A Historical Cross-Professional Perspective on the Fellowship in Occupational Therapy

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Postgraduate Training
• Occupational Therapy

Background:

• Post-entry-level training programs like residencies and fellowships are expanding in health professions.
• This expansion necessitates a review of existing models to inform new program development.

Observation:

• Residency and fellowship programs were analyzed across medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and occupational therapy.
• The historical development and current state of these programs were examined.

Findings:

• Analysis reveals common structures and challenges in health professions postgraduate education.
• Occupational therapy can benefit from understanding established residency and fellowship models in other fields.

Implications:

• Findings provide a framework for developing new occupational therapy fellowships.
• This can enhance advanced practice and specialization within occupational therapy.