Teaching orthotic design and fabrication content in occupational therapy curricula: Faculty perspectives.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational therapy (OT) programs must provide students with the skills necessary to fabricate orthoses. Input from OT educators can provide valuable insight into how these skills are taught and the resources used.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Explore how instruction in orthotic fabrication is addressed in OT education programs.

METHODS: Surveys were distributed to all accredited OT programs in the United States. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and content analysis was done on qualitative data to identify themes.

RESULTS: Overall response rate was 25%. Most programs teach orthotic fabrication with demonstration and hands-on laboratory time. Almost half add digital videos in their orthotic course content. The average number of orthoses made ranged from 2 to 5, and the resting hand, wrist, and short opponens immobilization orthoses are the most commonly taught.

DISCUSSION: This study examined the orthotic fabrication curricula in OT programs in the United States, including the time devoted to this topic, types of orthoses covered, course structure and pedagogical strategies used, and whether faculty anticipated changes in their orthotic content. The majority of programs offer this content within other existing courses within the curriculum, including coursework in physical dysfunction, OT interventions, orthopedics, and biomechanics. Only 15% of participants in the current study reported teaching orthotic content as a separate course in their curricula. Interestingly, some participants reported that they plan to offer a full separate orthotics course in their future curricula, whereas others reported combining orthotics content with other coursework or reducing the time spent making custom orthoses in the classroom. It would appear that there is still considerable variability in course structure and content in current OT programs.

CONCLUSION: Participants feel that orthotic fabrication is an essential and integral component of their curricula and that the importance of hands-on learning experiences contributes to students' preparedness and ability to use this knowledge. Student feedback indicated that more time and instruction is desired. Sharing teaching experiences can enhance emerging OT curricula and can impact future practice. Educators must strive to improve and refine curricular content to ensure that graduates have the skills necessary to meet the orthotic needs of their clients.