Department Chair and Program Director: Tia Hughes

Faculty: Ron Carson

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator: Kim Gensolin

Mission Statement

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Program is supportive of the Adventist University of Health Sciences mission through the provision of quality educational experiences to prepare competent occupational therapy professionals who are able to use critical thinking skills to address effectively the healthcare needs of a diverse population and of the community. The program will provide experiences to develop a professional graduate who is able to reason critically, to use evidence-based resources and to provide competent services in a caring and spiritual manner.

Licensure and Accreditation

For information regarding Adventist University of Health Sciences regional and church accreditation, see Accreditation  section of this Academic Bulletin.

The entry level Occupational Therapy Master’s Program has applied for accreditation and received Developing Program Status 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, (301) 652-AOTA. Once accreditation is obtained, graduates will be eligible to sit for the National certification examination for Occupational Therapists, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of this examination will result in the graduate being designated an Occupational Therapist, Registered. In addition, most states require licensure to practice. Such licensure is usually based on the results of the NBCOT examination.

A background check is required for admission to the Occupational Therapy Master’s Program. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and various state licensing agencies require disclosure of all felony convictions. The results of this background check may impact eligibility for certification and licensure. Eligibility should be determined in advance of beginning an educational program. Felony convictions must be resolved by the NBCOT’s Qualifications Review Committee. Mental health intervention may also affect the individual’s ability to obtain state licensure. For further information, see the Student Handbook Supplement.

Program Description

The Master of Occupational Therapy program is designed to prepare competent, entry-level occupational therapy practitioners with skills in patient assessment and treatment intervention. The program is a 28-month course of continuous didactic and clinical experiences grounded in Christian principles, organized in a progressive manner, and built on a solid foundation in the arts and sciences.

Policies

The Occupational Therapy Student Handbook Supplement contains the program policies. By accepting enrollment as an occupational therapy student, each applicant agrees to abide by the policies as outlined in the Supplement.

All students must present:

• Yearly verification of tuberculosis screening. If the test is positive, refer to the Communicable Disease Policy in the Student Handbook for additional information.
• Updated immunization records including hepatitis B, MMR and Tetanus-Diphtheria.
• Verification of varicella vaccination or show immunity (titer).
• Evidence of physical examination within three months prior to beginning the program.
• Verification of current certification in professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association, including infant, child, and adult CPR.
• Evidence of a successfully completed FIT test prior to the professional program deadline.

A background check is required for admission to the Occupational Therapy Program. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and various state licensing agencies require disclosure of all felony convictions. The results of this background check may impact eligibility for certification and licensure. Eligibility should be determined in advance of beginning an educational program. Felony convictions must be resolved by the NBCOT’s Qualifications Review Committee. Mental health intervention may also affect the individual’s ability to obtain state licensure. For further information, see the Occupational Therapy Student Handbook Supplement.

Health Insurance

All students who will participate in a clinical environment are required to carry health insurance upon admission into the program, and must maintain this insurance for the duration of the program.

Mental and Physical Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Master’s degree in the Occupational Therapy Program must:

• Have sufficient hearing and vision to monitor and assess patient health needs, to monitor various equipment and background sounds, and to communicate by telephone.
• Be able to speak in a clear and concise manner.
• Have communication abilities sufficient to interact professionally with others in verbal and written form and have reading skills appropriate to understand patient charts, reports, and orders.
• Possess the ability to lift 15 pounds independently and place objects of this weight at various levels, including floor level and overhead.
• Be able to lift patients to accomplish bed/chair/stretcher transfer.
• Stand and walk without difficulty and be able to push a gurney or wheelchair.
• Be able to stand and/or sit for an extended period of time.
• Be able to perform fine and gross motor skills with both hands.
• Possess manual dexterity sufficient to fabricate and modify splints and adaptive equipment, perform range-of-motion exercises/activities, position another person, and perform components of sensory, motor, and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) evaluations.
• Possess critical thinking skills sufficient to think clearly and act appropriately in stressful situations.
• Possess interpersonal skills sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
• Possess the ability to work in clinical environments which involve exposure to persons with physical and mental disabilities, such as pain, grief, death, stress, communicable diseases, blood and body fluids, and toxic substances.
• Have mobility sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces.
• Have tactile ability sufficient to perform palpation functions of physical examination and/or other functions related to therapeutic intervention.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the Master of Occupational Therapy Program must:

1. Submit an application online and nonrefundable $100 application fee.
2. Present a résumé listing professional and educational activities.
3. Present an essay stating reasons for wanting to become an occupational therapist, reasons for choosing to attend a faith-based institution, experiences and interactions you have had with an occupational therapist, and reasons for specifically choosing Adventist University of Health Sciences.
4. Present current official transcripts from all undergraduate and/or graduate institutions attended. Admission GPAs will be calculated, based on credits and grades from regionally accredited institutions only. Transcripts must be mailed or delivered electronically to the Office of Enrollment Services from each institution attended. Transcripts will be considered official only when received directly from the institution and not hand-delivered by the applicant or faxed by the institution attended. Failure to disclose all colleges previously attended could result in denial or dismissal. Additionally, transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES). This is the only company from which we will accept transcript evaluations. Professional program coursework is not transferrable.
5. Present official transcripts for each College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination taken only if the applicant would like them to be considered for fulfillment of prerequisite requirements. CLEP scores reported on an official college transcript are also acceptable for this requirement.
6. Submit the MOT Prerequisite Eligibility Form.
7. Present a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
8. Present evidence of a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
9. Provide three recommendations using ADU Graduate Recommendation Forms. Recommendations from friends and family members are not acceptable.
10. Present an official copy of a competitive score¹ on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the last 5 years. GRE scores on official college transcripts are also acceptable. Applicants are exempt from providing GRE scores by presenting proof of a previously earned master’s degree. Scores must include verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing. If an applicant submits scores for more than one attempt at the GRE, the highest sub-test scores will be counted.
11. Present the following undergraduate courses either as having been completed in the applicant’s undergraduate program or as taken post-baccalaureate but prior to admission to the MOT program:
    • English I & II
    • Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II (with labs)
    • Pathophysiology (Disease Conditions)
    • General Psychology
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Abnormal Psychology
    • Sociology or Anthropology
    • Public speaking
    • College Algebra
    • Statistics
    • Medical Terminology
    • One of the following four-credit courses (including lab):
      • General Biology
      • Physics
      • Chemistry
12. Present appropriate, satisfactory health and immunization records.
13. Provide evidence of English language proficiency for those applicants for whom English is not their primary language or who have graduated from a non-English speaking school (see English Language Proficiency section).
14. Meet the mental and physical requirements.
15. Successfully complete the personal interview process. (See below.)

Applicants are reminded that, due to the competitive nature of the admission process, meeting the minimum standards for admission does not guarantee admission to the program. After the initial screening of the application, some applicants will be invited to the campus for a personal interview. (See requirement above.)

If accepted to an on-campus professional program, the student is expected to pay a nonrefundable deposit of $500 to reserve his or her place in the program. The applicant’s acceptance letter will contain a deposit amount and deadline indicating when the deposit must be received by the University. Once the student enrolls in the program, this deposit will be applied toward the student’s account. Students who have paid the deposit, but decide not to enroll in the program, will forfeit the deposit. If that student is admitted to the same program at a later date, he or she will be required to pay the full deposit amount again. If an applicant is admitted to a program with prerequisites in progress and becomes ineligible for admission due to his or her grades, a full refund will be provided. A professional program deposit is not transferable to another department. Distance Education students are not required to pay a program deposit.

¹The 2012 GRE scores are considered competitive at 300 (prior exam 900).

Reapplication Process

Applicants who are not admitted to the Master’s in Occupational Therapy program during a specific admission cycle may reapply to the program for the next admission cycle as long as they have successfully met the minimum admission requirements. Reapplicants are expected to meet the published admission deadlines by submitting the following additional information to the Office of Enrollment Services.

1. Contact the OT Program Department Chair to discuss if reapplying to the program is possible.
2. Submit an application online with a non-refundable $50 reactivation fee.
3. Updated official transcripts from any accredited institutions attended since the original application was submitted.

Progression

As the Master’s of Occupational Therapy Program is a “block program,” 28-month, continuous course of study, students will be deemed making continuous satisfactory progress toward a Master’s degree when they:

1. Complete all scheduled professional and cognate courses with a grade of B (3.00) or better on a 4.00 grade point scale.
2. Complete all scheduled cognate courses with an average grade of B (3.00) or better on a 4.00 grade point scale.

Completion

Adventist University of Health Sciences will consider students for graduation with a Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree and for eligibility for the NBCOT certification examination in Occupational Therapy when they have:

1. Met the general requirements for the Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree.
2. Completed all required courses in the Master’s of Occupational Therapy curriculum with grades of “B” (3.00) or better.
3. Completed all required courses in the Master’s of Occupational Therapy curriculum within 50 months of their acceptance into the program.
4. Completed an acceptable Capstone Project.
5. Participated in the University’s Graduate Colloquium Program as instructed by the Department.

Readmission Policy

Students are considered for readmission to the Occupational Therapy Program when they meet admission requirements and:

1. Submit a re-application form to the Occupational Therapy Program no later than May 1 for re-entry in the Fall trimester, August 1 for re-entry in the Spring trimester and January 1 for re-entry in the Summer trimester.

2. Have a graduate program GPA of 3.00.

3. Present annual verification of tuberculosis screening and maintain current professional CPR certification and health insurance.

4. Present official transcripts from any institutions attended while out of the program.

If a lapse of time greater than two years (24 months) occurs in a student’s program of study, prior OT credits will not be accepted. Students who do not progress with their class cannot be assured of placement in their choice of subsequent classes. Readmission is, in part, subject to available space. Students will be readmitted under current program policies.

Fieldwork Information

Level I and II Fieldwork: Students are exposed to a variety of clients across the human life span and to a variety of practice settings. These experiences are designed to promote clinical reasoning, demonstrate the values and beliefs that guide ethical practice, and develop professionalism and competence. Most fieldwork sites are located within a 60-mile radius of the Adventist University campus.

Level II Fieldwork: must be completed within 18 months following completion of academic preparation. Completion of degree requirements shall not exceed 50 months.

Students who withdraw or drop a Level II Fieldwork course must re-apply to the OT program in order to be considered for readmission.

Reliable Transportation: Students are responsible for their own transportation to fieldwork and field trip sites.

Additional Costs: Students are responsible for additional fees that are required for Level I and Level II Fieldwork rotations (i.e. additional background checks, drug screening, uniforms).

Occupational Therapy, M.O.T