Trainee experience

The Occupational Therapy Acute and Critical Care Fellowship will prepare you for professional practice through independent patient care opportunities. Learning experiences include:

• Mentored clinical time
• Didactics
• Scholarly projects such as community education, quality improvement, and/or research
• Learning and leadership development opportunities such as teaching, journal clubs, and community outreach 

You will receive over 350 hours of dedicated time that includes didactics, labs, research time, mentored practice, and specialty observations that are integrated throughout the curriculum

Clinical training and rotations

You will experience more than 1,800 hours of clinical practice and individual mentored time from highly-trained acute and critical care occupational therapists. 

Schedule and hours

You will work 44 to 50 hours a week. Schedules may vary from week to week. Independent learning and assignments may occur outside of this time frame 

Department and faculty

The fellowship is coordinated and taught by the clinical staff of Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota. Faculty members are chosen for their commitment to teaching, clinical practice, and research. Many hold advanced certifications from the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Program Leadership

Stephanie Kannas, C.H.T., O.T., O.T.D.

Stephanie Kannas is a nationally recognized occupational therapist and certified hand therapist with over 24 years of clinical experience at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She currently serves as the Program Director of the Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program, and hand therapist while also holding an academic appointment as Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Her leadership and expertise have shaped advanced clinical education for occupational therapists completing fellowships at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.

As Program Director, Stephanie oversees specialized training tracks in acute and critical care, hand therapy, and neurorehabilitation. She mentors fellows and clinicians, fostering advanced clinical reasoning and research integration into practice.

Stephanie earned her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Catherine in 2000 and completed her Post-Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2016. She holds certifications as a Certified Hand Therapist and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist.

She is actively involved in professional leadership, serving on the AO North America Hand Education Committee and multiple committees for the American Society of Hand Surgery.  She is a past affiliate member at large for the American Society of Hand Surgery, in addition to her membership in the American Society of Hand Therapists and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Her clinical expertise and dedication to education have made her a respected voice in hand therapy, frequently sharing her knowledge through international conferences, national conferences, webinars, and podcasts.

Katie Bauer, M.S., O.T., BCPR

Katie Bauer is a licensed occupational therapist and the Acute Hospitalist Lead in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She serves as the Assistant Program Director and Program Coordinator for the Acute and Critical Care Occupational Therapy Fellowship, where she is also a mentor and faculty member. Katie holds an appointment as an Instructor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Luther College in 2009 and her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in 2012. She achieved AOTA Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation in 2023.

With more than 13 years of experience in acute and critical care, Katie brings a strong clinical background and a deep commitment to practice excellence. She is a gold-certified Mayo Quality Fellow, demonstrating her dedication to quality improvement and exceptional patient care. She represents Occupational Therapy on several institutional committees and is committed to advancing interdisciplinary practice, patient safety, and quality improvement across the hospital. Katie is also an active member of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Evaluation

The Occupational Therapy Acute and Critical Care Fellowship uses these evaluative tools:

• Written examination
• Demonstration of skills
• Self-assessment exercises
• Faculty reviews

Mayo Clinic's system of evaluation provides students and faculty with a comprehensive look at individual performance. This allows faculty and administrative staff to direct fellows who are experiencing academic difficulty to the appropriate support resources, including tutoring programs and counseling opportunities in student services through the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.