Characteristics of 1986 First Year Occupational Therapy Students at Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a survey aimed at determining specific biographical, educational, attitudinal, and aptitudinal characteristics of students at the beginning of the 1986 first year occupational therapy course at Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences. It suggests that these types of data could assist in the identification of factors, in addition to the ones related to gender, which may contribute to the professional attrition of occupational therapists. It also suggests that these additional factors may need to be considered when planning and reviewing undergraduate curricula and in devising criteria for selection of students for occupational therapy. These assumptions, however, need to be further investigated.