| Description of the
Profession
Occupational Therapy is a health profession which uses
activities to promote individuals' optimal performance in
the areas of independent living, work, play/leisure,
education, and self-care. Activities are used for the
prevention and remediation of illness and disease and
include physical activity, communication and group
participation activities as well as creative arts and
leisure.
Still not sure what occupational therapy is? Go to this
link for more information on what occupational therapy is
and how occupational therapy applies to you
http://www.promoteot.org/Topstories.html .
Program Accreditation
The Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
(ACOTE) of the American
Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at
4729 Montgomery Lane, P. O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD
20824-1220. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301)
652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be eligible to
sit for the national certification examination for the
occupational therapist administered by the National Board
for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
After successful completion of this exam, the individual
will be an Occupational Therapy, Registered (OTR). In
addition, most states require licensure in order to
practice, however, state licenses are usually based on the
results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
Certification ProcessGraduates of the program will
be eligible to sit for the national certification examination
for the occupational therapist administered by the National
Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After
successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an
Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, most
states
require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses
are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification
examination.
Ethics
All students are expected to be aware of the
Ethics Code of Conduct established by the Department of
Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science and to adhere to
it. Violation of the standards set forth in this document will
be cause for disciplinary action which may include dismissal
from the Program.
Felony Convictions
Persons convicted of felonies may be unable to sit for the
certification examination and should inquire in advance of
program entry regarding eligibility.
Professional Characteristics
Students entering the Occupational Therapy and Occupational
Science Program must enjoy working with people and
demonstrate curiosity, patience, and sensitivity. They must
have good communication and problem-solving skills as well
as the potential to work empathetically with people of all
ages, socioeconomic statuses, and cultural backgrounds. They
must also work well with people who have various physical,
perceptual-cognitive, and/or social-emotional problems.
Since Occupational Therapy is a profession that demands that
its practitioners are competent in service delivery as
well as academic knowledge, it is essential that students
not only satisfactorily complete their course work, but also
demonstrate appropriate professional
behaviors and skills before beginning field work level II
experience.
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