Development of a hybrid distance occupational therapy program in Alaska

Area of Science:

• Health professions education
• Interorganizational partnerships
• Rural health disparities

Background:

• Rural areas face significant shortages of health professionals.
• Limited access to health professions education programs in rural states exacerbates this issue.
• Students from rural backgrounds often relocate for specialized health training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the occupational therapist shortage in Alaska.
• To establish a collaborative hybrid occupational therapy program.
• To create a replicable model for health education in underserved regions.

Main Methods:

• A partnership between Creighton University and the University of Alaska Anchorage.
• Development of a hybrid occupational therapy program utilizing web-based learning benchmarks.
• Application of key partnership characteristics: communication, common goals, mutual needs, and trust.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of a hybrid occupational therapy program in Anchorage, Alaska.
• Demonstrated effectiveness of interorganizational collaboration in health education.
• Provided a pathway for Alaskan residents to pursue occupational therapy degrees.

Conclusions:

• The collaborative hybrid program effectively addresses the need for occupational therapists in Alaska.
• The partnership model can be adapted by disparate institutions to improve access to health education.
• This initiative offers a viable solution for rural and underserved areas seeking health workforce development.