40 Years of Excellence

On Display

As part of the School's 40th Anniversary, we worked with costume studies honour student Emily Naccarato, to arrange a display of vintage occupational therapy articles in the School's 2nd floor entryway glass cabinet. The display includes an OT uniform from the 40’s, some photos and documents discovered during research for the "History of Occupational Therapy in Atlantic Canada" website (E Townsend, P Twohig, C Buckley), along with tools used for teaching cccupational therapy skills over the years.  Emily was kind enough to share some of her impressions during this collaborative process.

"Initially, when I was approached about this project for the School of Occupational Therapy, I was intrigued by the vintage uniforms kept from the 1930s and 1940s. Although I learned very quickly that A-lined green dresses were no longer the norm, understanding the evolution of comfort uniforms, like scarves and shawls, were a fascinating theme. It was clear that the faculty involved in Occupational Therapy are passionate and enthusiastic about what they do, creating an intense feeling of community among staff and students. It was important to the department to highlight a timeline of occupational therapy, with focus on the reminiscence of now and then.

With the recommendation of certain occupational therapy tools from School Senior Instructor, Karen Landry, and School Administrative Manager, Mike Crawford - I created a display that focuses on memory, time, and nostalgia. I could not be any more appreciative for the work occupational therapists do. I have seen first-hand how beneficial their work was with my Grandmother and I have been so appreciative to see what goes into this fruitful career.

The historic occupational therapy uniforms will be moved and catalogued into Costume Studies own historic costume archive. This opportunity was a collaboration I could have never expected or have been more thankful for. Congratulations on 40 years of excellence!"

~Emily Naccarato

Thank you Emily for your time and expertise, we wish all good things as you continue with your studies and your career. We welcome everyone to pop by the 2nd floor of the Forrest Building to take a look at Emily's wonderfully creative work while taking a trip down memory lane.

The Emergence of Occupational Therapy in Atlantic Canada

Pin pointing the beginnings of Occupational Therapy practice can become more obscure based on how far back you want to look. Two Europeans, Phillippe Pinel and Johann Christian Rell are often cited as the 18th century OT "influencers", but it is said, the Greek physician Asclepiades used therapeutic massages, music, baths and exercise to treat mental or emotional disorders in 100 BCE. ¹

As veterans returned from WW1, the practice of Occupational Therapy grew and in 1923 the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy was formed. The Nova Scotia Society of Occupational Therapists (NSSOT) was formed in 1951 with Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick establishing their own OT associations in the years to follow.²

In 1958, Dalhousie University Senate approved the process of establishing a School of Occupational Therapy at Dalhousie University. This plan lay dormant until 1981 when Barbara O'Shea was appointed as the founding Director of this School, within the Faculty of Health Professions in 1982.^2,3

The School was established as an Atlantic School to serve the needs of the four Atlantic Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador).   In September 1982, the first class of 25 students selected from the four provinces was enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Occupational Therapy) program.  In 1985, twenty-three students were awarded BSc(OT) degrees. ^2,3

In 1998, the School began offering a Master of Science (Occupational Therapy) program through distance education.  This was a thesis program open to qualified occupational therapists.  The first MSc(OT) degree was awarded in 2001.  Subsequently, a coursework option was added to this program.^2,3  Since 1985, the permanent location of the School has been the original Forrest Building on the current Dalhousie campus - a building which had previously been home to the university's medical school. ^2,4

In 2006, a new entry-level MSc(OT) program was introduced ^2,3 – and here we are.

1. https://www.topoccupationaltherapyschool.com/history-of-occupational-therapy/
2. https://wayback.archive-it.org/16952/20220215164125/https://www.dal.ca/diff/history-ot/ot-in-the-atlantic-provinces.html
3. Contributed and written by Barbara O'Shea through personal correspondence June 21, 2006.
4. The Dalhousie Medical Alumni Association (1999).  Medical History Walking Tour. Retrieved November 26, 2006 from http://alumni.medicine.dal.ca/virtual.html#Forrest_BuildingMedical.