Assessing occupational therapy students' clinical competence for entry-level work-related practice

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy Education
• Clinical Competence Assessment
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Occupational therapy (OT) programs aim to graduate clinicians with entry-level competencies.
• Competence-based curricula are designed to ensure students are ready for practice.
• Developing clinical competence is crucial for pre-licensure readiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the outcomes of a graduate seminar on OT students' pre-licensure skills.
• To evaluate changes in National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) practice test scores.
• To examine the effects of time, class, and their interaction on test score improvements.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective outcome competence assessment was conducted.
• 62 students who graduated between 2008-2010 participated.
• NBCOT practice test scores were compared pre- and post-seminar.

Main Results:

• NBCOT practice test scores significantly increased from pre- to post-seminar.
• Scores improved significantly within each of the three participating classes.
• The interaction effect did not change the pattern of score increases.

Conclusions:

• The graduate seminar effectively improved students' NBCOT practice test scores.
• Both time and class main effects confirmed the seminar's positive impact.
• The pattern of improvement was consistent across different class offerings.