The Purpose and Practicalities of Postgraduate Education

Abstract

This article suggests ways in which continuing professional education might contribute to occupational therapists' ongoing professional development. It highlights the need to view critical skills as a feature of competent practice and discusses the relative merits of enhancing these skills through workplace learning and postgraduate study. It is suggested that occupational therapists aspiring to leadership positions and consultant therapist posts seek postgraduate opportunities to prepare themselves for these roles. Consideration is given both to how occupational therapists might make choices about programmes of continuing education and to how they might prepare to undertake postgraduate study.