Reimagining healthcare education: considerations from a hybrid Occupational Therapy programme

Hybrid educational delivery models are increasingly prevalent in professional healthcare programmes, reflecting a growing commitment to accessible learning environments. However, tensions surrounding hybrid professional education, especially in Healthcare, remain. Hybrid education blends in-person and online learning (Hunter et al., 2025). This opinion piece asserts that our hybrid Occupational Therapy (OT) programme offers a replicable model combining virtual flexibility with hands-on skill acquisition. The number of OT programmes delivering content in a hybrid format continues to grow. The versatility of this model holds broader implications for Learning Development professionals across healthcare and graduate disciplines. Building on pandemic-era innovations and emerging workforce demands, we examine challenges in hybrid OT education, such as facilitating practical training, supporting digital equity, and preserving community. We also propose solutions transferable to other practice-based fields. Finally, we call on Educational Developers and Learning Developers to adopt intentional, evidence-based hybrid instructional designs with support for student learning that reflects the realities of contemporary education and professional practice in an increasingly digital world.