ERIC Number: EJ1447651
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2573-1378
Exploring the Professional Identity Development and Leadership Capacities of a Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Sarah Bream; Julie McLaughlin Gray
Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, v8 n4 Article 8 2024
Occupational therapy literature contains little evidence of the added value of clinical doctorate education, the professional identity of a Doctor of Occupational Therapy, or distinctions between master's-prepared and doctorate-prepared occupational therapists. This study is intended to add to the literature base through the systematic and in-depth exploration of the experiences of graduates from a post-professional clinical doctorate program in occupational therapy. The goal of this study was to examine the professional identity transformation experienced by occupational therapists completing a doctorate degree, and to better understand the Doctor of Occupational Therapy identity. The study followed a qualitative descriptive design, including participant focus group interviews and document review. Participants included sixteen recent graduates, two male and fourteen female, of a post-professional doctorate program in occupational therapy. Data analysis revealed recent graduates' perceptions of the leadership characteristics and capacities they developed throughout their learning experiences in the program and contributing to their professional identities as Doctors of Occupational Therapy. Results may have implications for the capacity for leadership within the profession. Further study is warranted to examine the impact of occupational therapy doctoral education on professional identity and capacities.
Descriptors: Professional Identity, Individual Development, Leadership Styles, Doctoral Programs, Occupational Therapy, Allied Health Occupations Education, Allied Health Occupations, Self Esteem, Communication Skills, Innovation, Advocacy
Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475. e-mail: jote@eku.edu; Web site: https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A