Brief Report
Issue Date: January/February 2019
Published Online: January 25, 2019
Updated: April 30, 2020
Interprofessional Education Among Occupational Therapy Programs: Faculty Perceptions of Challenges and Opportunities
Jason K. Hughes; Angela Allen; Tim McLane; Jessica L. Stewart; Vahé Heboyan; Gianluca De Leo
Author Affiliations
  • Jason K. Hughes, PhD, MS, OTR/L, CWCE, is Director of Occupational Therapy and Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Knoxville, TN. At the time of this study, he was Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA; jason.hughes@lmunet.edu
  • Angela Allen, MPH, CHDA, CPHI, is Data Scientist, Department of Data Integrity and Analytics, Augusta University Medical Center, Augusta, GA.
  • Tim McLane, MBA, ATC, AEMT, is Senior Athletic Trainer, Sports Medicine Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA.
  • Jessica L. Stewart, MPH, is Graduate Student, Department of Applied Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA.
  • Vahé Heboyan, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA.
  • Gianluca De Leo, PhD, MBA, is Associate Professor, Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA.
Article Information
Education of OTs and OTAs / Multidisciplinary Practice / Columns: Brief Report
Brief Report   |   January 25, 2019
Interprofessional Education Among Occupational Therapy Programs: Faculty Perceptions of Challenges and Opportunities
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 01 2019, Vol. 73, 7301345010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.030304
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 01 2019, Vol. 73, 7301345010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2019.030304
Abstract

OBJECTIVE. We investigated occupational therapy faculty beliefs about and perceptions of interprofessional education (IPE) and to identify differences in faculty positions on IPE between programs affiliated with an on-campus academic health care center (AHC) and programs not affiliated with an on-campus AHC.

METHOD. Online surveys were distributed by email to 1,466 faculty at programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. The results were described using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations.

RESULTS. Faculty responses supported the need for IPE. Ethics was ranked as the most important IPE competency among both the AHC and the non-AHC groups. IPE was more commonly included in the curriculum of programs with an on-campus AHC than in the curriculum of those without an AHC.

CONCLUSION. The majority of occupational therapy faculty supported the need for IPE; however, many reported limitations with faculty or time constraints as barriers to IPE.