ABSTRACT

This article aims to point out the controversial issue of deteriorating quality of occupational therapy service due to oversupply of manpower and to emphasize the importance of training the qualified future-oriented occupational therapists to deal with the rapidly changing healthcare delivery system. The majority of the Korean occupational therapy society is currently concerned about oversupply of manpower, shortage of qualified faculty, and underestimated occupational therapy service fee. In order to cope with this challenging situations, first, accreditation process for occupational therapy education program should be established, second, the obligatory law for setting up occupational therapy clinics and employing occupational therapists should be enforced, third, various areas should be explored, fourth, establishment of master and doctoral programs in the field of occupational therapy, fifth, prescription for occupational therapy should be open to all physicians, sixth, occupational therapy areas that can be reimbursed should be extended. As an effort to make these happen, clinicians, students, and faculty members should be more proactive in promoting occupational therapy and should be focusing on research that investigates the effects of occupational therapy. Through these efforts, the profession of occupational therapy in Korea will be strengthened by contributing to the unity of the professions in an activity directed at improving professional preparation and professional practice.