Our community partners are integral to supporting McMaster Occupational Therapy students as they apply their academic knowledge to clinical situations. Clinicians in our community interview applicants to the program, supervise students on clinical placement, facilitate our problem-based tutorials, provide guest lectures for our academic courses, and supervise evidence-based practice projects. These clinical partnerships are paramount to the success of our students as they develop into exemplary entry-level occupational therapists.
We expect our clinical partners to establish learning and working environments that are free from harassment and discrimination on any basis, including race, religion, and gender. We expect our partners to foster a culture that respects the human rights, integrity, and dignity of all community members. We recommend the following resources as a starting point for creating a safe environment to foster inclusive education practices:
- Columbia University – Fostering a Climate of Belonging
- Columbia University – Reflecting on your own Identity, Beliefs, and Biases
- What does White Privilege Mean? A Helpful Quote.
- Equity Diversity and Inclusion – Unconscious Bias Risk Factors and Mitigating Strategies – from Dr. Arig al Shaibah’s June 2017 presentation to McMaster School of Rehabilitation Science
- 5 Principles of Inclusive Teaching
- Racial Aggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice (Sue et al, 2007) – available through hsl.mcmaster.ca for those with faculty appointments
- Twelve tips for responding to microaggressions and overt discrimination: When the patient offends the learner (Wheeler et al, 2018) – available through hsl.mcmaster.ca for those with faculty appointments
- Taking Action Against Microaggressions (ASHA 2021)
o Recognizing Microaggressions: Am I Doing That?
o Experiencing Microaggressions: How Can I Respond?
o Witnessing Microaggressions: What Can I Do?
o Combatting Microaggressions: How Can I Help? - 5 Tips for Being an Ally
- Bystander Intervention Scenarios
- Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership (PDF)(Dillon & Bourke, 2016)
We thank our partners for ensuring that our McMaster communities are spaces where no one feels excluded or marginalized, and everyone is able to enjoy learning together.
For additional information, please click on the options below or contact the Director of Clinical Education for the Occupational Therapy program, Laurie Perrett, at perrettl@mcmaster.ca.
