwork Program
• Recommended Content for a Student Fieldwork Manual – Content
• Sample Level II Site Specific Objectives – Objectives
• Incorporating EBP into Fieldwork Education – EBP
• Fieldwork Educator Self-Assessment – Self Assessment Tool for Fieldwork Educator Competency – Competency
• Understanding the OT/OTA Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) – Understanding

Student Supervision

1. OT/OTA Student Supervision and Medicare Requirements – must log in as a member, to AOTA website to access this content Supervision
2. Fieldwork Educator Certificate Workshop – Workshop

Resources

1. Fieldwork Resources : Resources
2. Student Supervision : Student Supervision
3. Site Specific Objectives : Site Objectives
4. Time Sheet : Timesheet

The total number of graduates from Trinity Washington University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program is 142. Over the past three years, 79 students completed the program within 150% of its published length. The program has an 82% overall graduation rate. Over the past three years, the program has had a 77% graduation rate within 150% of the published program length.

Master of Occupational Therapy Degree Program Graduation Rates

NBCOT Pass Rates

Trinity Master of Occupational Therapy program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

NBCOT Program Data Results

Download the Health & Safety Manual PDF.

Download the Fieldwork Manual PDF.

Download the MOT Student Handbook PDF

*The above tuition and fees are subject to change