Comparison of On-Campus & Hybrid Student Outcomes in Doctoral Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this presentation is to report an outcomes study that examined and compared graduate learning outcomes between on campus and hybrid entry level OTD programs. Specifically, this study compared students’ Grade... [ view full abstract ]

The purpose of this presentation is to report an outcomes study that examined and compared graduate learning outcomes between on campus and hybrid entry level OTD programs. Specifically, this study compared students’ Grade Point Average (GPA) at the end of each academic year, cumulative GPA upon graduation, Level II Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE), scores on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Practice Exam and actual NBCOT pass rate.

Participants in the study were entry level doctoral occupational therapy students who graduated in 2011 to 2014 from both the on campus and hybrid programs. A total of 174 students from the on campus program and 34 students from the hybrid program took part in the study.
Results of the statistical analyses on the collected data were summarized in Table 2. No significant differences were found on student first year GPA, second year GPA, first and second Level II fieldwork performance, grade on the NBCOT practice exam (both multiple choice and clinical simulation sections), and overall NBCOT pass rate. A significant difference, however, was found on the end of first year and the cumulative GPA.
Overall, the finding of the study suggests the graduate outcomes of the group of occupational therapy students in the on campus and hybrid programs are comparable or same.

Such comparability and sameness exist in both the knowledge and psychomotor dimensions as measured by laboratory course grades and FWPE indicating hybrid education is an effective alternative for occupational therapy professional education and training.