{"id":5030,"date":"2025-03-28T11:57:38","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T18:57:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/?p=5030"},"modified":"2025-07-23T12:27:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T19:27:10","slug":"occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=930%2C620&amp;ssl=1 930w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=1250%2C833&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a student in University of the Pacific\u2019s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, you will complete a capstone project as the culmination of your studies. These projects are more than academic exercises; they give you the opportunity to engage directly with communities and develop solutions to real-world challenges faced by individuals and populations who benefit from occupational therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the occupational therapy capstone experience involves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Each capstone spans 14 weeks and involves three key components:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A research-based presentation suitable for a professional or academic conference&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A program development project designed to meet a specific occupational therapy-related need&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A third deliverable developed in collaboration with your site&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You begin your project with Institutional Review Board&nbsp;approval to ensure ethical and research standards are met. The timeline is structured to keep you focused and moving forward from week one through completion.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where projects happen, and why that matters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Capstone sites reflect the diversity of occupational therapy\u2019s reach. You will work with a variety of partners, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nonprofits&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health care systems&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rural businesses&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tech companies&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community-based organizations&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These partnerships allow you to build a professional network, contribute to underserved communities and explore occupational therapy in nontraditional settings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Occupational therapy skills and outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Through these capstone experiences, you will develop skills in:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Program design and evaluation&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community needs assessment&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Professional communication and collaboration&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evidence-based practice&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You will graduate with hands-on experience that demonstrates your ability to apply theory in practice\u2014an important consideration for future employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Examples of student-led projects\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Agricultural ergonomics<\/strong>: A student partnered with a nonprofit to develop ergonomic tools and practices for immigrant farmworkers at risk of repetitive strain injuries.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technology and rehabilitation<\/strong>: One project involved creating a virtual reality-based stroke rehabilitation program in collaboration with a health tech company.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mental health access<\/strong>: A student worked with a rural health organization to design a community mental health program that increased access to services in underserved areas.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These examples illustrate the wide range of occupational therapy capstone ideas that can be pursued and the impact students can have, even before entering the profession.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re considering a doctoral program in occupational therapy, Pacific\u2019s OTD capstone experience offers a practical, community-oriented path to developing as a healthcare professional. To learn more about the program, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/healthsciences\/programs\/doctor-of-occupational-therapy\">Pacific&#8217;s OTD program website<\/a> or contact otprogram@pacific.edu.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__avatar\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" alt='' src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/avatar_user_25_1741797203.jpg?resize=48%2C48&#038;ssl=1\" srcset='https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/avatar_user_25_1741797203-96x96.jpg 2x' class='avatar avatar-48 photo' height=\"48\" width=\"48\" \/><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/author\/natalie_perkins\/\" target=\"_self\">Natalie Perkins<\/a><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__bio\">Natalie A. Perkins, PP-OTD, MEd, OTR\/L, FIIE, FAOTA is the dynamic Department Chair, Program Director, and Associate Clinical Professor for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Pacific. A trailblazer in scholarship, teaching, and clinical practice, Dr. Perkins is passionate about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the occupational therapy profession.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a student in University of the Pacific\u2019s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, you will complete a capstone project as the culmination of your studies. These projects are more than academic exercises; they give you the opportunity to engage directly with communities and develop solutions to real-world challenges faced by individuals and populations who benefit&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\" class=\"\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":5032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[376,525,522],"class_list":["post-5030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-school","tag-graduate","tag-occupational-therapy","tag-school-of-health-sciences"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0 - People of Pacific<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0 - People of Pacific\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a student in University of the Pacific\u2019s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, you will complete a capstone project as the culmination of your studies. These projects are more than academic exercises; they give you the opportunity to engage directly with communities and develop solutions to real-world challenges faced by individuals and populations who benefit&hellip;&nbsp;Read More &raquo;Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"People of Pacific\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-28T18:57:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-23T19:27:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Natalie Perkins\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Natalie Perkins\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Natalie Perkins\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1554ae12fe0f2fb9edc84fbd82f57ac8\"},\"headline\":\"Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-28T18:57:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-23T19:27:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\"},\"wordCount\":418,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/OT2-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Graduate\",\"Occupational Therapy\",\"School of Health Sciences\"],\"articleSection\":[\"School\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/live-peopleofpacific.pantheonsite.io\/2025\/03\/28\/occupational-therapy-students-tackle-real-world-health-problems-through-capstone-projects\/\",\"name\":\"Occupational therapy students tackle real-world health problems through capstone projects\u00a0 - 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