Changing times: trials and tribulations of the move to Master's entry-level education in Canada.
BACKGROUND
Most health care professions are reviewing issues related to the changing nature of professional education and practice. Social work, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, and recently occupational therapy, have raised the entry-level training requirements to the graduate level to enhance formal education programs.


OBJECTIVE
In the past few years, this trend has generated considerable debate and discussion within the occupational therapy profession both in Canada and internationally. In November, 2001 the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) announced that Canadian universities must convert to entry-level Master's programs by 2008 to receive re-accreditation (CAOT, 2002a). This paper describes the historical evolution of Canadian occupational therapy education, outlines several issues within occupational therapy that are impacting the move, and discusses benefits and challenges to Master's level training.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendations are presented for the development of Master's entry-level occupational therapy training programs in Canada.
Lall
Alison
A
Providence Children's Centre, 5232-Fourth Street S.W., Calgary, AB T2V 0Z4. aalall@hotmail.com
Klein
Jennifer
J
Brown
G Ted
GT
D000068:Accreditation; D002170:Canada; D004500:Education, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends*; D014495:Universities