A survey of 134 OT students at one regional Australian university found 80.6% did not understand what occupational therapists do before enrolling. Personal connections were the main way they learned about the profession. This is a workforce and visibility finding, not a clinical one.
80.6% of students reported they did not have a good understanding of the role and scope of occupational therapy practice before deciding to study it.
Personal interest in the subject (80.2%) and recommendations from family or friends (71.0%) were the two most frequently selected influences on the decision to enrol; 49.3% first heard about the profession through family or friends and 48.5% knew someone already studying it.
The most commonly selected financial supports enabling the decision to study were the HECS interest-free government loan (81.3%) and part-time or casual employment (78.4%).
Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four participants were randomized across two intervention arms and assessed at twelve weeks for the primary outcome…
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Summarised by AI from the abstract, not the full paper. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →