Developing the instructional skills of new faculty members in occupational therapy

During the past 5 years, the American Occupational Therapy Association, American Occupational Therapy Foundation, and Medical University of South Carolina worked together to promote the instructional performance of new faculty members within the profession. This article describes the development and progression of initiatives for more than 300 new faculty members in occupational therapy and the characteristics of those who participated. On the basis of experience gained with these new faculty members, we recommend that the profession of occupational therapy adopt a more systematic approach to conceptualizing, planning, and orchestrating the range of faculty development activities needed by academicians; develop strategies to socialize and encourage prospective faculty members to develop the necessary academic qualifications sooner in their careers; and explore ways in which experienced academicians from other fields can be enticed into our own to strengthen existing faculties.