Simulation in Occupational Therapy Graduate Programs

Document Type (Journals)

Original Research

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the use of simulation in occupational therapy graduate programs. A national survey was analyzed from participants who were faculty members of graduate programs in the United States. The survey questions focused on the characteristics of the simulated experiences, student skills addressed, faculty collaboration efforts, and the debriefing process. Over 1,750 emails were sent to faculty of accredited graduate occupational therapy programs and yielded a response rate of approximately 9.5% from faculty of 80+ programs in 31 states that were included in the responses. Survey data were analyzed with cross-tabulation and statistical analyses, including comparison of groups of public and private schools, cohort size, and curriculum delivery format. Ninety-four percent of the participants reported that simulations were embedded in their programs. The most frequently selected range of the number of simulations offered during a student’s education was five to eight, which likely involved the adult or geriatric population. Results indicated that student skills such as intake interviews, occupational profiles, and professional behaviors were addressed by 59% of the participants in at least half of their simulations. Faculty collaboration was reported by 80% of the participants. Debriefing was widely reported, with only 2% indicating that debriefing was not part of any of their simulated experiences. Further research is needed to investigate the details of faculty collaboration, types of simulation, and the effectiveness of specific debriefing methods.

Biography

Donna Walls, OTD, OTR, CHT is an Associate Professor and Assistant Chair of Occupational Therapy at Abilene Christian University. Her experiences have primarily been in upper extremity rehabilitation prior to entering academia in 2015. Research interests include use of simulation in education, student perception of simulation, and upper extremity rehabilitation.

Lillie Thomas, EdD, OTR is an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Abilene Christian University. Lillie has clinical experience in various settings, including the NICU, pediatrics, schools, acute care, inpatient, and home health. Scholarly interests include practitioner transitions to academia, faculty advising, and the use of simulation in education.

Melinda Underwood, OTD, OTR, CLT-LANA is an Assistant Professor of the occupational therapy program at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. She continues to practice in the outpatient setting, specializing in lymphedema management. Her current research interests include theory based debriefing methods in simulation learning environments.

Kendall Davis, OTR, OTD earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Abilene Christian University in 2024. She currently practices in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, where she is committed to advancing functional independence and enhancing the quality of life for individuals recovering from illness, injury, or disability.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Recommended Citation

Walls, D., Thomas, L., Underwood, M. A., & Davis, K. (2026). Simulation in Occupational Therapy Graduate Programs. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (2). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss2/6