centennial+vision

FORUM: ACHIEVING AOTA’S 2017 CENTENNIAL VISION: THE ROLE OF EDUCATION Introduction All educators, academic and fieldwork, as well as students, have been called to action as a central force of leaders to ensure the achievement of the profession’s stated 2017 Vision by the American Occupational Therapy Association. Florence Clark, Vice President on the AOTA Board of Directors (2006-2009) has the primary responsibility to facilitate the strategic direction of our profession which is now enveloped by our Vision. In her presentation, “AOTA’s Centennial Vision: What is it? Why is it Right?”

1          Vice President Clark stated that our adopted Vision

statement will serve as “a roadmap for the future for our OT profession to commemorate AOTA’s 100th birthday in 2017. Further, it will. . . deepen our personal resolve to sharpen our common future.” A vision is meant to be inspirational, aspirations- and future-oriented. It answers the question: “What are we ultimately trying to achieve?” A vision states the desired outcome, who will benefit, and guides decisions that will empower achievement. Towards this end, AOTA has adopted the following vision statement: AOTA’s Centennial Vision Statement for 2007: We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, science-driven and evidencebased profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, Vol. 21(1/2) 2007 Available online at http://othc.haworthpress.com ©

2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

doi:10.1300/J003v21n01_24

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In Dr. Clark’s statement, she explicitly states that “education is a basis for power.”

1          She goes on to exhort the profession that through the

vision we must: • Link research education and practice • Connect universities to practice and connect education with practice • Develop a model curriculum to establish consistency in OT education and training and infuse curriculum with new content related to vision.

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As co-editors, we are convinced that only the collective wisdom of individuals in education and the products of our educational programs over the next 10 years can ensure this vision. Academic and fieldwork educators along with students have incredible resources to bring about the desired changes. Thus, this series of commentaries is written by select, invited leaders in our profession to provide perspectives on how educators and students can fulfill our responsibility to ensure the best renewed and directed profession possible. Each was asked to comment on the role that education could serve to ensure that in 2017 our Vision for occupational therapy is realized. We hope that when this publication is cited in the near future, these commentaries will empower and direct the profession towards realizing the Vision. In the distant future, we hope it will historically document the beginning of a new journey for the profession and rationalize the choices made among alternatives to achieve this Vision fully by 2017! Patricia A. Crist, PhD, OTR, FAOTA Founding Chair and Professor John G. Rangos Sr. School of Health Sciences Duquesne University NOTE 1. AOTA’s centennial vision: What it is, why it’s right.

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