Kaitlyn Wright, OTD; Amy Mahle, EdD, COTA/L, ROH
Education, Research, & Scholarship | Audience Level: Introductory
This presentation explores the untapped partnership between occupational therapy doctoral capstone students and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. Participants will learn how both students and educators can benefit from this collaboration. Capstone students can support curriculum development, student engagement, classroom activities, and program initiatives while gaining valuable experience in an emerging practice setting. OTA educators can benefit from additional support, fresh perspectives, and student-driven contributions that enhance learning environments and program growth. The goal of this session is for students to discover educational settings as a meaningful capstone opportunity and for educators to recognize capstone students as a valuable, readily available resource that can strengthen OTA programs and enrich educational experiences for all involved.