Going Virtual: Resources for The Clinician, The Client, and The New Grad

You’re invited to check out “Going Virtual”, a series of practical resources for clinicians, clients, and new grads using virtual therapy! University of Toronto MScOT students Hailey Benedict, Michelle Goldsand, Yass Salehi, and Anthea Wong interviewed and surveyed over 60 practicing OTs using virtual therapy to produce a series of resourceful tips made for OTs, by OTs. Through these resources, we hope to provide clinicians, new grads, and clients with concise and practical tips that would help them navigate virtual healthcare.

Four resources address different stakeholders in the therapy process: Clinicians, Paediatric Clinicians, Clients, and New Grads.  Download these tip sheets below, and feel free to share widely.
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Resource Type Download Resource (Click image to download PDF)
The Clinician Resource outlines tips and tricks for clinicians, by clinicians, and is organized using the Canadian Practice Process Framework (CPPF). Topics include: setting up your space, online consent processes, establishing norms and expectations, rapport building, choosing and administering assessments, and goal setting- all specific to virtual practice.
We heard from an abundance of paediatric OTs who had many virtual practice insights specific to children and parents, so we chose to create an additional resource specific to this population. This resource is similar to the clinician resource in terms of organization and structure, but with a pediatric focus.
We heard over and over again from clinicians that there wasn’t enough information out there to support clients in preparing for, and participating in, virtual practice. In light of this, we dedicated our third resource to guide clients and their caregivers through virtual therapy. Again, we mention very practical tips and considerations for clients.
Our fourth and final resource in the series was inspired by both our own positions as senior students and from dialogue we heard about employers being reluctant to hire new OT grads into virtual practice positions. We decided to explore this further in our clinician questionnaire and gathered some really interesting (and mostly positive) perspectives! The result is a statement that discusses challenges and opportunities that new grads face as they enter the workforce in the expanding virtual practice context, and why new OT grads are fit for practice in this setting. It is intended to help new grads advocate for their place in virtual care. It also includes practical tips and tricks for new grads, and for them to share with potential employers, when starting out in a virtual practice setting.