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Document Type (Journals)

Educational Innovations

Abstract

This paper provides a chronological overview of the development, implementation, and evaluation of an educational initiative aimed at ensuring internationally-educated occupational therapists are prepared to enter practice in their new country, Canada. The three major phases of the program’s 12-year evolution are described, to distill the key lessons learned at each phase. Data related to the demographics of participants, program content, results of the national examination, registration, and employment outcomes are included. An enhanced understanding of the transition experience of internationally educated occupational therapists provides a strong foundation from which to support internationally-educated colleagues and strengthen the occupational therapy profession.

Biography

Sue Baptiste, MHSc, FCAOT, Professor Emerita, School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Shaminder Dhillon, PhD Candidate, MSc, BHSc(OT), BSc, OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Kathryn Decker, MSc, OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Nancy Lidstone, Program Coordinator, Occupational Therapy Examination and Practice Preparation (OTepp) Program, School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Leah Dix, MSc, OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Colleen McGrath, PhD, MSc Occupational Therapy, OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Professor, School of Occupational Therapy, Western University, 1201 Western Road, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1.

Pat McMahon, BHSc(OT), OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Elizabeth Steggles, Dip, OT, Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1400 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1C7

Claudia von Zweck, PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.), Assistant Clinical Professor, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, T325 - 2211 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 2B5

Declaration of Interest

The research team was fortunate to receive funding from the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration from 2008 to 2013 (#20091LMI9385) and Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program from 2010-2013 (#8914855).

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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