Occupational Therapy Department Awards

Each year at commencement and the Occupational Therapy Department Hooding Ceremony graduating students and department faculty are honored with departmental awards. The list below highlights award recipients for their contributions to our community of learners and scholars.

Students

Award for Student Excellence

This award honors a graduating occupational therapy student who distinguishes themselves through academic and professional excellence. First awarded 2017.

Award for Student Innovation

This award honors a student or team of students that has demonstrated excellence in the creation of new product, program, design and/or method of applying the principles and practice of occupational therapy. First awarded in 2018.

Award for Student Leadership in Service

A learning outcome of the MGH OTD Programs is that students “Demonstrate active involvement in professional development, leadership, and advocacy within health care and the profession of occupational therapy”. This award honors an individual that has distinguished themselves as a leader in service to the occupational therapy profession at the school, local, state or national level during their time as a student at the MGH IHP. This outstanding commitment to service and advocacy has served to raise awareness regarding health and healthcare, and occupational therapy’s role in that care, across a variety of settings. First awarded in 2018.

Emerging Scholar Award

This award honors a student or group of students that have distinguished themselves through significant participation in scholarly work during their time as occupational therapy students at the MGH Institute of Health Professions or within one year of graduation. This commitment to scholarship is demonstrated by exceptional performance in a scholarly pursuit. This may be demonstrated by substantial intellectual contributions to the science underpinning occupational therapy, occupational therapy education, or interprofessional education and/or a demonstrated commitment to scientific inquiry. First awarded in 2018.

Faculty and Fieldwork Educators

Award for Faculty Excellence

This award honors an OT faculty who is dedicated to enhancing the experience of occupational therapy students. This individual demonstrates exceptional commitment to students through teaching, advising, and/or mentoring, supporting student endeavors both inside and outside of the classroom. First awarded in 2017.

Award for Excellence in Fieldwork Education

This award recognizes outstanding communication and teaching skills that foster applied learning and evidence-based decision making in occupational therapy students. The individual exemplifies the qualities and skills of an outstanding fieldwork educator by demonstrating excellence in the areas of professionalism, communication/interpersonal skills, clinical teaching, and clinical practice. Level I and level II fieldwork educators are eligible for this award. First awarded in 2017.

Award for Teaching Excellence

This award honors an IHP instructor (full time faculty, part time faculty, term lecturer, or lab instructor) who has taught a minimum of (2) semesters and is dedicated and committed to enhancing the educational experience of occupational therapy students. This individual consistently integrates learning activities / research mentorship that enable students to expand their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in occupation and evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, and professional reasoning. First awarded in 2018.

Alumni Professional Achievement Award

This award honors and celebrates an alum that has distinguished themselves through significant leadership, service to the profession and/or a community or population. Achievements may include participation in scholarly work after their time as occupational therapy students at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. This commitment to excellence is demonstrated by exceptional performance in professional pursuits such as volunteer leadership, co-authoring a manuscript or disseminating the science underpinning occupational therapy, grant funding, quality improvement projects, program development and implementation, and contributions to occupational therapy education and practice.

Award for Excellence in Capstone Education

This award recognizes outstanding communication and mentoring skills that provide opportunities beyond the didactic and fieldwork curriculum for occupational therapy students in the areas of research, advocacy, leadership, program development/evaluation, community engagement/service and teaching/learning. The individual exemplifies the qualities and skills of an outstanding capstone educator by demonstrating excellence in the areas of professionalism, communication/interpersonal skills, leadership, and mentorship. ADE onsite (MGB system) and outside/community content experts are eligible for this award.