Paula Rowland, OT, PhD

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The places where health professionals work are rapidly changing. Some of these changes are related to technological advancements. Technological advancements require professionals to learn new skills, but professionals must also learn how to incorporate these new skills, tools and processes into their existing work practices. Therefore, professionals will need to engage in continuing education and ongoing workplace learning in order for the benefits of new technologies to be fully realized.

Other changes in professional work are related to broader disruptions in society. A broader social awareness of inequities and injustices is being paired with changing expectations of the roles of professionals in society. These broader social shifts have implications for how we think about professional identity, the nature of expertise, notions of professional power and the responsibilities of professional organizations.

In my research program, I study these shifts in professional workplaces. I use theories and tools from the social sciences to better understand what these shifts imply for the future of professional work. With this focus towards the future of professional work, I consider how these shifts might impact our educational mandates and approaches within the health professions.

For a list of Dr. Rowland's publications, please visit PubMed or Scopus.