| Popis: |
Entry-level clinical doctorate degrees are becoming more prevalent in the United States for occupational therapy. As indicated by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® standards, the doctoral capstone is an essential component to the entry-level doctorate degree. Despite the importance of the doctoral capstone, there have been limited publications about doctoral capstone development, implementation, and evaluation. A retrospective review was completed on qualitative descriptive data from a national electronic survey of entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (EL-OTD) programs regarding implementation of the doctoral capstone experience and project. Fifteen EL-OTD programs responded to the survey. Based on results, there was not one universal framework used for development, implementation, or evaluation. Aggregate data is presented for the timeframe of the doctoral capstone, role of faculty advisors, professions of capstone site mentors, number of students completing the experience at more than one site, and methods used for evaluation of student performance. Of the eight possible focus areas for the doctoral capstone, advanced clinical skills was the focus most frequently selected followed by program and policy development. Understanding current methods used for development, implementation, and evaluation of the doctoral capstone allows mentors, community leaders, and occupational therapy educators to gain a greater understanding of the implications the doctoral capstone may have on student outcomes. Survey results indicate great variety in approaches to design, implementation, and evaluation of the doctoral capstone. |
