The professional practice team supports the day-to-day practice of occupational therapy practitioners with resources and information on supporting best practice. Our focus includes:
- Supporting Find an OT & Find an OT Expert directory with the option to locate self-identified experts;
- Supporting Find an OT Mentor (not to be confused with supervision – not a role of association);
- Providing free resources on the Practice Resource Hub supporting dozens of areas of practice;
- Providing Practice Documents on specific areas of practice (Coming June 2024);
- Supporting Occupational Therapy Networks and Communities of Practice;
- Connecting occupational therapy practitioners to Volunteer Opportunities.
- Pediatrics
- Mental Health
- Home Assessment and Modifications
- Acute Care
- Chronic Pain
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- Assistive Technology & Artificial Intelligence
- Equity & Justice
- Health Promotion & Wellness
- Dementia
- Neurology
More OT Practice Documents coming soon!
FIND AN OT EXPERT
Terms of Use
Specialization and Advanced Occupational Therapy Competencies
The WFOT recommends five criteria1 that should be met for an occupational therapist to be considered an expert in an area of practice:
- Meet the accreditation standards required by their country and be a registered member of their national and/or local occupational therapy association.
- Have at least three years of experience, with at least half of those years in the area of practice.
Have completed additional education and/or professional development certificates on top of their generalist training. - Have completed/participated in a structured clinical supervision program that includes defined education as a supervisor, supervised practice, and experience supervising others.
- Demonstrate the application of their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the practice area. For example, through written material (e.g., scientific paper), presentation at conference or workplace innovations and initiatives.
Based on these criteria, CAOT members can identify as experts in an area of practice. Members are to avoid making any false representation about their level of competence and expertise in the area of practice that they are self-identifying as an expert. CAOT does not independently verify whether the occupational therapist meets these criteria. Therefore, it remains the sole responsibility of users to ensure that the occupational therapist possesses the necessary expertise and knowledge to be considered an expert in their area(s) of practice.
![Practice hub banner](https://caot.ca/uploaded/web/Practice%20Networks/Practice%20Hub%20banner.png)
The Practice Resource Hub offers relevant, reliable and diverse resources, developed by CAOT and several external sources, related to dozens of different areas of practice. The Hub is reviewed and updated regularly, ensuring it remains a relevant and valuable tool.
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Read the areas of practice and their definitions used in the Practice Hub. |
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DO YOU HAVE ANY PRACTICE RELATED QUESTIONS? Reach out to us at practice@caot.ca |