Literature reveals that occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are unclear regarding their respective roles and responsibilities. This can negatively impact client outcomes, professional growth of individual practitioners, and the image of the occupational therapy profession. There is an opportunity to enhance occupational therapy education using intraprofessional education, a collaborative model where students of different levels of the same profession learn together, for example occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistant students.

 

Students’ confidence of the supervisory process and role delineation in occupational therapy were measured at pre-test, following a one-hour lecture, and following an intraprofessional class project. Measures included  a researcher developed, multiple-choice OT/OTA Knowledge Quiz and adapted versions of the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale and the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education–Revised.

 

Results of the study showed students had an increase in general knowledge of OT/OTA roles after the lecture with no significant changes to attitudes or perceptions. After the collaborative group project, both OT and OTA students had more positive attitudes and perceptions towards intraprofessional practice.

 

By engaging in intraprofessional education, OT and OTA students will be better equipped to confidently perform and articulate their roles to consumers, health care providers, and other stakeholders.