Community-engaged learning (CEL) is a high-impact practice commonly used in higher education. As a form of experiential learning, CEL enhances student connection between course content and the application of knowledge. Current trends in higher education and teaching practices lean toward high-impact teaching methods to create meaningful and interactive opportunities for students to advance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Literature supports the benefits of using CEL in curricular design. However, there is little evidence of its use in occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. Student-led clinics, a form of CEL, offer students hands-on practice to enhance their knowledge, skill set, and confidences before implementing and enhancing these skills in level II fieldwork rotations. While many health profession programs implement the use of on-campus and/or student-led clinics, the number of OT programs implementing this is low, with no literature supporting its use in OTA programs. This pilot qualitative study uncovered students’ perceptions of participation in CEL and a student-led clinic in an OTA program, identifying the benefits of using this high-impact practice as part of curricular design in occupational therapy education.
