Professions are socially constructed phenomena. Accordingly, an understanding of what is meant by a profession, with its associated social positioning and how that is interpreted, is governed by historical, temporal, cultural and ideological influences. For occupational therapy, such an understanding can be a real challenge. This is because of a dichotomy between its ontological, person-centred approach and the medically dominated constructs prevalent in the professionalisation of all caring professions and still inherent in health care arenas today (Etzioni 1969, Fairhurst 1981, Rivett 1997, Freidson 2001). As a consequence of this traditionally accepted dominance and the roles ascribed to or enabled by this positioning, the professional identity of occupational therapy can be limited by the politics of power at the organisational level. This can shape how occupational therapy is understood, not only by significant others but also by the profession itself. Professional consistency and cohesion, both inside and outside the profession, could therefore be challenged, unless individual actors, organisational attitudes and social constructs change. There is a need both to confront and to accept the ever-changing nature of professionalism and the meaning of occupation in the postmodern world.

Knowledge, 'knowers', identity, dispositions, problem-based learning.Purpose: The future of occupational therapy is dependent on profession-specific knowledge to underpin its practice. This research explored occupational therapy students' perceptions of knowledge and their professional identity from one problem-based learning programme.Procedure: A qualitative methodology using in-depth interviews gathered data from 20 occupational therapy students in their final year of an undergraduate programme. The data were analysed thematically and in relation to theoretical constructs derived from the sociologists of education, Basil Bernstein and Karl Maton.Findings: The students viewed occupational therapists as 'knowers' rather than as 'knowledgeable' therapists. This distinction is embedded in a professional identity grounded in the dispositions of the occupational therapist and the philosophical constructs that support occupational therapy, but not in the specialist knowledge of occupation.Conclusion: The students' experiences suggest that the problem-based learning programme provides the transferable skills and philosophical constructs that allow them to practise in a diverse range of contemporary occupational therapy settings. However, simply mirroring current practice restricts professional advancement. The identity of the occupational therapist needs to embrace both a philosophical discourse and the specialist knowledge of occupation.Reference: Whitcombe SW (2013) Problem-based learning students' perceptions of knowledge and professional identity: occupational therapists as 'knowers'.

OA and IA differ significantly, both in their nature and their management. However, patients with arthritis want health professionals working in the community to be able to take a holistic approach to arthritis, with an understanding not just of the physical effects, but also their impact on the lives of patients, their family and their wider social circle, and on their ability to participate. People with OA want their condition to be taken seriously and to be offered appropriate management options, while people with IA want professionals to understand the unpredictability of their condition and to have a basic understanding of the drugs used for its treatment.

Health professionals working in the community commonly encounter arthritis as a presenting problem or as a co-morbidity. The quality of care provided to people with inflammatory arthritis and OA in the community is currently variable. The present study identified the core competencies that all community-based nurses and AHPs should have in relation to OA and inflammatory arthritis.

This opinion piece discusses the concept of globalisation for occupational therapy throughout the world. Factors that enable and inhibit mobile working patterns amongst occupational therapists are highlighted, with emphasis given to the way that occupational therapists are educated in the United Kingdom. The advantages to practitioners and services from the developed nations as opposed to those in the developing countries are recognised. The discussion concludes that, presently, occupational therapists are not optimising the opportunities afforded by globalisation. Educators, practitioners and service providers all have a role to play in taking this agenda forward.