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Occupational Therapy Research

Research Opportunities in Occupational Therapy.

Occupational therapy students can find various opportunities to participate in research and scholarship activities in the Department of Occupational Therapy. By participating in research and scholarship activities, students can gain a thorough understanding of the professional inquiry process, sharpen their knowledge and skills in research and become critical research consumers and collaborative researchers.

Students will work in groups under the direct mentorship of a faculty member or clinician to implement a research project focused on a variety of topics. Along with enhanced research skills, students will become proficient in evidence-based practice learning to make informed clinical decisions as a student and a clinician. Through their experiences with research, students will be equipped to participate in future research studies, recognize the value of the OT researcher and develop skills to disseminate research outcomes.

Students have ample valuable opportunities to participate in research while in the program. Such valuable opportunities include conducting research projects, completing a capstone project, taking part in school’s student research program and serving as a research assistant.

The Student Research program provides the opportunity for students to work in groups under the mentorship of a faculty or clinician with an expert area of practice. Student projects vary from exploring the impact of therapeutic tools like the Interactive Metronome to pet therapy to the neonatal intensive care unit. Each project is carried from literature review to research design to data collection and dissemination of research outcomes.

Students in the entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Creighton University develop individually designed culminating projects relating to their doctoral professional rotation experiences. These projects reflect application of theory to practice and synthesized advanced knowledge gained throughout the OTD curriculum.  Students completed these projects as part of the requirements of the course OTD 601 Capstone.

Students selected projects based on identified needs at their professional rotation sites or professional research interests.  Project formats included:

  • A critically appraised topic
  • A program proposal for a new service
  • A case study
  • Creation of a new tool related to management
  • A space redesign plan
  • A new assessment or intervention protocol
  • A course syllabus for a new or redesigned course
  • A website for therapists’ development
  • An analysis of a policy or ethical issue

Contact Us

Vanessa Jewell, OTR/L, PhD.
Assistant Professor
Vice Chair
402-280-5946
VanessaJewell@creighton.edu

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