There are several key steps occupational therapy students can take to help ensure their capstone projects have relevance and impact in the field. First and foremost, students should thoroughly research what current needs and evidence-based practices exist within the occupational therapy profession. This will help students identify gaps in services or underserved populations that could benefit from new interventions, programs, or resources. Students should conduct a thorough literature review to understand what work has already been done and what areas need further exploration or innovation. Consulting with faculty advisors and fieldwork supervisors can also help students learn about the pragmatic needs and challenges currently facing practicing occupational therapists. Through these conversations, students may find pressing practical problems or opportunities for theory-guided research.

Once students have identified a general topic area with relevance to the field, they should engage in more targeted research methods like interviews, focus groups, or surveys with various stakeholder groups. For example, if developing an interventional program for older adults, students could interview occupational therapists, caregivers, and members of the target population to understand their needs, perspectives, and pain points. This experience-based research will help ensure the proposed capstone project is designed to address authentic, felt needs rather than hypothetical problems. Students should also consider research on underserved cultural groups to ensure any interventions or resources developed are culturally responsive and can reduce health disparities.

With a clearly identified need or problem in mind, students then need to propose tangible, evidence-informed solutions in their capstone projects. Merely identifying an issue is not sufficient – the project must develop practical recommendations, tools, or interventions backed by existing research or theoretical frameworks. For maximum impact, students should design their capstone to have direct application or utility for occupational therapists. Example projects could include developing an interactive screening tool, producing an educational module or training program, creating assessment guidelines or treatment protocols, conducting pilot studies of novel interventions, or proposing policy changes supported by research findings. Purely theoretical work without applicable deliverables is less impactful.

To ensure relevance after graduation, students should seek “real world” input and partnerships throughout the capstone process. This could include collaborating directly with local clinics, rehab facilities, schools, or community organizations that would use or benefit from the project’s deliverables. Students could also establish an advisory board of practicing therapists and clients to provide ongoing feedback. Piloting or field testing capstone interventions, tools or resources with the target population or professional partners helps establish credibility, identifies needed revisions, and increases the chances of post-graduation implementation. Developing implementation plans or sustainability strategies also signals to potential end users how the results of the capstone could be translated into practice after the student has graduated.

Presenting the capstone project and findings at state or national conferences for occupational therapists further spreads awareness to practitioners. Publishing in professional journals dedicated to evidence-based occupational therapy practices also increases the likelihood of the work having long term impact on the field. This dissemination of results supports ongoing evaluation of projects and allows other therapists to build upon or replicate successful interventions elsewhere. Obtaining IRB approval, ensuring research ethics, and carefully documenting the process also establishes the capstone project as rigorous scholarship rather than just a final academic exercise.

If occupational therapy students thoughtfully consider community and professional needs, engage stakeholders, design evidence-based and applicable deliverables, establish partnerships, field test interventions, and disseminate results – their capstone projects stand the best chance of having genuine relevance and impact contributing to improved client care and evolution of the occupational therapy profession. With diligent research, collaborative design, and dissemination of findings, student work can help address real problems and advance practices beyond the classroom.