Using training to support the transition of McGill occupational therapy students into the workforce

Quebec faces significant Occupational Therapy (OT) workforce shortages, compounded by high attrition rates, particularly within the first year of practice.

To address this, the project supports mentorship and professional development activities aimed at strengthening professional identity, skill development, and retention in occupational therapy students during their professional training and into their first year of practice.

The initiative has two parts.:

• Part 1 enhances the existing McGill OT mentorship program for students, providing biannual mentor meetings to discuss clinical preparedness and career development.

• Part 2 extends mentorship and professional development to recent OT graduates employed in the public healthcare sector, mainly in the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest (Jewish General Hospital), CIUSSS Ouest-de-l’Île, and the MUHC. Graduates meet with mentors monthly to reinforce knowledge and skills and engage in workshops on diverse topics of professional practice including bilingual charting. Mentors receive guidance through debriefing sessions and faculty support.

Program outputs include annual feedback from students and mentors via surveys and focus groups, as well as tracking the retention of graduates in the public healthcare sector at 12 and 24 months post-graduation. By combining structured mentorship with targeted workshops, the project aims to reduce early-career attrition, foster professional growth, and strengthen the OT workforce in Quebec.