Examining the Educational and Professional Learning Contexts where Occupational Therapy Practitioners Gained Competencies for Intraprofessional Collaboration

Abstract

The findings described in this article are part of a broader scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) project examining competencies for intraprofessional practice. We identified the educational and professional learning contexts where occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants developed competencies for intraprofessional collaboration. Practitioners were recruited via snowball sampling and responded to an online survey about competencies for intraprofessional practice. Respondents (N = 465) identified learning contexts that contributed to the development of each competency, selecting up to three choices: Class in Occupational Therapy or Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Fieldwork, Formal Work Training, Work Experience, Continuing Education Course, and Other. Descriptive analysis showed that both occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant respondents indicated Work Experience as the most often selected context where most competencies were developed. Occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant respondents differed in the second and third most frequently selected contexts where competencies were developed. Chi square analyses found statistically significant differences (p < .001) between occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistants for work experience and fieldwork as contexts for learning the competencies. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that occupational therapists had increased odds of endorsing Work Experience and Fieldwork compared with occupational therapy assistants. Given recent emphasis on intraprofessional education, findings may help inform design of competency-based learning experiences in educational and professional learning contexts.