3D Printing in Occupational Therapy Education
Grant
Overview
abstract
-
Abstract: To prepare for a career in occupational therapy, students must learn to identify appropriate adaptive devices for their clients and train clients to use them to improve independence in daily activities. Currently, students in the OCCT6200/6250 and OCCT6300/6350 (Therapeutic Use of Human Occupations II, III) learn these skills through the pre-made devices available in the department. This proposal describes how these skills can be refined and improved and how client needs can be better addressed through 3D printing of adaptive devices. The overall goal of this proposal is to facilitate occupational therapy students' 3D designing and printing, including clinical applications to support clients' daily life skills. Specifically, all students in OCCT6200/6250 and OCCT6300/6350 will design, fabricate, and evaluate 3D-printed adaptive devices in sequential projects. These individualized, 3D-printed devices will be applied first to case studies, and then be designed and used with individuals in the community to facilitate their performance of daily activities. In addition to providing a unique and relevant service to underserved individuals in eastern NC, these 3D printing projects will improve occupational therapy graduate students' hands-on, advanced clinical skills to achieve accreditation standards, prepare them for fieldwork, and ultimately, ensure their successful future clinical practice.
date/time interval
-
February 2019 - February 2020
awarded by