Doctoral Students Present Research
April 27, 2023—Second- and third-year students in Kettering College’s occupational therapy doctoral program gathered in the auditorium to present their years of research and collaboration. Faculty, staff, family, and friends made their way to each student to learn the myriad of ways occupational therapy is used to improve lives.
Second-year students spend a year researching a chosen topic that is precepted by faculty. For all scholarly and research projects, students must complete Kettering Health’s Institutional Review Board process for approval prior to conducting their project and presenting their research.
At the end of their second year, they present their group research projects and attend the White Coat Dedication ceremony. This signifies the completion of their didactic portion of the program before beginning their fieldwork and clinical placement. They pledge to be dedicated to their future patients and their profession. They then move into Level II Fieldwork and their Doctoral Capstone Project, leaving only one year left of the program to complete.
Students spend 18 months researching, creating, and implementing a chosen topic for their final Doctoral Capstone project posters. They are matched to a site and collaborate with a site mentor and a faculty mentor for the capstone. This is an advanced knowledge project that is completed after two Level II fieldwork experiences.
Some of the scholarly presentations were:
•Learning Hard Truths about Implicit Bias and Its Impacts to Healthcare
•Assistive Technology Education in the Inpatient Rehab Setting to Support the Transition to Home
•Using Task-Specific Training in Home Exercise Programs is Feasible for OTs
•Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals: Addressing the Needs of Workers in the Commercial Agriculture Industry
•Addressing Visual Motor and Visual Perceptual Deficits within the School Environment
•Development of an Evidence-Based Virtual Chair-Yoga Program for Homebound Veterans
Occupational therapy is a profession that assists clients of every age and every ability. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 14% increase in demand for occupational therapists in the next eight years. When these students from Kettering College graduate with their doctorate degrees, they are entering their careers a step-ahead of the competition.
In fact, as the poster presentations were happening, doctoral student Audrey Smith received a call with the news she was hoping to receive: a job offer. She accepted the job as an occupational therapist and went back to presenting her capstone project. Her colleagues congratulated her as she grinned with excitement for the road ahead.
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