Anatomy education in occupational therapy curricula: Perspectives of practitioners in the United States

Abstract

The study of human anatomy is an integral component in the education of future occupational therapists, yet there is a paucity of research that explores the anatomy needs of students and new practitioners. As a follow up from a pilot study that surveyed a small cohort of practicing therapists, this article aimed to determine occupational therapy (OT) practitioners' views on anatomy course structure and content deemed important to include in OT curricula, entry level practitioners' anatomy knowledge, and application of anatomy in current practice. A Likert scale and free text questionnaire was distributed to practicing occupational therapists across the United States. Fifty-four percent of the participants in this cohort favored a standalone course, as compared to 94% in the pilot study group. Anatomy course content areas were comparable across groups. Systems identified as essential to cover in an OT anatomy course included skeletal, muscular, and nervous. Regions included the upper limb, thorax/trunk, head and neck, and lower limb. Seventy percent of participants in both groups felt that entry-level practitioners had adequate anatomy knowledge; 30% did not. Practice areas requiring anatomy knowledge included assessment of joint movement, muscle strength, pain, and functional mobility. Qualitative analysis of free text response data revealed the importance of anatomy knowledge in OT assessment and intervention strategies, determining the impact of injury or disease on occupational performance, client safety, and communication with other health care professionals and families. Anat Sci Educ 11: 243-253. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Exploring Anatomy Coursework and Perceptions of Occupational Therapy Students: A Survey Study

“…Anatomy involves the identification and study of structures and their spatial interrelationships within the human body (Yammine & Violato, 2014). Anatomical knowledge is considered foundational for safe and competent clinical practice in medical and allied health professions including occupational therapy (Barillas, 2019;Bergman et al, 2011;Dayal et al, 2017;Estai & Bunt, 2016;Schofield, 2017;Sugand et al, 2010;Turney, 2007;Waseem et al, 2018;Yammine & Violato, 2014). Though anatomical knowledge is considered crucial for medical and allied health professional students, there has been a significant decrease in curriculum hours for anatomy courses in these professions over the last several years (Díaz-Mancha et al, 2016;Drake et al, 2009;Lazarus et al, 2012;Yammine, 2014).…”

“…The decreased hours devoted to anatomy education within allied health and medical curricula may affect student competency in clinical practice. Much of the literature focuses on anatomy education within medical school curricula but the literature is lacking regarding anatomy education within allied health professions, specifically occupational therapy (Carroll & Lawson, 2014;Latman & Lanier, 2001;Schofield, 2017).…”

“…Occupational therapy practitioners use their knowledge of anatomy in their analysis of occupational performance. This anatomical knowledge allows occupational therapy practitioners the ability to better understand the limitations in occupations when examining other factors such as age, illness, disease, and deficits and how they influence occupational performance (Carroll & Lawson, 2014;Schofield, 2017).…”

“…The understanding of anatomical dysfunction and its application to occupations aids practitioners in performing evaluations and providing best practice interventions (Schofield, 2017). On the contrary, a lack of anatomical knowledge may lead to unsafe medical and therapeutic interventions and consequently may put patients at risk for further injury (Ellis, 2002;Yammine, 2014;Yammine & Violato, 2014) and occupational dysfunction.…”

“…Thus, a strong understanding of anatomical knowledge is necessary for safe and competent clinical practice in the field of occupational therapy. With anatomical knowledge serving as the foundation for safe and competent clinical practice, anatomy should be considered a vital and integral part of occupational therapy curricula (Schofield, 2017).…”