A framework for promoting scholarship productivity in occupational therapy curricula

This paper describes a curricular model to support the production of quality research and development of occupational therapy professional students, prepared to become leaders in the production and utilization of evidence for practice. This model is designed for programs with faculty challenged by the dual mandate of program excellence and expectations for scholarly productivity needed for tenure and promotion: typically programs at research universities. The essence of the model is the paralleling of research and competencies for clinical practice where faculty and students participate as a community of scholars. It is based on the literature that addresses the tensions between achieving excellence in research and scholarly productivity, and excellence in teaching. The experience of one university with this model over a five-year period of time is shared with the student-faculty productivity outcomes. These outcomes include dissemination of 55 collaborative peer reviewed products and faculty has generated support for 25 paid graduate assistantships. The combination of student outcomes and faculty support for their research has strengthened the ability of the faculty to excel in meeting the University mandate of scholarship while providing a high quality professional educational program.