i. Introduction
The Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy is designed to prepare occupational therapy practitioners to address trends in the ever-changing healthcare and education system, through application of systematic evidence-based and theory-driven coursework and doctoral project (referred to as “Innovation Project”). The PP-OTD program is a 32-credit, fully online program that provides students with a foundational skill set including leadership, teaching, and communication components that will enable occupational therapy practitioners to lead on interprofessional teams and within organizations. The program prepares licensed occupational therapists to assume advanced professional roles including, but not limited to, advanced clinicians, occupational therapy department supervisors, health care administrators, and educators. Specifically, graduates of the MGH Institute PP-OTD program will be able to:
- Evaluate solutions and/or programs to address gaps in professional practice.
- Apply advanced clinical reasoning in the practice of occupational therapy.
- Address social determinants of health within diverse patients, populations and organizations.
- Incorporate health management, maintenance, and health promotion into practice.
- Cultivate teaching skills to contribute to occupational therapy education in academic and clinical settings.
- Develop leadership and advocacy skills to influence policy and/or system-level change at the organization, local, state, and national levels.
- Communicate an evidence-based, theory-driven solution to a health care and/or occupational therapy problem to national and international audiences.
- Lead interprofessional teams at the organization level.