Transformation of professional reasoning among early-career occupational therapists: Experienced educators’ perspectives

Introduction: As occupational therapy practice grows increasingly complex, ensuring the quality of professional reasoning among early-career occupational therapists has become a pivotal concern globally. This study aimed to explore how experienced occupational therapy educators interpret the transformation of professional reasoning among early-career occupational therapists. Method: A qualitative design grounded in a narrative approach with thematic analysis was employed. Three focus group interviews were conducted with experienced occupational therapy educators ( n = 18). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, drawing on researcher subjectivity and expert insights as resources. Findings: Four themes representing the transformation of professional reasoning were identified: (1) acknowledging the fragility of reasoning; (2) internalisation of mental models encountered in the workplace; (3) construction of reasoning narratives through verbalisation; and (4) autonomous development of professional reasoning. These four themes were interpreted by experienced educators as a dynamic and complex developmental process of professional reasoning. Through interaction with clinical practice and educator support, early-career occupational therapists internalise and verbalise scripts, ultimately becoming autonomous practitioners in the workplace. Conclusion: The four themes identified in this study constitute a structured framework that enables clinical educators to understand and facilitate the professional reasoning transformation of early-career occupational therapists.