Professional doctorate: combining professional practice with scholarly inquiry

Professional doctorates in occupational therapy and physiotherapy in the United Kingdom offer a practice-based qualification equivalent in status to a PhD. Their aim is to develop professional practice and contribute to professional knowledge. Two doctorate journeys illustrate how applied research added both to each profession’s knowledge base and to practice. Their learning was enhanced by interprofessional peer support. It is argued that the professional doctorate is an attractive option for a senior practitioner in clinical practice, management or higher education who wants to influence practice.