Program goals and objectives

The UW Health hand and upper extremity clinics have a long-standing tradition of mentoring occupational therapy students from local, state and national programs, as well as offering a mentorship program for all newly hired UW Health hand therapists.

As the only Occupational Hand Therapy Fellowship program in Wisconsin, the fellow will benefit from the mentorship experience with UW Health and the resources of the University of Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Program, UW Health Hand and Upper Extremity Orthopedic Clinic and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Fellowship Goals

After successfully completing the hand therapy Fellowship, the Fellow will:

  1. Be competent in the service delivery of evidence-based assessments, evaluations, and interventions in the context of occupational therapy upper extremity rehabilitation
  2. Be a life-long learner
  3. Effectively educate others.
  4. Effectively assess, critique, participate in scholarly inquiry
  5. Establish inter-professional communication and collaboration

Fellowship Objectives

The Fellow will competently:

  1. Synthesize, administer, prioritize, choose and implement assessment data, complying with fiscal, regulatory and organizational responsibilities to implement interventions that are current, occupation- and evidence-informed, theoretically sound approaches and interventions to support performance and participation in areas of occupation (e.g., ADL, education, work, play, leisure, social participation) throughout the continuum of upper extremity rehabilitation
  2. Participate in regular reflexive practice of self-assessment and professional growth towards their own clinical skills
  3. Be passionate about effectively educating others including future occupational therapy practitioners and improving community awareness of the value of occupational therapy in the context of upper extremity topics
  4. Use and contribute to occupational therapy literature and evidence supporting care in the context of upper extremity rehabilitation
  5. Communicate and collaborate with referral sources and stakeholders to help the client achieve outcomes that support health and participation in the fellowship area