Occupational therapy is a versatile and expanding profession within the health care spectrum of services. Occupation is everything people do to occupy themselves, including looking after themselves and their loved ones, enjoying life doing the things they want to do, and contributing to the social and economic well-being of their neighbors and communities. Occupational therapists use occupation (or the activities and tasks associated with a clients valued occupations) as the method for achieving therapeutic goals.
An expanding body of research has shown that occupation-based interventions are highly effective in motivating clients, have the ability to tap into unconscious motor memory and are ultimately more effective in reaching client goals than are treatments focusing only on motion and/or strength. Increasingly, occupation (or the ability to participate in life's activities) has come to be viewed as the definition of health and well-being (the World Health Organization), and therefore a goal of health services agencies.
- Occupational therapists work with various agencies in the community to plan programs or strategies to maximize the ability of community members to live independently and fully participate in the life and amenities of the community.
- Occupational therapists address the needs of a wide variety of clients, both as individuals and as groups: Elderly individuals who suffer a decline in functioning; people with mental illness or substance abuse; those with physical impairments; injured workers; and children with developmental delays, to name a few.
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Occupational Therapy Program (M.S.)
Occupational Therapy Resources
Why Choose FGCU's Occupational Therapy Program
Students select the FGCU occupational therapy program for a variety of reasons. However, the program's most distinctive elements are:
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Knowledge, skills, and abilities taught in a hands-on environment from a variety of faculty and clinical preceptors in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical education setting.
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Board of Certification: 100% Overall Pass Rate 2018-2023.
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Students are engaged in simultaneous classroom and clinical education allowing the seamless acquisition of knowledge and skill development.
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Development of competency to practice in an evidence based manner.
In addition to the above reasons, students learn in an atmosphere that is conducive to learning in state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms with small class sizes. Finally, high level students have also enjoyed the opportunity to work on faculty projects and research.
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Occupational Therapy Team
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