R-evolution of leadership: a curriculum to prepare future occupational therapists
Embargo Date
2029-05-31
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Leadership is deemed imperative for the sustainable health of any individual, community, or population and is identified as a priority in vision statements by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, 2021; WFOT, 2021). The context in which current and future leaders will need to thrive is increasingly complex and highlights the relevance of both formal and informal roles (Heard et al., 2018). However, entry-level doctorate of occupational therapy (EL-OTD) students may feel unprepared for these challenges (Braveman, 2016). R-Evolution of Leadership: A Curriculum to Prepare Future Occupational Therapists is an online curriculum that answers the call for help regarding leadership development from occupational therapy professional organizations while providing opportunities to amplify EL-OTD students’ recognition of their own potential within a variety of community or population contexts. Evidence suggests that leadership development programs are effective at fostering leadership. Conceptual grounding to support this program’s design was provided by the Adult Learning Theory and Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Elements from these theories influenced the development of the screening process for potential participants and the structure of the program to foster novel conceptualizations. The pilot of the proposed 14-week initiative consists of two phases. The first half will be comprised of weekly self-instruction modules, 60-minute live classrooms, and asynchronous written group discussions. The second half will offer a self-directed, experiential, and process-oriented practicum. Specifically, the program aims to remove barriers that impede the leader self-identification that EL-OTD students already possess, plus provide opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills for effective leadership in any practice setting. Short-term outcomes include increased self-awareness of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; improved insight into new possibilities for leadership, and increased efficacy in communicating concepts of leadership. Examples from the project have the potential to guide future occupational therapists functioning in formal and informal leadership roles which may therefore impact the numbers and types of clients served by practitioners comprising the profession.
Description
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International