How COTAs are transforming OT education
Within the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, occupational therapy students are experiencing a transformative blend of clinical practice and classroom learning. Through a pioneering staffing model, the program is reshaping how future occupational therapists prepare for their careers with hands-on experience and community impact at its core.
This innovative approach stems from two specialized positions filled by certified occupational therapy assistants (COTAs). While program support staff at other universities often come from general academic backgrounds rather than clinical practice, at Belmont, Whitney Pendergrass, clinical education assistant, and Emily Tan (pictured left), capstone assistant, bring their frontline clinical experience to their roles. Together, they bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice by coordinating student placements with community partners and providing insights from their years of hands-on patient care.
"We are pioneering a model that is unique not only for Belmont but for occupational therapy education nationwide," Pendergrass said. "This approach allows us to directly translate our hands-on clinical insights into educational enhancements that benefit our students and the community."
Tan manages relationships with over 50 agencies across Middle Tennessee, working to create meaningful student placements that align with Belmont's service-oriented mission.
"In my role, I engage with community partners to integrate our students in ways that not only enhance their learning but also serve the broader needs of our communities," said Tan. "It's about creating mutually beneficial relationships where our students can make a real impact."
Pendergrass focuses on the clinical education side, particularly with Belmont's embedded faculty model, an approach being tested by only a handful of major OT programs nationwide.
The embedded faculty model involves faculty members who actively maintain their clinical practice while teaching, which allows them to bring current, practical experiences into the classroom. This model ensures that the education provided is closely aligned with the latest practices and technologies in the field of occupational therapy.
"The embedded faculty model we are testing is designed to integrate more clinical experience
into the curriculum, ensuring our students are not only knowledgeable but also highly skilled by the time they graduate," explained Pendergrass (pictured right). “This approach helps us keep the curriculum dynamic and directly connected to the evolving needs of the health care field.”
Both Pendergrass and Tan maintain their clinical licenses, though both have transitioned fully into their academic roles. While they occasionally miss direct patient care — Pendergrass in pediatrics and Tan in geriatrics — they find fulfillment in shaping future occupational therapy practitioners.
The program emphasizes practical experience over merely checking boxes. "In the School of Occupational Therapy at Belmont, we are service-oriented," Tan said. "We want to make an impact with our community partners."
This impact also extends beyond traditional academic boundaries. Their office, dubbed the "Party Pod" — complete with a disco ball and puzzle station — has become a welcoming space where students can decompress between classes.
"It's a space where they can come in and literally drop their backpacks," Pendergrass said. "Since we're not their professors, they can really be themselves."
This new staffing model has proved so successful that Pendergrass and Tan plan to present their research on the benefits of having occupational therapy assistants in academic roles at an upcoming national conference, potentially influencing other programs to adopt similar approaches.
"We hope that by sharing our model, we can inspire other programs to consider how COTAs can play an integral role in education, bridging the gap between clinical practice and academic preparation," Pendergrass said.