A certificate in innovation and entrepreneurship with a concentration in social entrepreneurship for occupational therapy doctoral students
Embargo Date
2023-09-21
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Occupational therapy practitioners are in a unique position to address
occupational injustices through social entrepreneurship—entrepreneurship for a social
cause. Despite the potential contribution that occupational therapists can have in this
space, they may not understand how they can address occupational injustices as social
entrepreneurs and may not receive the education to develop the skills to successfully
launch and sustain a social enterprise. A recent review of the top 10 occupational therapy
programs in the United States indicated that only half of the programs explicitly included
entrepreneurship in their curricula (Gigi, 2020). Anderson and Nelson (2011) also noted
this limitation and recommended that the profession offer more academic support to
advance students’ knowledge of entrepreneurship. Barriers to implementing such
recommendations may include health care professors’ limited knowledge about
entrepreneurship and administrators’ lack of support. Further, when entrepreneurship is
included in education programs, it is aligned more often with the mission of health care
professions than with social entrepreneurship. The proposed program, a certificate in
innovation and entrepreneurship with a social-entrepreneurship concentration for entry level Duke University occupational therapy students, addresses some barriers that
historically may have impeded the advancement of entrepreneurship education in health
professions. The certificate includes two required business fundamental courses and two
elective occupational therapy social-entrepreneurship courses followed by group
coaching. Duke occupational therapy doctoral students will have the option to focus their
capstone on certificate completion. This model can provide occupational therapy students
with the foundation they need to optimally address occupational injustices as social
entrepreneurs.