Clinical Educators in Occupational Therapy

Hello everyone! I teach Gross Anatomy and Neuroanatomy to OTD students, and I’ve been reflecting on the persistent challenge of translating classroom knowledge into clinical practice.

In my classroom, we’ve moved beyond just textbooks, we use cadaver labs, tech applications, and integrated simulations to make the material as real as possible. However, I still see a significant struggle when students transition to the clinic. They can identify structures perfectly in a lab setting, but that confidence often disappears when they need to perform surface palpation or apply functional anatomy to a living, moving patient.

I’m curious to hear from the clinical educators in this group:

1. In your experience, where is the biggest knowledge drop-off between classroom preparation and actual clinical application?

2. Are there specific anatomical concepts (e.g., nerve pathways, joint mechanics) that students seem to 'lose' the moment they step into the clinic?

3. What can we do in the classroom to better prepare them for the functional demands of your sites?

   
   

I’m eager to hear your perspectives so I can better support our students' readiness for fieldwork.