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Related Experiment Videos

Specialty choice in occupational therapy.

S Ezersky1, L Havazelet, A H Scott

  • 1Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital, Activities Therapy Department, Philadelphia 19139.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association
|April 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Fewer occupational therapists choose mental health due to fieldwork, perceived effectiveness, and job availability. These factors influence specialty selection among graduates.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational Therapy
  • Mental Health Services
  • Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

  • A shortage of occupational therapists in mental health settings is a growing concern.
  • Understanding factors influencing specialty choice is crucial for addressing workforce gaps.
  • Previous research on medical student specialty choice in psychiatry provides a framework for this study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify key factors influencing occupational therapy graduates' choice of mental health as a specialty.
  • To compare specialty choices across mental health, pediatrics, and physical disabilities.
  • To inform strategies for increasing the number of mental health occupational therapists.

Main Methods:

  • Survey administered to 411 occupational therapy graduates from nine New York metropolitan area schools.

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  • Variables examined included personality, academic, clinical, and employment attributes.
  • Data analysis focused on factors influencing specialty selection.

    • Main Results:

    • Fewer occupational therapists were found to be working in mental health compared to pediatrics or physical disabilities.
    • Primary factors influencing mental health specialty choice were fieldwork experience, feelings of effectiveness, and perceived employment availability.
    • Personality, academic, and other clinical attributes showed less impact on specialty choice.

    Conclusions:

    • Fieldwork experience, perceived effectiveness, and employment outlook are critical determinants for occupational therapists choosing mental health.
    • Targeted interventions focusing on these factors may help increase the mental health occupational therapy workforce.
    • Recommendations are provided to enhance recruitment and retention in mental health occupational therapy.