Occupational Therapy Assistant

A.A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assistant

Help individuals restore their ability to do the things they need, want or are expected to do

Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant and join an exciting and rewarding field.

Degree:
A.A.S.

School:
School of Health and Natural Sciences

Location:
Dobbs Ferry

Credits:

72

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Occupational Therapy Assistant A.A.S. Curriculum

General Education Requirements 34 Credits

Major Concentration: Occupational Therapy 44 Credits

Total 78 Credits

General Education Requirements

BIOL 130 Hum Anatomy & Physio I Lecture
BIOL 130A Hum Anatomy & Physio I Lab
CISC 120 Intro Computers/App Software
ENGL 111 Written Engl/Lit Studies I
ENGL 112 Written Engl & Lit Studies II
HIST Any History Course
HLSC 205 Stnd Sfty Precaut/Hlth Care Pr
HLSC 210 Ovrview Occup Therapy Practice
HLSC 225 Intro Hlth Prof Lit/Sci Write
PHYS 110 Introduction to Physics
PHIL 112 Logical Thinking
PSYN 101 Introduction to Psychology
SPCM 110 Oral Communications
SOCL 101 Introduction to Sociology

Professional Curriculum

OCTR 201 OT Practice Assistnt: Overview
OCTR 203 OT Practice Assist/Ther Mod I
OCTR 204 OT Practice Assistnt: Med Cond
OCTR 206 OT Practice Assist/Ther Mod II
OCTR 207 OT Practice Assist/Synopsis
OCTR 209 OTP Assist: Advanced Clin Ed I
OCTR 209A OTA Clinical Hours
OCTR 210 OTP Assist: Advnced Clin Ed II
OCTR 214 OT Pract Assist:Adult/Matur
OCTR 218 OT Practice Assistn/Inter Skls
OCTR 260 OT Practice Assistn/Child Adol

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (SCOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). ACOTE contact information is: ACOTE, c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. Phone number is (301) 652-2862 and fax number is (301) 652-7711. ACOTE's website is www.acoteonline.org and email is accred@aota.org. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification of the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in most states (including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). Please refer to the "Practice Acts" of each state for the licensure requirement of a particular state.

NOTE: All Occupational Therapy Assistant students are required to complete all Level II Fieldwork within 18 months following completion of academic coursework. All required coursework and fieldwork must be completed within five years from the initiation of coursework in the major concentration of occupational therapy.

NOTE: A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Essential Performance Standards

The program has an "Essential Performance Standards" form that outlines the necessary affective skills and professional behaviors, communication/interpersonal skills, psychomotor skills, cognitive skills and self-care skills deemed essential for completion of the program and performance as a competent occupational therapy assistant. This form is signed by the student stating they either are or are not capable of performing the skills and abilities that are listed.

Academic Program Sequence Map

Download a copy of the Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS Sequence Map.

How To Apply to the Occupational Therapy Assistant A.A.S.

To take the program on a full-time or part-time basis, all candidates must:

First be admitted into Mercy College.
Submit official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended to the Mercy College Admission Office.
1. Transfer credit will be granted only for those prerequisite course with a grade of C or higher.
2. Anatomy and Physics prerequisite courses must have been taken within the last five years.
Have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in order to be interviewed or accepted into the program.
Place at the English 111 level.
Complete a personal interview with the OTA Program Director or OTA designee.
Complete the OTA Program Application and a written on-site essay at the time of the interview.
Submit the three "Recommendation Forms" that are distributed at the time of the interview. These forms serve as references (no separate written reference letters are required). Preferably, the "Recommendation Forms" will be completed by an Occupational Therapy Assistant or a Registered Occupational Therapist, Work Supervisor or from an instructor of a prerequisite course. The recommendations must be recent (not over six months old). All "Recommendation Forms must be submitted in a sealed envelope with the reference's signature over the seal. Any file that does not have the Recommendation Forms completed by the end of the application period will be considered "incomplete" and will not be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

Deadlines for applications into the Program:

a) March 31 for the fall semester.
b) October 31 for the spring semester.

Interviews will be arranged as applications are reviewed for the fall and spring semesters.

Each applicant's record will be reviewed by the Admission Committee of the Program. The final admission decision is based on a cumulative scoring of the candidate's GPA, interview, references and the written essay. Decision letters will be sent out approximately within one month of the close of the application deadline.

When and where are courses held?

All of the OTA major concentration classes are held at the Dobbs Ferry Campus. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday OTA classes are from 6:00 PM - 8:45 PM, Tuesday evening class is from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Additionally, there are three clinical lab days each semester that will be held either on a Saturday or Sunday. Clinical lab days may be held at the Dobbs Ferry campus and/or at local health care facilities.

Where can I obtain information about the program?

To find out more about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, call (914)674-7833 or e-mail the OTA program at otaprogram@mercy.edu.

What are the fieldwork requirements of the program?

Level I: Each of the major module application courses (7 Credit - Childhood & Adolescents & 7 Credit - Adulthood & Maturity) has imbedded in the course 1 credit towards a Fieldwork I experience. This experience requires 21 hours of fieldwork time that may be taken on a once-a-week, part-time or consecutive-day basis depending on the site. These fieldwork experiences must be successfully completed over the duration of the appropriate semester in order to pass each 7-credit major module course. Level II: Once all the academic coursework is successfully completed for the program, students are required to complete a minimum of (2) eight to ten-week full-time fieldwork placements. Fieldwork II placements typically are scheduled Monday through Friday; but some may require weekend hours. Requirements are based on the operating hours of the assigned fieldwork site. Fieldwork II placements may be taken in consecutive semesters or in some circumstances, students may have a semester between fieldwork experiences. The fieldwork experiences are arranged by the Associate Director/Clinical Education Coordinator. Every attempt will be made to schedule fieldwork within one hour travel time from your home. Both Fieldwork level II experiences must be completed within 18 months of the completion of academic coursework.

How long does earning a degree take?

Full time students can complete the 72-credit degree program in two years.

Does New York State require a national board’s exam?

Yes. Any person who graduates from an occupational therapy assistant program is required to pass the national certification exam in order to practice as occupational therapy assistant in New York State. The exam is given by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). A limited permit in occupational therapy allows an individual who has completed an occupational therapy educational program to work, under supervision, between the completion of the program and the time that the licensing examination results are received. A graduate may apply for a limited permit through the New York State Office of Professions and it is valid for one year. It may be renewed once, at the discretion of the Department, for one additional year. To do so you must submit a new application, an explanation as to why you failed to become licensed within the year of the original permit and the appropriate fee.

Is Mercy College a nonsectarian institution?

Yes. Qualified applicants are admitted without regard to race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or physical disability.

How long will it take me to complete the program?

The answer to this question depends on your personal situation. The program can be tailored to your personal needs. The OTA program can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. The full-time program consists of two years. In the first year, the student completes all pre-requisite courses. During the second year, the student completes the OTA core courses. Upon completion of the courses, students complete (2) eight to ten week Level II Fieldwork placements. Level II Fieldwork placements must be completed within 18 months upon completion of coursework. The part-time program requires that all coursework (including Level II Fieldwork) must be completed within 5 years from initiation of coursework. Therefore, at the maximum, students have 3 ½ years to complete the core coursework and 18 months to complete Level II Fieldwork.

How can I apply to the program?

Students need to be admitted to Mercy College. Applications are then submitted for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. They are due: March 31 for the Fall semester and October 31 for the Spring semester. Interviews will be arranged as applications are reviewed for the Fall and Spring semesters.

Cristina Dumitrescu Assistant Professor, Interim Program Director, OTA Program

Joseph Bracco Administrative Assistant, OTA Program

Occupational Therapy Assistant Fast Facts

Full or part-time program
Classes held Monday - Thursday evenings
75% of 2015 and 2016 graduates secured positions as occupational therapy assistants within three months of graduation

Accreditations

The Mercy College Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE's phone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, New York, was placed on Probationary Accreditation effective December 2, 2016, for failure to comply with 2011 OTA Standard A.5.6 (certification exam pass rates). The program has been requested to submit a Progress Report by March 2017 to return the program to full compliance with the Standards within the mandated time period for correction.

Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

For further information on these limitations, you can contact NBCOT at: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, 12 South Summit Avenue, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877 - (301) 990-7979. Applicants are also encouraged to contact the State Board of Occupational Therapy in the state they anticipate practicing to investigate any limitations.

NBCOT Certification

Degree Completion

The total number of graduates from the Mercy College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year-period of 2014-2016 was 86, with an overall graduation rate of 89.5%.

Graduation Year	Students Entering/Graduating	Graduation Rate
2014	32/26	81%
2015	29/27	93%
2016	35/33	94%
TOTAL	96/86	89.5%

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.

Employment

Overall, employer surveys indicated that employers are satisfied with Mercy College occupational therapy assistant program graduates. 100% of employers indicated satisfaction with Mercy College occupational therapy assistant program graduates as entry-level generalist practitioners in terms of professional skills and behaviors, interpersonal communication and critical thinking.

75% of the students who graduated in 2016 and sought employment within the occupational therapy profession began working within three months of graduation. One hundred percent of employers stated they would hire a Mercy graduate in the future.

Occupational Therapy Assistant FAQS

Where can I obtain information about the program?
To find out more about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, call (914)674-7833 or e-mail the OTA program at otaprogram@mercy.edu.

What are the fieldwork requirements of the program?
Level I: Each of the major module application courses (7 Credit - Childhood & Adolescents & 7 Credit - Adulthood & Maturity) has imbedded in the course 1 credit towards a Fieldwork I experience. This experience requires 21 hours of fieldwork time that may be taken on a once-a-week, part-time or consecutive-day basis depending on the site. These fieldwork experiences must be successfully completed over the duration of the appropriate semester in order to pass each 7-credit major module course. Level II: Once all the academic coursework is successfully completed for the program, students are required to complete a minimum of (2) eight to ten-week full-time fieldwork placements. Fieldwork II placements typically are scheduled Monday through Friday; but some may require weekend hours. Requirements are based on the operating hours of the assigned fieldwork site. Fieldwork II placements may be taken in consecutive semesters or in some circumstances, students may have a semester between fieldwork experiences. The fieldwork experiences are arranged by the Associate Director/Clinical Education Coordinator. Every attempt will be made to schedule fieldwork within one hour travel time from your home. Both Fieldwork level II experiences must be completed within 18 months of the completion of academic coursework.

Career Opportunities

By choosing a career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you’ll have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives while entering a rewarding profession that has flexible and diverse job opportunities in areas such as:

Acute Care Hospitals
Rehab Hospitals
Schools and Pre-Schools
Early Intervention
Nursing Homes
Sub-Acute Care
Adult Day Care
Home Care
Design and Accessibility Consulting and Home Modification
Driver Rehabilitation and Training
Ergonomics Consulting
Health and Wellness Consulting
Low Vision Services
Private Practice Community Health Services
Technology and Assistive Device Development and Consulting

Information Sheet - Fall, 2017 and Spring, 2018

2017

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Information Sheet - Fall, 2017 and Spring, 2018

OTA Information Sheet '17- '18.pdf

NBCOT Certification

Degree Completion

The total number of graduates from the Mercy College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year-period of 2014-2016 was 86, with an overall graduation rate of 89.5%.

Graduation Year	Students Entering/Graduating	Graduation Rate
2014	32/26	81%
2015	29/27	93%
2016	35/33	94%
TOTAL	96/86	89.5%

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.

Employment

Degree Requirements

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Requirements:

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all general education prerequisite courses.
Students must receive a B or better in all OTA core courses (pre-fix OCTR). Students who receive less than a grade of B are required to repeat the course. OTA core courses may only be repeated once.
Any student falling below a 2.75 GPA within the major, will not be going into any fieldwork level II experiences. Student will receive a faculty review and must submit an educational plan that is reviewed and approved by the Program Director. Such educational plans must have clear objectives with deadlines for achievement.
Any student who receives a grade of C or below in two or more OTA core courses (prefix "OCTR") will automatically be dismissed from the program.
If a student is placed on academic probation as per college policy, the student is required to meet with their OTA faculty advisor in order to develop and educational plan.
Students must take all courses in the sequence according to the curriculum design of the Program.
If a student must repeat a course for any reason, they must wait to do so until the course is offered the following academic year.
Students who receive a rating of "Unsatisfactory in any category in the Fieldwork I Experience during any semester will have their records reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Assistant faculty. The faculty will decide if the student may repeat the experience, or if the student will be permitted to repeat the entire major module course. In either case, the student will receive an educational plan that is designed by the faculty that addresses the student's particular issues.
Students may not take any Fieldwork II experiences until they have successfully completed all Fieldwork I experiences.
Should a student fail a Fieldwork II experience, the faculty will discuss the reasons for the failure and a decision will be made as to whether the student will be given an opportunity to repeat the fieldwork experience. Reasons for the decision will be shared with the student during a face-to-face or telephone meeting with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and the program director (or designee). An "Educational Contract" for the repeated FW II assignment will be written by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and signed by the student and also the program director prior to the student repeating the failed experience. Failure of the repeated fieldwork placement and automatic dismissal from the program. The student must register and pay tuition for any repeated Fieldwork course (OCTR 209 or 210).
Failure in any two Fieldwork experiences, Fieldwork I or II, will result in dismissal from the program.
Students are evaluated by the faculty and their peers (anonymously) throughout the Program.
During clinical fieldwork experiences, student work schedules may not interfere with the hours they spend at the fieldwork site.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Objectives

The Mercy College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is organized around a developmental model, which examines the impact and effect of life challenges and occupations throughout the life span. Consistent with its philosophy, the program is designed to utilize the stages of human development. The developmental approach provides the students with a learning framework from which to develop their skills and abilities as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. The program is divided into four modules which are presented in an evening/weekend format. These modules focus on application of material in a variety of settings and with different populations in a developmental sequence so that the students learn to generalize the information and are able to use it to solve problems as they develop their own knowledge base.

The pediatric and adult major module courses require 21 hours of Level 1 Fieldwork for each course. These Level I Fieldwork experiences are designed to provide practical application of classroom work.

Upon completion of all course requirements, students complete two full-time Level II Fieldwork experiences for eight to ten weeks each. All Level II Fieldwork experiences must be successfully completed within 18 months of the academic coursework in order to satisfy degree requirements.

Program Outcomes

By the end of this program, students should be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the professional code of ethics
Articulate the basic tenets of occupational therapy practice according to the history and the philosophical base of the profession
Describe the standards of practice for screening and evaluation as related to occupational performance during all aspects of activities of daily living (ADL) and using occupation for the purpose of assessment
Exhibit competency in culturally sensitive treatment interventions through the use of client centered occupations, tasks and activities based on theory and evidence
Assist with the development of occupation based intervention plans and strategies which are culturally relevant reflective of current occupational therapy practice, based on available evidence
Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement services, adhering to the requirements of any applicable governmental service and or agency
Identify professional responsibilities and explain the importance of involvement within the associations at a state or national level
Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of legislative and regulatory changes and their implications in occupational therapy practice
Discuss strategies for ongoing professional development to ensure that practice is consistent with current and accepted standards
Explain the role delineation between an occupational therapist and an occupational therapy assistant
Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of the role of sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity factors, lifestyle choices in contemporary society

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