January / February / March • Issue 1 • 2019
Understanding the Entry-Level OTD Capstone Components, Continued from Page 1
is completed by a doctoral-level student that demonstrates the
student’s ability to relate theory to practice and to synthesize
in-depth knowledge in a practice area that relates to the
capstone experience” (ACOTE, 2018, p. 47). The Capstone
Project is related to the experience and helps to inform the
kinds of activities in which the student might engage during
the DCE. It does not, however, constitute all the activities of
the DCE.
Both Midwestern and Rush Universities anticipate that
many of their students’ DCEs and Capstone Projects will be
related to program development or program enhancement.
These experiences could occur in traditional settings where
OT services are already offered or in emerging settings
where no OT is available but participants served by the
organization could benefit from programs designed to meet
their occupational needs. Examples of this type of experience
would be to develop support group and educational programs
for cancer survivors and their caregivers in a hospital setting
or to develop a life skills program at a homeless shelter. DCEs
and Capstone Projects could also focus on advocacy, such
as advocating for OT services within a setting where OT is
not currently offered or advocating on behalf of individuals
who could benefit from OT services. Table 1 shares some
examples of capstone settings, projects, and DCE activities.
Differences Between Fieldwork and the DCE
Fieldwork and the DCE are required clinical education
opportunities for students that occur after completion of
didactic coursework in an entry-level OTD program. It is
important to identify how these experiences are different
Table 1
Doctoral Capstone Examples
Setting
Clinical in
outpatient cancer
treatment center Capstone Project
Development of a clinical
pathway for best practice
in lymphedema treatment
using L-Dex data
Community TBI
clubhouse Development of an
online training model
on employment and
investigation of the impact
on gainful employment
Academia Development of academic
coursework addressing the
use of 3D printing within
intervention and activity
analysis classes
Development of a training
program for hospitality
industry staff to advocate
for access and inclusion for
people with disabilities
Mayor’s office on
disability
Doctoral Capstone Experience
- Training in lymphedema techniques
- Manage a small caseload of lymphedema patients
- Complete data collection and analysis
- Develop portfolio to meet lymphedema certification
requirements
- Collaborate with the university video department for training in
creating online videos
- Film an interview with a client related to the “episode”
- Implement an intervention to address work skills
- Develop an outcome measure for assessing skills related to the
module
- Develop a marketing campaign describing the education program
and recruiting
- Meet with potential employers to describe the program and
develop partnerships for the Clubhouse
- Attend a webinar/course on the use of 3D printers
- Shadow medical engineering department use of 3D printing
- Collaborate with the prosthetics department where they use 3D
printing
- Deliver a lecture presentation in OT class
- Complete an environmental assessment of physical access for
local hotels
- Work on projects within the Mayor’s office to support disability
access
- Plan for hospitality industry conference on disability
- Develop a training manual on providing services and access to
people with disabilities within the hospitality industry
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