TNOTA Capstone Partnership Program

In the field of occupational therapy in the United States, students complete their training through OT and OTA educational programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education [ACOTE]. For entry-level OTD students, the Doctoral Capstone, which consists of a Doctoral Capstone Experience and Capstone Project, is a major component of the curriculum. The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone is to “provide an in-depth exposure to one or more of the following areas in occupational therapy: clinical skills, research skills, administration, program development and evaluation, advocacy, education, and leadership” (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education [ACOTE], 2023, p. 42). 

As part of the mission and vision of the Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA), TNOTA offers opportunities for students to partner with a TNOTA leader for a Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE). Students are expected to produce work that can be used by the association following the completion of the DCE as well as disseminating their work through TNOTA via webinar, in-person presentation, conference presentation, and/or newsletter article. The format of this will be mutually agreed upon by the TNOTA president, the TNOTA leader(s) serving as the Subject Matter Expert (“SME;” sometimes also called the Onsite Mentor or Onsite Advisor), and the student. A written agreement between a TNOTA representative and the student’s academic program is required prior to the start of a DCE, and the plan for a student’s DCE should be discussed with the TNOTA president prior to the start of the DCE.