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HPU OTD Faculty and Staff at the University's Waterfront Campus in downtown Honolulu.
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OTD-Honolulu students in a lab.
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HPU has hosted a 'Go Baby Go' event at the Waterfront Campus location for the past two years.
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HPU OTD students in a lab.
HPU's Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program in Honolulu has been granted accreditation for seven years by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). This achievement marks a historic milestone for HPU and Hawai‘i by being the first and only fully accredited OTD program in Hawai‘i.
Tracey Recigno.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this seven-year accreditation and to officially bring the first accredited occupational therapy program to Hawai‘i,” said HPU OTD-Honolulu Program Director and Associate Professor Tracey Recigno, Ph.D., OTD, OTR/L. “This milestone reflects the unwavering support of our university leadership, the collaborative spirit of our Graduate College of Health Sciences, and the passion of our faculty and students. We look forward to expanding access to occupational therapy education in Hawai‘i, nurturing practitioners who will serve our ʻohana and communities across the nation.”
Housed in HPU’s Graduate College of Health Sciences, the 24-month, hybrid OTD curriculum launched in January 2024 under Recigno’s leadership. Students combine engaging online coursework with immersive in-person lab experiences in downtown Honolulu, building skills in evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally responsive care.
In the ACOTE accreditation assessment of the HPU OTD Honolulu program, reviewers highlighted the program as a model of collaborative excellence and cultural integrity. Reviewers acknowledged a faculty who live the HPU values of aloha, kuleana, and pono through student-centered coaching, and a curriculum that weaves Hawaiian traditions into every lesson.
ACOTE also emphasized HPU’s community partnerships, from Go-Baby-Go ride-on car customizations that jump-start keiki mobility, to adaptive surfing clinics that reconnect keiki & kupuna with the ocean, to partnerships with senior centers that fosters intergenerational learning. Each partnership successfully reinforces the real-world impact of occupational therapy in Hawai‘i.
Occupational therapy (OT) professionals are experts in identifying and adapting environments and tasks to help people overcome physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges. They work on designing a sensory-friendly classroom so a child can thrive, collaborate with families to build independence at home, and advocate for workplace accommodations that ensure all voices are heard. These examples are a small fraction of the incredible work OT practitioners accomplish with the goal to restore agency, participation, and dignity in life.
Despite the profound benefits OT professionals offer, Hawai‘i faces a growing shortage of OT practitioners. Nationally, demand for occupational therapists is projected to grow much faster than the average profession, by 11% from 2023 to 2033, resulting in nearly 9,800 annual job openings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hawai‘i ranks among the top three with the greatest mismatch between need and supply of services by 2030.
By preparing locally rooted, culturally competent graduates, HPU is building the next generation of occupational therapy leaders who can meet the urgent healthcare needs of Hawai‘i’s people.
To learn more about the HPU OTD Honolulu program, click here.
All photos by Michael Matsushita.
