Shades of Occupational Therapy Practice:
a Practitioner Panel
Megan Doyle
MS, OTR/L TPS, FPS, Cert-APHPT
Catherine Canavan
OTD, OTR/L
Andrea Belcoe
COTA/L
Lisa Wehofer-Smallwood
OTR/L, CNDT, BCPR
Course Length: 1.5 contact hour (.15 AOTA CEU)
PRIMARY Presentation Category: General and Professional Issues
Intended Audience: Introductory / Students
Short Abstract:
OT is a profession that creates many opportunities. A panel of practitioners will speak to various focus areas, such as a new chronic pain program, groups in long-term care, international practice, and the journey from clinician to academic, with time for an interactive question and answer period.
Full Abstract:
Occupational therapy is a profession that affords a variety of opportunities for OT practitioners, including specialization in practice areas, creation of new programs, working internationally, and educating the next generation as an academic with a post-professional degree. While many publications may detail these opportunities, simply reading about them may be unrelatable to the average practitioner seeking inspiration while on their career journey. This presentation therefore will include four practitioners sharing their real-world stories of professional experience and growth, and the evidence-base that supports the respective contributions they have made to the profession of occupational therapy. Each practitioner will highlight their area of knowledge, to include an OT led chronic pain program, international occupational therapy practice, long term care group intervention, and successful transition from clinician to academia as well as achieving a post-professional degree. These individual presentations will be followed by an opportunity for the full panel of practitioners to have an interactive question and answer period to facilitate deeper discussion with attendees. No matter what your career goals are, come join us and leave motivated to explore your full potential as an occupational therapy practitioner. This presentation content falls both in the categories of Occupational Therapy Service Delivery and Professional Issues.
Learning Objectives:
- Learners will recognize at least four different areas of OT practice and academia and the evidence-base supporting them.
- Learners will discuss successful steps taken to achieve the respective professional areas detailed and how to apply them to their own professional growth.
Educational Value:
Participations will recognize advanced practice areas, opportunities to lead or expand occupational therapy services, international practice requirements, how they might successfully transition from full time clinician to OT program faculty member and achieve a post-professional degree. The evidence-base supporting these respective areas will also be discussed. This presentation therefore will advance OT practitioner participants in their career development and growth through real-world application of possibilities within the profession.
Company Affiliated With: Megan Doyle, St. Luke’s Health System, Evidence in Motion, Aspire OT; Catherine Canavan, Idaho State University faculty; Andrea Belcoe, Genesis; Lisa Wehofer-Smallwood, IOTA Admin. Program Director
Financial Disclosure: N/A
Non-Financial Disclosure e.g. Member of; or, No Non-Financial Disclosures: Megan Doyle, IOTA President and AOTA member; Catie Canavan, IOTA and AOTA member; Andrea Belcoe, IOTA OTA Representative and AOTA member; Lisa Wehofer-Smallwood, IOTA Treasurer and AOTA member.
Megan Doyle
Megan graduated from Marquette University with a BS in Exercise Science and a Psychology Minor in 2010, then obtained a MS in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University in 2012. In her initial years as an occupational therapist, she worked in a multitude of settings focused on adult populations, including acute care, long term care, work site injury prevention, and outpatient ortho/neuro/post-concussion, but always felt drawn to mental and behavioral health, wellness, and pain management. She also has extensive experience working with the geriatric population. In 2017, Megan completed certification as a Therapeutic Pain Specialist, then in 2020 achieving her Fellowship in Pain Sciences, both through Evidence in Motion. In addition, she has certification as an Applied Prevention Health Promotion Therapist. She practices at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, ID and used these skills initially to provide holistic pain treatment in an inpatient therapist role, also providing routine training in pain related topics to both nursing and therapy staff. In 2023, she transitioned to the role of Rehabilitation Clinical Program Manager for St. Luke’s new multidisciplinary outpatient chronic pain program, of which she also provides the occupational therapy services. Megan thrives on being a mentor and educator to others, hosting level II fieldwork students every chance she gets, and routinely presents locally and nationally on pain and wellness topics within the scope of both occupational therapy and a broader healthcare audience. She is also INCREDIBLY passionate and truly in love with the scope of practice that occupational therapy provides, and this is exactly why she became involved with IOTA, first via the Tech Committee to support the creation of the first multi-state virtual conference IOTA has ever put on in 2020, then President-Elect from 2020 to 2022, and now President from 2022 to 2024. Her passion is fueled each and every day by her husband, Joe who works full time as a Major in the National Guard, and her two children, 8 year old James and 5 year old Morgan.
Catherine Canavan
Catie Canavan is the Department of Occupational Therapy Chair, Master of Occupational Therapy Program Director, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Idaho State University. Prior to joining the academic community, Catie worked clinically in various adult settings including skilled nursing, acute care, and acute rehab. Catie always enjoyed her clinical experience supervising fieldwork students and has enjoyed her transition to the other side of clinical education in the academic setting. Catie has completed her Clinical Doctor of Occupational Therapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. Her current line of research is focused on fieldwork education including alternative fieldwork experiences, increased support of fieldwork educators, and the use of alternative models of student supervision.
Andrea Belcoe
Andrea graduated from Brown Mackie College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program in 2017. Andrea’s interest in occupational therapy began with her involvement as a volunteer for Fort Boise Community Center’s adapted recreation program, AdVenture, and the annual Idaho Youth Wheelchair Sports Camp held in conjunction with the Idaho Elks Rehab. Andrea has found fulfillment working with a wonderful therapy and nursing team at Meadow View Nursing and Rehabilitation; a skilled nursing and long term care facility located in Nampa, ID. Being a part of a passionate team has inspired her to become an advocate for her profession and those we serve. Andrea lives on a “hobby farm” raising baby goats with her husband and 3 sons.
Lisa Wehofer-Smallwood
Graduated with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2012 from Washington University in Saint Louis, MO. She began her career working in various rehabilitation settings in North Carolina and Minnesota with a focus on rehabilitation of neurological disorders, working as the lead therapist on a neuro team at the Mayo Clinic. She is a Certified Neuro-Developmental Treatment (CNDT) specialist and Board Certified in Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR) through the American Occupational Therapy Association. Her love for travel and adventure has led to clinical work in Haiti and Guatemala, and recently led her to Idaho as a traveling therapist where she worked with the hospital systems and now works in Twin Falls. She lives with her husband Eric, her son Samuel, and golden retriever Bert in Twin Falls and enjoys exploring the adventures Idaho has to offer. She enjoys working with IOTA in the Treasurer position.