I have been an OT for 20 + years, own my own pediatric practice for ST, OT and PT. We are a clinical training program for PT, ST and OT students for some of the MOST competitive programs in the country. We accept MOT, OTD, OTA, DPT, PTA and ST and CFY students for their pediatric rotations. I can tell you that the scope of knowledge has increased over the years by leaps and bounds. I got a 4 year degree at the time, because there wasn’t a masters program even available in my state. I have had significant training outside my degrees for specialty certifications. The students today come out with more knowledge base and its a GOOD thing. We are given patients/clients (and their parents) at the most vulnerable time of their lives. We have to know anatomy, neurology and development without looking it up in a book or on a computer, in order to treat a variety of disabilities and diagnoses, often going from one to another with no break. Our students that come to learn and do their clinical training at our facility are exhausted and overwhelmed the first few weeks just from the sheer volume of knowledge and diagnoses they encounter in a pediatric clinic. Clinical reasoning is a huge part of training programs, and learning that skill takes years. That’s why research and extra years of learning are needed. Developing a clinical mind takes more than book learning, but you really have to have a very broad base understanding of everything!!! Even though my degree is a BS degree, I’m glad the professions of PT and OT now require at least a masters, and some doctorate! Remember… the MD’s make the diagnosis, but it’s the therapists are the ones who are working for weeks, months and sometimes years to get the client where they need to be!