Refresher education policy: results of a survey

Occupational Therapy experiences chronic manpower shortage. This is in part, due to loss of trained,experienced manpower. In many cases, female occupational therapists, like other women, drop-out of the work force to re-enter later. In an attempt to delineate refresher education policy for re-entering, a mail survey of randomly selected members of Ontario occupational therapists and occupational therapy managers was conducted. The results of the survey suggested refresher education should be mandatory after an absence of 3-5 years, should be under the jurisdiction, at least in part, of the provincial association, should be oriented to specialists training and have a variety of formats including clinical practice.