Understanding the Doctoral Capstone Coordinator Position: A Unique Faculty Role in Occupational Therapy Education

Abstract

The doctoral capstone coordinator (DCC) position is a required faculty position in U.S. entry-level OTD programs, but there is limited information about this role. This descriptive study aimed to explore the demographics of DCCs; their required workload, tasks, and responsibilities; and the supports available to DCCs. The researchers administered an online survey and analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The results revealed much variability in DCCs’ experiences, workloads, and responsibilities across OTD programs. Of the DCCs survey, 74.0% previously held leadership positions in academia or clinical practice before taking the role, and 60.5% of the DCCs worked overtime for at least half of the previous year. Approximately half of the DCCs spent different percentages of time on teaching, research, service, and clinical responsibilities than expected by their universities. Common capstone tasks completed only by the DCC involved educating others about the capstone process, developing and evaluating the capstone processes, and teaching capstone courses. Tasks commonly completed with support include ensuring student completion of preparatory requirements, securing placements and affiliation agreements, and advising students. The responses varied regarding the individuals involved with mentoring and student assessment responsibilities. Overall, 67.7% of the DCCs were slightly to extremely satisfied with their existing workload.