OT project will connect creativity with clinical competence

Department of Occupational Therapy Assistant Professor Dr. Carla Chase’s Instructional Development Project Grant for "The Art and Science of Occupational Therapy: Bridging the Gap between Creativity and Clinical Competence" has been approved for funding by the University’s Office of Faculty Development Advisory Board. "Licensed occupational therapists who supervise our students in medical settings," says Chase, "have indicated that our students need to problem solve while treating patients in an acute medical setting, such as a hospital or an intense inpatient rehabilitation unit."

To address this, she will use the funds to create teaching materials and modules for the course Advanced Application of OT Clinical Reasoning, which she teaches every fall and spring semester. Module 1 will focus on "the art" or creativity; module 2 will cover "the science" or medical skills needed in an acute hospital setting; and module 3 will serve as "the bridge" through which students apply creativity to real life case scenarios. Chase will engage the collaborative services of key experts in the development of these modules and other aspects of the project. 

Once the tools are created, they can be incorporated into the course for subsequent semesters, and shared—along with Chase’s process—in a variety of settings, including: at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s educational symposium; with Western’s and other Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Faculty Learning Communities in the Midwest; and through a submission to the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy.