A Vision for the Future of OT

What is the future of OT? How will your own OT career look over the next decade? How will our profession change and evolve?

The journal article we explore in this podcast is very concise, but it certainly packs a punch. It lays out a vision set by the American Occupational Therapy Association for where they would like to see the occupational therapy profession by 2025.

We’ll kick off the podcast by reviewing the article. Then, we’re thrilled to have Arameh Anvarizadeh, Vice President of the AOTA Board of Directors, join us for a discussion. She will share how the Vision has changed since its original publication. And, most importantly, we’ll discuss what this Vision means for practicing OTs—and how we can build our future with intention in this rapidly evolving world.

1. You will be able to recognize some current gaps in our profession that the AOTA Vision pushes us to address.

2. You will be able to describe why increasing occupational therapy’s diversity, equity and inclusion is critical in preparing us to meet the societal issues of the future.

• Intro

• Breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • How was the AOTA 2025 Vision drafted?

  • The AOTA 2025 Vision

  • The Guideposts of the Vision

  • The UPDATED version of the Vision

  • Takeaways for OT practitioners

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs (with guest Arameh Anvarizadeh)

  1. Can you tell us the story of how you became an OT—and then what made you want to become involved in the leadership of AOTA?

  2. Can you give us a little background on how the diversity, equity, and inclusion pillar was added?

  3. As you read through the core vision statement, what does it mean to you?

  4. How would you like to see busy, practicing OTs interacting with Vision 2025?

  5. When we look at the pillars, how do you personally process each one for yourself as an OT?

     • Effective

     • Leaders

     • Collaborative

     • Accessibility/Equity, Inclusion, Diversity

  6. Fast forward to 2025: what’s one or two things you’d like to see evolve or change for our next Vision?

Primary

• Vision 2025

Additional papers on the future of OT

• A vision splendid; visioning for the future of occupational therapy

• Building globally relevant occupational therapy from the strength of our diversity

Research specifically related to the effectiveness and need for OT

• Dementia prevention, intervention, and care

• Higher Hospital spending on occupational therapy is associated with lower readmission rates

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Arameh Anvarizadeh has no financial interest in this topic to disclose. She serves as Vice President of the American Occupational Therapy Association Board of Directors and is founding member and chair of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD).