Evaluating a Global Occupational Therapy Telementoring Program: An 18-Month Pre–Post Analysis of OT ECHO

Document Type (Journals)

Original Research

Abstract

Global inequities in access to mentorship and continuing professional development limit workforce growth and clinical capacity in occupational therapy. OT ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), an international telementoring and professional development program utilizing the Project ECHO model, was developed to provide accessible, case-based professional development to occupational therapists worldwide. This study employed a repeated-measures pre–post evaluation design across 18 monthly OT ECHO sessions conducted between December 2023 and June 2025. Each session included a brief didactic presentation, case-based discussion, and facilitated small-group breakout sessions. Participants completed pre- and post-session knowledge assessments consisting of three to four multiple-choice questions aligned with session objectives. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze paired pre–post differences. Across 18 sessions, 1,025 participants attended, with attendance ranging from 32 to 95 participants per session (mean = 57). An average of 13 countries were represented per session, and participants averaged 8.1 years of professional experience. Mean post-test scores increased relative to pre-test scores in all sessions; three sessions demonstrated statistically significant improvements (p ≤ .05). The highest attendance was observed in sessions on Handwriting Assessment (n = 95) and Handwriting Intervention (n = 80). OT ECHO demonstrates that a structured, case-based telementoring and professional development model can facilitate short-term knowledge gains while convening an internationally diverse community of practice. Online ECHO-based platforms represent a scalable and accessible strategy for supporting global professional development in occupational therapy.

Biography

Sarah McKinnon, OT, OTD, OTR, BCPR, MPA, FAOTA, FNAP is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, Massachusetts. Her scholarship interests include best practices in advocacy, policy professional development for adult learners.

Kate Barlow, OTD, IECMH-E, FAOTA, FNAP is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the Masters in Occupational Therapy Bridge Program at St. Catherine University. Kate founded the international mentorship program, now called OT ECHO, in 2019. Research interests include pediatric early identification of delay, feeding, and global OT education.

Kelsey Sullivan, OT, OTD, OTR is an early intervention occupational therapist at Northeast Arc in Danvers, Massachusetts. Research interests focus on pediatric development and effectiveness of tele-mentorship and virtual learning models.

John Wong, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and the Department of Occupational Therapy at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. His scholarship of teaching and learning focuses on motivating students to succeed and advancing health equity education.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Recommended Citation

McKinnon, S., Barlow, K., Sullivan, K., & Wong, J. (2026). Evaluating a Global Occupational Therapy Telementoring Program: An 18-Month Pre–Post Analysis of OT ECHO. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (3). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss3/15