title: Occupational therapy students' and graduates' satisfaction with professional education and preparedness for practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occupational therapy students' and graduates'perceptions of their professional education have received limited attention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper presents the perspectives of occupational therapy students and graduates regarding satisfaction with their professional education and preparedness for practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students and graduates provided feedback as part of an occupational therapy educational program evaluation at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Data were collected through surveys, focus groups, and telephone interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both students and recent graduates reported that they felt they lacked technical, intervention skills. Longer-term graduates were comfortable with their knowledge and skills, especially their ability to provide individualized intervention. Overall, students and graduates were satisfied with their education; however, it appeared to take between six months and two years of clinical practice for therapists to feel clinically competent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this evaluation may have important implications for educational programs, students, graduates, fieldwork supervisors, and employers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. sandra.hodgetts@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hodgetts
authors.forename: Vivien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: Ollie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Triska
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Madill
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*