History
Enjoy your daily occupation!
The Program of Occupational Therapy was established in 1990 as a division of the Department of Rehabilitative Medicine. In 1994, it became an independent department and renamed the Department of Occupational Therapy.
In 2003 , the master program of occupational therapy began in the department, and the doctor program of occupational therapy began in the institute of allied health sciences. Postgraduate study is provided at the master level (two years, Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy) and doctoral level (Doctor of Philosophy degree, an interdisciplinary program at the Institute of Allied Health Sciences). The goal of the department is the cultivation of excellent occupational therapy practitioners. Therefore the teaching emphasizes the training of professional abilities, practice of research projects and nature of administrative concepts. The faculty actively participate in research projects funded by the National Science Council, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Council of Labor Affairs and many other juridical association/foundations.
The Department of Occupational Therapy is both clinical and research oriented. Rich resources at the university and the affiliated hospital provide a unique learning environment to achieve the mission of the Department: to cultivate excellent occupational therapy practitioners, researchers and leaders.
Mark Important Events
1984
February
The establishment of the College of Medicine at National Cheng Kung University's (NCKU) Jianguo Campus in Tainan has been approved.
Eleven students were enrolled in the inaugural bachelor's class of the Occupational Therapy (OT) Subdivision of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.
The head of the Preparatory Department of Rehabilitation Medicine was Professor Shiun-Ying Chen.
Professor Kuen-Yen Huang, the Dean of the College of Medicine, acted as the Substitute Dean of the Department.
1990
May
Dr. Mei-Jin Sea Chen, Sc.D., OTR, the first doctorate occupational therapist in Taiwan, joined the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NCKU as a full-time teacher
August
Associate Professor Mei-Jin Sea Chen was appointed as the Head of the Occupational Therapy Subdivision at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.
The OT Subdivision of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine had stopped enrolling new students due to a dearth of professional instructors.
1991
August
The OT Subdivision of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine had resumed student recruitment, and enrolled24 students in this class.
1992
May
Dr. Mei-Jin Sea Chen, Sc.D., OTR, the first doctorate occupational therapist in Taiwan, joined the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NCKU as a full-time teacher.
August
A full-time instructor, Jer-Hao Chang, joined the Department.
October
The department held a seminar, entitled “The Production and Application of Upper Limb Splint for Occupational Therapy". Speaker: Ms. Susan N. Moore
1993
August
Associate Professor Mei-Jin Sea Chen, took the office as the Head of the Department.
A full-time instructor, Pei-Luen Tsai, joined the Department.
September
The Department of Occupational Therapy was established as an independent department in the College of Medicine at the NCKU. To celebrate this event, an academic symposium was held. Keynote speaker: Dr. Sturm
1994
August
The courses of this department have obtained the educational standards for occupational therapists set by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
The department held an academic event: “The Technical Skills in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)". Keynote speakers: Dr. Caryl Semmler & Ms. Jan Hunter.
A full-time instructor, Yea-Shwu Huang, joined the Department.
1995
April
The Department held an academic event: “The Symposium of Traumatic Cumulative Impairments". Keynote speakers: Dr. Margo B. Holm & Ms. Anne James.
The department held an academic event: “The Symposium of Children's Occupational Therapy ". Keynote speakers: Dr. Sharon Cermak & Dr. Mary Margaret Windsor.
August
The department held an academic event: "Early Intervention Techniques of Occupational Therapy". Keynote speaker: Dr. Jane Case-smith
A full-time instructor, Yung-Wen Shiu, joined the Department.
1996
January
The Department held an academic event: “The Seminar of Occupational Therapy for Visual Dysfunction". Keynote speakers: Ms. Marry Warren & Ms. Linda Baker-Nobles
August
Professor You-Ren Yang from the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, at National Cheng Kung University concurrently served as the Head of the Department.
A full-time instructor, Tsui-Ying Wang, joined the Department.
1997
May
The Department held an academic event: "Therapeutic Theoretical Framework and Application in Occupational Therapy". Keynote speakers: Dr. David L. Nelson & Dr. Martin S. Rice.
1998
October
The Department held an academic event: "The Seminar on the Assessment and Consideration of Wheelchair Sitting Positioning". Keynote speaker: Elizabeth A Walsh.
1999
July
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Department of OT, an academic event was held: "The Seminar of Occupational Therapy Clinical Research". Keynote speaker: Dr. Kenneth J. Ottenbacher.
August
Professor Hau-Yuan Chiou from the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, at National Cheng Kung University concurrently served as the Head of the Department.
2000
August
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Hui-Ing Ma, joined the Department.
October
The Department held an academic event: "OT in the New Era: A Seminar on Occupational Therapy Theory and Practice".
Speakers: Mei-Jin Sea Chen, Li-Shih Kao, Keh-Chung Lin, Shu-Mei Kang, Chin-Yi Wu, Ching-Liang Lin, Jer-Hao Chang, Ming-Yi Wu, Chiou-Rung Chen, Chuen-Ying Su
2001
August
Professor Mei-Jin Sea Chen assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
2002
August
The Department of Occupational launched a master's degree program and started enrolling students.
The Department of Occupational Therapy, the Department of Nursing, the Department of Physical Therapy, and the Institute of Behavioral Medicine jointly established the doctoral program of the Institute of Health Care Sciences.
2003
February
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Yi-Ching Li, joined the Department.
April
The Department held an academic event: "Occupational Therapy – A Seminar of Energy Conservation and Activity Participation".
Keynote speakers: Dr. Virgil Mathiowetz, Dr. Chih-Chao Yang, Professor Ching-Lin Hsieh
2004
February
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Li-Chieh Kuo, joined the Department.
June
The Department held an academic event: "A Seminar ofOccupational Therapy for Older People with Dementia and Research Manuscript Writing ".
Speaker: Dr. Marry A. Cocoran
2005
March
The Department held an academic event: "A Seminar on Occupational Therapy for Patients with Mental Illness". Keynote speakers: Dr. Alexis D. Henry & Dr. Dorothy Hutchinson.
2006
May
The Department held an academic event: "A Seminar of Children's Occupational Therapy". Keynote speaker: Dr. Helene J. Polatajko.
August
Associate Professor Hui-Ing Ma assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
2007
April
The Department held an academic event "A Seminar of Understanding, Writing and Using Sensory Stories". Keynote speaker: Deborah A. Marr.
May
Teachers and students from the Department of Occupational Therapy at Shenandoah University in the United States visited our department for the first time.
August
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Ling-Yi Lin, joined the Department.
2009
February
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Ling-Hui Chang,joined the Department.
June
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Department of Occupational Therapy, the department cooperated with the National Federation of Occupational Therapists to organize the "2010 National Federation of Occupational Therapists and the 20th Anniversary Academic Seminar of the Department of Occupational Therapy at National Cheng Kung University", and invited the Director of Health Administration, Chih-Liang Yang, to give a keynote speech
July
Associate Professor Li-Chieh Kuo assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
November
Dr. Ruth Zemke, Emeritus Professor of the University of Southern California, USA, visited the Department of Occupational Therapy and gave a speech.
2010
February
Professor Mei-Jin Sea Chen retired and was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the National Cheng Kung University
August
Associate Professor Jer-Hao Chang assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Kuan-Lin Chen,joined the Department.
November
Dr. Michael Iwama, a scholar from University of Torontoin Canada, visited the Department of Occupational Therapy and gave a speech.
2011
February
Professor Hui-Ing Ma assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
June
Instructor Tsui-Ying Wang was awarded the 2011Academic Year Outstanding Instructor of the College of Medicine, NCKU
Professor Li-Chieh Kuo was awarded the 2011 Academic Year Outstanding teacher of the National Cheng Kung University.
November
Dr. Larson, a scholar from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States, visited Department of Occupational Therapy and gave a speech.
2012
February
Assistant Professor Ling-Hui Cheng was promoted to Associate Professorship.
August
The courses of this department continued to obtain the certification of occupational therapist education standards set by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
Instructor Pei-Luen Tsai was promoted to Associate Professorship.
October
Department of Occupational Therapy, Ibaraki Prefectural Medical University, Japan visited National Cheng Kung University on 2012/10/24.
2013
April
Occupational therapist Yu-Wen Wu, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of 1997, was selected as the Outstanding Alumni of the Year 2014 and became the first outstanding alumnus in this Department.
June
Associate Professor Li-Chieh Kuo was awarded the 2014Academic Year Outstanding Teacher of the National Cheng Kung University .
Assistant Professor Ling-Yi Lin was awarded the 2014 Academic Year Outstanding Instructor of the College of Medicine, NCKU.
July
The National Cheng Kung University’s Singapore Visit and Clinical Internship Delegation went to Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) in Singapore and conductedinternship visits with clinical units at all levels.
August
Associate Professor Jer-Hao Cheng assumed the post of the Head of the Department of OT.
Associate Professor Li-Chieh Kuo was promoted to Professorship.
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Pai-Chuan Huang,joined the Department.
October
Frank Kronenberg, the author of Occupational Therapy Without Boarder, visited our department and gave a speech .
2014
February
Professor Li-Chieh Kuo assumed the post of the Deputy Dean of General Affairs of the College of Medicine, NCKU.
Assistant Professor Ling-Yi Lin was promoted to Associate Professorship.
March
The Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy, Jer-Hao Cheng, accompanied the Dean and Heads of Departments in the College of Medicine to visit Mahidol University and Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and built opportunities for exchange programs and bi-lateral collaborations.
May
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Department of Occupational Therapy, Honorary Professor Mei-Jin Sea Chen was invited to give a special speech.
August
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Yen-Ching Chang,joined the Department.
October
Occupational therapist Kuei-Tai Fang, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of 1994, was selected as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2015.
2015
Janurary
Paul Grace, the President and CEO of National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), visited our department and gave a speech.訪
Feburary
Assistant Professor Kuan-Lin Chen was promoted to Associate Professorship.
March
The Head of the Department, Jer-Hao Cheng, was awarded the title of National Outstanding Occupational Therapist and was granted the Unique Outstanding Award in 2015.
April
Occupational therapist Chung-I Lu, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of 1997, was selected as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2016.
June
A group of professors and students from San José State University in the United States visited the Department of Occupational Therapy, NCKU.
July
Six students were selected to attend the Ministry of Education's "Study and Dream Building Project" in the 2015 academic year. These students visited several sitesin the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of Kitasato University in Japan.
October
Dr.Barbara Schell, an senior editor of the book “Willard & Spackman's Occupational Therapy”, visited our department and gave a speech.
November
Associate Professor Ling-Hui Cheng was elected as the Chairman of the 17th Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association.
2016
April
Dr. Yi-Ching Li, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the class of 1994, and Occupational Therapist Hsu-Chang Huang, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the class of 1996, were selected as the Outstanding Alumni of the Year 2017.
June
A group of professors and students from San José State University in the United States visited the Department of Occupational Therapy, NCKU.
October
Dr.Linda Tickle-Degnen, a scholar from Tufts University in the United States, visited our department and gave a speech.
Dr.Kayoko Takahashi, a scholar from Kitasato University in Japan, and Dr.Takashi Takebayashi, a scholar from Kibi International University, visited our department and gave a speech.
2017
April
Occupational therapist Min-Yuan Yu, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of 1994, was selected as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2018.
June
A group of professors and students from San José State University in the United States visited the Department of Occupational Therapy, NCKU.
August
The courses of this department continued to obtain the certification of occupational therapist education standards set by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
November
The Department of Occupational Therapy and the Children Are Us Foundation jointly invited Professor Malcolm MacLachlan from the Maynooth University in Ireland and Ms. Anne Leung, an expert in assistive technology from Easterseals Crossroads in the United States to give a speech on "The Application of Artificial Intelligence in Assistive Technology" and "Assistive Technology in Sheltered Workspace", and "2018 Harnessing Technology - Achieving a Better Independent Life" Seminar.
December
The Department of Occupational Therapy, the Department of Architecture, and the Tainan Occupational Therapist Association co-organized the "Friendly and Empathetic Occupational Environment" seminar.
2018
March
Professor Hui-Ing Ma was awarded the academician of the American Occupational Therapy Academy (AOTF Academy of Research Scholar).
May
A sad loss of talents, Associate Professor Pei-Luen Tsaipassed away.
June
Assistant Professor Pai-Chuan Huang was awarded the 2018 Academic Year Outstanding Instructor of the of the National Cheng Kung University.
August
Three students were selected to attend the Ministry of Education's "Study and Dream Building Project" in the 2018 academic year. These students visited several sites in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of Kitasato University in Japan.
Students were selected to attend the Ministry of Education's " New Southbound Study and Dream Building Project" in the 2018 academic year. These students visited several sites at Mahidol University in Thailand.
September
Dr. Kayoko led a group of students from the KitasatoUniversity, Japan to the Department of Occupational Therapy, NCKU for international exchange.
October
Based on the cooperation between the two Departments of Occupational Therapy at NCKU and KitasatoUniversity in Japan, Kitasato University Medical and Health Department signed a memorandum of cooperation with Cheng Kung University College of Medicine.
November
Occupational therapist Min-Yuan Yu, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of 2003, was selected as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2019.
Two visiting scholar and occupational therapists, Tharadon Rodkaeo and Pornprapim Pota from MahidolUniversity, Thailand visited the Department of Occupational Therapy at NCKU.
2019
February
Assistant Professor Hsiu-Yun Hsu was promoted to Associate Professorship.
A full-time Assistant Professor, Dr. Chia-Lin Koh, joined the Department.
April
Occupational therapist Wei-Hun Lin, an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Class of1996, was selected as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year 2020.
June
Associate Professor Ling-Hui Chang was granted the Outstanding Tutor Award for the 2019 academic year.
August
Associate Professor Ling-Yi Lin assumed the post of theHead of the Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, NCKU.
Assistant Professor Pai-Chuan Huang received the Ministry of Education's 2020 University Social Responsibility (USR) Teaching Practice Research Project
Associate Professor Kuan-Lin Chen won the 2020 Mr. Wu Dayou Memorial Award.
Professor Li-Chieh Kuo was awarded the Teaching Excellence Award in the 2019 Academic Year.
Associate Professor Ling-Hui Chang was granted theTeaching Excellence Award for Participating in University.
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Innovation and University Social Responsibility in the 2019 academic year.
