Continuing Education for Occupational Therapy Practitioners in Taiwan (Republic of China)

The continuing education for the occupational therapy practitioners in Taiwan, Taiwan has existed since the first class graduated from the professional program in this country. It was initiated by professional practitioners in the form of symposium and was held regularly to exchange new knowledge and clinical experiences. Since the Occupational Therapy Association of the Taiwan was founded, the Association has assumed the responsibility of holding symposia. The format has recently changed to case reports and paper presentations. With the grants from the Department of Health, the Association has been holding continuing education courses on various topics in accordance to members' needs and new trends of practice. To ensure that occupational therapy practitioners maintain the most updated professional knowledge, the Association is working on the projects of Continuing Education Credits and Clinical Career Structure, which are both currently under pilot studies. If formally carried out, the two projects will further assure the quality of professional services. The projects will also serve as the basis of enhancing the status of the profession and reasonable reimbursement for occupational therapy services.