Courtney Taylor, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CSRS

Biography

Dr. Courtney Taylor is a tenured Associate Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at American International College. With more than a decade of clinical experience—primarily serving the older adult population—Dr. Taylor is dedicated to promoting evidence-based, best-practice approaches in the management of both acute and chronic conditions. She continues to maintain active clinical practice on a per diem basis within skilled nursing facilities in CT.

Teaching

Since transitioning to academia, Dr. Taylor has been a strong advocate for integrating real-world experiential learning, simulation-based education, and interprofessional collaboration into occupational therapy and fieldwork curricula. In her role, she oversees the fieldwork education office, ensuring compliance with accreditation standards while cultivating meaningful community partnerships that enhance student readiness for professional practice. Additionally, Dr. Taylor teaches the Fieldwork Seminar series courses, preparing students for Level I and Level II fieldwork participation, as well as in the adult and older adult curriculum.

Scholarship

Dr. Taylor is an occupational therapy educator and researcher focused on professional identity development, particularly how students build confidence, clinical reasoning, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Her work highlights the role of mentorship in supporting student well-being during academic and clinical training and explores ways to intentionally teach and integrate resilience and professional behavior skills across curricula. Dr. Taylor has also examined models of fieldwork education and interprofessional learning to better prepare students for the complex realities of contemporary practice.

Nationally recognized for her contributions, Dr. Taylor has presented multiple times at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Inspire Annual Conference and was invited to speak at AOTA’s Academic Leadership Conference in 2025. She has authored scholarly articles on resilience education, professional identity development, and fieldwork pedagogy, and has advanced Level II fieldwork preparation through structured peer discussions, communication and ethics-focused labs, and initiatives that support students’ overall professional growth.

Service

Dr. Taylor’s service contributions extend well beyond her formal institutional duties, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing occupational therapy education at multiple levels. Through her roles with ACOTE’s Roster of Accreditation Evaluators, the New England Occupational Therapy Education Council, and the AIC School of Health Sciences Simulation Committee, she actively supports high-quality educational standards and the preparation of competent future practitioners. Additionally, her leadership as Faculty Advisor for the Student Occupational Therapy Association demonstrates her dedication to student development, community engagement, and advocacy, underscoring her broad and meaningful impact on the profession.

Education:

Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist – Advanced Certification

Post Professional OTD – American International College (2019-2021)

Master of Science in OT – American International College (2011-2014)

Bachelor of Science in Human Development – Binghamton University (2003-2007)