Occupational therapists learn new skills as they pursue clinical doctorates

Commencement is a monumental event for every graduating student, but for Jess Evans and Andrea Weill-Schwartz, Binghamton’s Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on May 9 will be the first time the two students will meet each other — and their instructors — in person.

They comprise the first cohort at Binghamton University and across SUNY and CUNY to earn a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree.

“Commencement is something that I’ve waited and strived for, but I think, at the same time, it’ll be an emotional experience,” Weill-Schwartz said. “I’m looking forward to meeting all my professors in person, as well as Jess.”

The Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) program, launched in fall 2022 by the Division of Occupational Therapy at Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, takes two years to complete. It is completely online.

Jane Bear-Lehman, founding director of the Division of Occupational Therapy, hopes that by pursuing an OTD degree, the post-professional participants — already licensed occupational therapists — will enjoy opportunities they never thought possible.

“The post-professional clinical doctorate is for occupational therapists who want an advanced degree so they can be considered leaders in their work environment and the clinical world,” she said. “A doctorate is necessary if they want to grow and become educators or faculty.”

Bear-Lehman added that Binghamton made this opportunity possible for working occupational therapists. “It’s the first time students can get in-state tuition in the state of New York for this degree, and the program is also virtual, which means it’s accessible.”

Unlike an entry-level program, the PP-OTD advances individual skills while allowing for a life outside of school that professionals often contend with when returning to the academic world.

Andrea Weill-Schwartz ’83

Andrea Weill-Schwartz, who first attended Binghamton University as an undergraduate at Harpur College of Arts and Sciences and received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature in 1983, has worked in occupational therapy for 37 years. She learned about the PP-OTD program through Binghamton’s alumni communications.

“The fact that it was Binghamton tuition and that it was 100% online made me choose this program,” Weill-Schwartz said. “I knew the quality of the program director — she’s very well-known in our profession — and I know the quality of anything that happens at Binghamton. After a conversation with Jane, I knew it would be worthwhile.”

Before her return to Binghamton, Weill-Schwartz received her master’s degree in occupational therapy from NYU and worked in a managerial OT position before deciding to step down from that position into a less demanding role to spend more time with her children. She returned to full-time work when they grew up and became a clinical specialist and fieldwork coordinator for occupational therapy at New York-Presbyterian Westchester. She practices predominantly with adults in that role, serving post-surgical patients, as well as those with neurological disorders and rare conditions.

As a full-time employee and now a student, Weill-Schwartz has had to adapt her time-management skills. Although difficult, she has been successful. She’s confident her classes have made her better as a clinical instructor, noting that being a student has made her more empathetic, focused and able to reflect on evidence-based learning.

Additionally, obtaining the same degree that some of her own students may one day pursue allows her to better suit their needs. She considers herself a “lifelong learner” and is thinking of teaching after retiring from practice. She may also pursue a grant based on her capstone topic.

“What hits home most for me is realizing that not everybody learns in the same way, and not everybody teaches in the same way. I think that will be important for me going forward,” Weill-Schwartz said. “It has been a good experience; it has broadened my learning capacity and taught me to think out of the box.”

Weill-Schwartz believes getting her OTD was the right choice.

“I hear: ‘Why would you want to go back to school now when you’re so close to the end of your career?’ And my answer is ‘No! Another portion of my career is beginning.’”

Jess Evans

Like Weill-Schwartz, Jess Evans didn’t start in occupational therapy immediately, but she was interested in the field early in life through a personal connection.

“I had a visual-perceptual issue when I was younger, and everyone was always trying to fix me,” Evans said. “I realized it was something I had to learn to live with and adapt to, and the first person I met in school who helped me was the occupational therapist. Instead of trying to make it go away, they taught me strategies to be more successful. My mom also has multiple sclerosis, and thankfully, she’s doing great, but it gave me an introduction into some of the populations that occupational therapists work with.”

However, Evans initially pursued teaching before realizing it wasn’t the right fit. She transferred to Russell Sage College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in a psychology, health and wellness interdisciplinary studies program, then pursued her master’s degree in OT.

Once Evans earned her degrees, she began to explore the OT field. Her first position was in a level-one trauma center, working in intensive care; next, she worked with critically ill patients in a community hospital. Then, she became a “screener” for an acute rehabilitation facility — the first OT to hold that position — where she gained experience in management and administration.

After having a child, Evans looked for a more flexible position and became the program assistant for the MS-OT program at Maria College. The role helped her realize she would like to teach in the clinical setting.

“Right now, healthcare needs people,” Evans said. “I feel like it is my calling to get involved in education and help facilitate what we need in healthcare. And that’s what led me to get my PP-OTD.”

Choosing Binghamton was easy. Evans’ sister had lived in the area, and when Evans applied for the program, she realized the interaction with professors and synchronous schedule would help her succeed. Although prepared to take her classes online, she especially appreciated when Binghamton faculty reached out directly for an interview. It was one of only two programs she applied to that did so.

Thanks to the PP-OTD program, Evans has already advanced in her career. She is now spending half her time as a faculty member and hopes to obtain a full-faculty position once she graduates. She believes she has improved her clinical skills far beyond what she expected and is considering research or program development as a possible option.

“When I started, I thought: ‘I’m getting my doctorate because I want to teach.’ That was my major incentive. But I learned so much more,” Evans said. “I can relate to my students better. I used to be harder on them because when I was a student, it was expected that I would devote my life to school. I’ve worked in programs that have a lot of nontraditional learners, which is important to diversify our field; I’m a lot more sensitive to their needs now because I experienced it myself.”

Faculty and students learn together

Weill-Schwartz and Evans believe they couldn’t have gotten this far in the program without the help of many people, especially the faculty.

“I cannot say enough good words about every faculty member at Binghamton,” Evans said. “They make Binghamton special; they have many different experiences and perspectives. As happy as I am to be done, I’m sad to end my time working with them because it’s been such an amazing experience.”

Becki Cohill, doctoral capstone coordinator for the cohort and a clinical associate professor of OT, has been with the pair the longest, working with them to create their capstones during the first week of classes. For Cohill herself, getting a PP-OTD was life-changing.

“The degree opened doors I never dreamed of and changed the whole trajectory of my professional life,” she said. “That’s why I’m so passionate about the post-professional students. They have so many life experiences and such varied work experiences. There’s more to it than just the degree. It changes the way you look at our profession and the way you practice what you do.”

Since PP-OTD students are practicing professionals, the faculty and students are uniquely positioned as colleagues, unlike entry-level learners. Bear-Lehman said opportunities for cross-collaboration grew as the students progressed through the program.

“We were very keen on working closely with the students. It is one thing to develop syllabi, and it’s another to see how they can be delivered. Even more important is feedback from those taking the class, and since our students are already occupational therapists, they had very valuable feedback,” she said. “We adjusted some things and planned differently going forward based on how the students responded. Jess and Andrea became part of a team with us.”

A second cohort of PP-OTD students is already progressing through their studies, and Cohill is confident the program will continue to grow. Many occupational therapy jobs require the practitioner to hold a master’s degree or a clinical doctorate, but have no restrictions on which degree the individual obtains. She believes more students will pursue OTDs after gaining experience in the workforce.

And who better to share their knowledge and experience than alumni of the PP-OTD program?

“We’re going to have a nice group of mentors in coming years from past alumni,” Cohill said. “We’ve already got two students, and we’ve had them present to the second cohort about their projects and help them to develop skills. I’m excited for the future!”