On January 4, over 30 prospective and admitted students and two dozen guests attended the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Open House.
An Introduction to OT and the Duke OTD Program
Selecting an OT program can be challenging. Each is distinct in focus, structure, institutional context, learning experiences, format, faculty expertise, and even in the perspectives on OT that give rise to each program’s curriculum and content emphases. To address this, Division Chief Barbara Hooper, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, began the day with an overview of the perspective that is foundational to what and how students learn in this institutional context: that access to and participation in occupation is the basis for the health and well-being of individuals and their communities.
“I want participants to leave with an appreciation for the complexity of occupation and thus the complexity of learning a therapy focused on optimizing occupation,” Dr. Hooper said. “I want them to be inspired by the breadth and depth of occupation and occupational therapy.”
Prospective and admitted students and guests from as far away as Santa Fe were walked through an exercise by Dr. Hooper that explored the complexity of occupation and how it is ultimately associated with physical, mental, and social health and well-being. Participants compared their occupational patterns with those of others in attendance and how contextual and personal features shape what they do, how they do it, and how they experience it all. They explored how occupational therapists work at micro, meso, and macro levels to optimize occupation and how occupation, in turn, transforms those systems.
“What you experienced in our time together is definitely about the content we have discussed,” Dr Hooper said to close her discussion. “What you have experienced is also a sample of how students learn at Duke—learning from each other’s experiences, engaging in team-based learning, bringing your learning back to the large group, and exploring topics as they relate to your and others’ occupations.”
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Duke
Lead Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Facilitator Warren Lattimore discussed the inclusive nature of the OT profession and how Duke OTD envisions an inclusive world where all people flourish through their occupations.
“The idea of diversity at Duke is something we connect with at each step of our program,” Lattimore said as he talked about how students would connect with the university community around them. “If you don’t like collaborative learning spaces where students engage with one another, this might not be the place for you.”
Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, Director of Diversity and Innovation in Professional Pathways, discussed additional ways the program's tenants of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are interwoven. She also detailed how students can be matched with mentors who support their professional growth.
Professors Share Insights on the Program
Prospective and admitted students and their guests had several opportunities to connect with faculty at the event. Additionally, a panel of faculty members shared insights during a Q&A session. Guests were curious about the three certificate programs, and the panelists explained how those programs provide learning opportunities that supplement the standard curriculum. Another question was how students can explore their interests in the program before beginning their third-year clinical rotations.
“There are plenty of opportunities through the didactic work of the program and extracurricular opportunities at Duke and in the local community,” Raheleh Ghasseminia, MS, OT/L assured them.
Additional Highlights
The Open House also included:
- A tour of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) Building, the program’s primary facility
- A video tour of the nearby Erwin Square Plaza space that houses additional learning and simulated clinical spaces
- An info fair, where visitors could gather information and ask questions of current students, faculty, and staff on topics ranging from curriculum to housing to work/life balance
- "Amp Your App," led by Admissions Director Gair McCullough, MAT, MACP, who provided insights on the application and admissions process along current students who shared their advice in table groups
The majority of the work organizing and running Open House was done by the people who know the student experience best—current students, including event co-leaders Taylor Cox (Class of '26) and Tala Farah (Class of '27).
Tala said, “I hope that guests and prospective and admitted students at the Open House learned what makes Duke OTD unique, and they took away everything needed to decide whether it’s a fit for them.”
Watch highlights from the Open House