Reflections of Occupational Therapy Graduates on Their Educational Curriculum at Kuwait University: An Exploratory...

Global trends in occupational therapy practice such as telehealth, community-based practice, and culturally safe care have become integral in occupational therapy. It highlights the need for curricula that integrate emerging practices alongside core competencies of practitioners. Thus, understanding occupational therapy graduates' perspectives concerning their educational curriculum is important as it provides insights into their experiences, identifies gaps in education, and ensures alignment with evolving professional demands. These perspectives further assist in refining curricula to enhance competency and preparedness for clinical practice.

This preliminary research studied the perspectives of occupational therapy graduates regarding their educational experiences at the occupational therapy department at Kuwait University.

A convergent parallel mixed-methods approach was utilized using a self-developed questionnaire (ie Curriculum Questionnaire) with close- and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and t-test served as primary analyses of the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.

The study included 83 participants, with the questionnaire demonstrating strong validity and internal consistency. Graduates reported moderate satisfaction with faculty support (mean=3.7 ± 1.1), with higher satisfaction among participants with more years of experience within practice (P=0.035). Conversely, satisfaction with laboratory classes was notably low, particularly concerning equipment and space (mean=2.7 ± 1.0). Graduates emphasized curriculum strengths such as professionalism, occupation-based models, and environmental adaptation; however, they highlighted gaps such as lack of specialty exposure (eg, dysphagia, assistive technology, and neonatal care), limited interprofessional education, and insufficient preparation for emerging areas like telehealth and culturally responsive practice.

Understanding graduates' perspectives is crucial for advancing the educational curriculum, enhancing clinical learning environments, and ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for professional challenges. Linking findings to Kuwait's healthcare priorities and university reform agenda underscores the practical significance of curriculum adaptation.