This is an entry level clinical Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD). Students who graduate with an OTD are able to sit for the boards and enter into practice settings, similar to the MOT program. However, the education at the doctoral level program is not only for competency in treatment, but also a greater emphasis on leadership skills and scholarly research in the field. This emphasis is seen in additional coursework in these areas and a significant research capstone requirement.
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652- AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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 Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure 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.
Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 30 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities.
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at: www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance
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