OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND PERTINENT INFORMATION
FALL 2009
Application Dates - March 30 2009 through May 20 2009
Or until filled.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum prepares individuals to work under the supervision of a registered/licensed Occupational Therapist in screening, assessing, planning, and implementing treatment and documenting progress for clients receiving occupational therapy services.
Course work includes human growth and development, conditions which interfere with activities of daily living, theory and process of Occupational Therapy, individual/group treatment activities, therapeutic use of self, activity analysis, and grading/adapting activities and environments.
Graduates may be eligible to take the national certification examination for practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term/extended-care facilities, sheltered workshops, schools, home health programs, and community programs.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program at CFCC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 5720 Montgomery Lane, P. O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA phone number is (301) 652-AOTA; the website address is http://www.aota.org/. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education is the accrediting body. Graduates of this accredited program are able to sit for the national certification examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). North Carolina requires licensure to practice as a COTA; the license is based in part on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Program graduates are awarded the Associate in Applied Science degree.
2005-2007 Certification Exam Results
The total number of graduates who passed the certification exam as first-time new graduate test takers in 2005-2007 was 40 out of 44, which is a 91% passing rate. During that 3-year period, the program had a total of 47 graduates.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPEAR IN PERSON AT CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE. NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE TAKEN OVER THE TELEPHONE OR BY MAIL/WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE.
It is important that all applicants for Allied Health programs understand the selective admissions process. Applicants who wish to submit an application to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must first meet minimum requirements.
The following steps must be completed by 5:00 PM on May 20, 2009.
Students must do the following:
1. Have and maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher in all post-secondary courses taken in the last three (3) years at Cape Fear Community College.
2. Complete the CFCC General Admissions Application.
3. Complete appropriate Placement Test, if required by the Admissions Office. Meet minimum requirements on Placement Test.
4. Request official high school transcript or GED scores be mailed to the Admission and Records Office. Official transcripts should be mailed from the institution(s) attended or be hand delivered in an envelope sealed by a representative of school(s) attended.
5. Request official transcripts from all colleges or schools attended since high school be mailed to the Admission and Records Office. These will be reviewed for possible transfer credit.
6. All Students who wish to apply for the OTA must have completed a Biology or a General Science course in High School or College and achieved a grade of "C" or higher. If a High School general science course is used, it must have precisely the course title of "General Science". Applicants who have taken the GED may also meet this requirement if they achieved a standard score of 45 on the GED Natural Science Test.
7. Meet with a Counselor to schedule an appointment to take the Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) Exam and to complete an "Intent to Apply" Form. The "Intent to Apply" form is not an application to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
8. TAKE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES BUREAU (PSB) EXAM; SCORES WILL BE USED AS PART OF THE FINAL POINT COUNT. Information about the PSB examination will be discussed later in the packet.
A $20.00 fee will be charged to take the Health Occupations PSB exam. Applicants must appear in person at Cape Fear Community College. The PSB exam fee must be paid by check, cash or credit card at the time the PSB exam is scheduled. If there are circumstances beyond the applicants control and he/she misses the scheduled test date and provides documentation of the extenuating circumstance, the Director of Counseling MAY choose to issue a "Stand By Pass" for testing. A "Stand By Pass" does not guarantee admission to the test; admission to the test may be determined by seat availability.
MINIMUM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
1. PLACEMENT TEST SCORES
All students who wish to apply for OTAP must take the appropriate parts of the Placement Test and meet minimum cut-off scores within the previous five years.
| ASSET | Compass | Accuplacer (CPT) | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 Writing | 70 Writing | 86 Sentence | 470 Verbal or | 19 English |
| 41 Reading | 81 Reading | 80 Reading | Reading & Writing | 19 Reading |
| 41 Numerical | 47 Pre-Algebra | 55 Arithmetic | 500 Math | 20 Math |
- OR -
If an applicant scores less than the minimum cut-off scores on required Placement Testing, he/she will be required to complete the essential sequence of developmental courses. If the student completes all of the required developmental courses with a grade of "C" or better prior to the application deadline date and meets the other minimum requirements, he/she may be considered for admission to the Program.
Completion of the equivalent of ENG 111 and MAT 115 may eliminate taking any placement test.
The Placement Test or any combination of Placement Tests may be taken twice in twelve consecutive months. Applicants who violate the testing policy will not be disqualified. However, when a OTAP applicant has tested more than twice in twelve consecutive months, only the first two attempts will be considered in the application process. Placement Test scores which violate the testing policy will be disregarded.
If the Placement Test has been taken at another community college in the past five years, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the scores are transferred to Cape Fear Community College.
In addition, if a student has special needs and must arrange for appropriate testing accommodations, he/she should contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator in Counseling Office (A-220) at 910-362-7012.
2. BIOLOGY COMPETENCY WITH A GRADE OF "C" OR HIGHER
All students who wish to apply for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must have completed a Biology or "General Science" course in high school or college, and achieved a grade of "C" or higher. If a high school general science course is used, it must have precisely the course title of "General Science". OTA applicants who have taken the GED may also meet this requirement if they achieved a standard score of 45 or 450 on the GED Natural Science Test.
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES BUREAU (PSB) HEALTH OCCUPATIONS EXAM
Students who meet the minimum requirements will be scheduled an appointment to take the PSB Health Occupations Exam. OTA applicants may take the PSB one time per application period. More information about the PSB Exam will be provided when the applicant is scheduled for the PSB. There are several resources that can be used to help prepare for this exam such as a dictionary, 8th grade arithmetic textbooks, high school science textbooks, GED study guide, SAT Study Guide, and the ARCO Nursing School and Allied Health Entrance Exams by Marion Gooding, R.N., Ph.D. The CFCC Learning Lab (910) 362-7137 offers tutoring for the PSB Exam.
A study guide for the PSB Exam can be accessed at: http://cfcc.edu/testingservices/
All applicants to the Occupational Therapy program must complete the PSB Health Occupations Exam. There are no minimum score requirements. Scores from the Verbal, Arithmetic, Non-Verbal, Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Natural Science, and Vocational Adjustment sections of the test will, however, be used to determine points for selection into the program.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT SELECTION PROCESS
The point system was implemented as an objective means for evaluating OTA applicants.
Fifty percent (50%) of applicant's point total points will come from the PSB Exam and fifty percent (50%) of total points will come from related high school and/or college classes completed prior to the application deadline.
OTA applicants will be ranked based upon points earned, and the students with the highest number of points will be selected. If two or more students have the identical point count total, the date that the "Intent to Apply" Form was completed in the Counseling Office will be the determining factor.
1. Points For the PSB Exam
Raw scores in all seven (7) areas of the PSB Exam - Verbal, Arithmetic, Non-Verbal, Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Natural Sciences, and the Vocational Adjustment Index are used in calculating the total number of points earned in this section.
2. Points for Grades Earned
Prior High School Or College Level Classes
Specific college and/or high school courses taken with a grade of "C" or higher will earn the applicant points. (For point distribution, refer to the enclosed point count worksheet.)
* SPECIAL NOTES:
All science courses must have been taken in the last five (5) years. It is highly recommended that students complete BIO 168 (Anatomy & Physiology I) and BIO 169 (Anatomy & Physiology II) prior to admission into the OTA program. First attempt with a letter grade of "C" or better will be considered for the point count.
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective: Humanities and Fine Arts electives are listed on pages 67-68 in the 2008-2009 Catalog. If choosing a foreign language, the elective must be a third level course; i.e. FRE 211, GER 211 or SPA 211.
All applicants will be invited in to discuss their point count assessments with a counselor. APPLICANTS WHO FAIL TO ATTEND THIS POINT COUNT ASSESSMENT WILL WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO CONTEST THEIR POINT TOTALS. Applicant's point counts are confidential; please do not call to inquire about your point count. To protect your privacy, point count totals will not be discussed on the telephone.
3. Points for workshops
Ten (10) points will also be awarded for attending a
one-hour information workshop.
Workshop dates are as follows:
Monday, February 9, 2009 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm in Room L-322
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 2:00 - 3:00 pm in Room L-322
Friday, April 10, 2009 at 9:00 am - 10:00 am in Room L-322
DOCUMENTATION MUST BE SUBMITTED TO COUNSELING OFFICE (A 220) BEFORE MAY 20, 2009 DEADLINE.
4. Points for Grade Point Average
Students with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher at CFCC will receive ten (10) additional points.
Overall, the point system was developed as an objective means for evaluating OTA applicants. Your point count is confidential; thus, please do not call to inquire about your point count. To protect your privacy, point count totals will not be discussed on the telephone. See point count sheet for specific details.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE
Twenty-four (24) new students will be admitted to the OTA program for Fall 2009. Students are selected based on a point count system. Applicants who are selected will be conditionally accepted in the program pending the submission and review of an up to date immunization record and current (within 6 months) TB test or chest x-ray.
The 24 selected students will be notified when to complete the following information:
1. Medical Reports
All completed immunization and TB reports must be received by the specified date noted in the acceptance letter. You MAY be required to undergo a physical exam before beginning clinical (fieldwork) experience at your own expense.
2. Criminal Background Check
At their discretion, clinical sites may require a drug screening and/or a criminal background check prior to allowing students into the clinical setting (If required, any associated fees will be the responsibility of the student). Testing positive on the drug screening, or evidence of tampering with a specimen, will disqualify a student from participation from the clinical assignment. In addition, certain criminal activity, as evident by a criminal background check may also disqualify a student from clinical participation. Please be aware that failure to participate in a clinical assignment based on either the drug screening or criminal background check will result in dismissal from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Cape Fear Community College will not accept the background checks. It is your responsibility to hold this report for the clinical site if needed. For further information, student should see the "Drug and Alcohol Policy" in the CFCC Student Handbook (pgs. 47-49). Students can access a criminal background check at www.certifiedbackground.com or by calling 1-888-723-4263.
A. PROGRESSION POLICY
Students admitted to the OTA Program must achieve or have achieved a "C" in each course in the curriculum in order to progress semester by semester.
Grading Policy
| A | Excellent | 92-100 |
| B | Good | 84-91 |
| C | Average | 76-83 |
| D | Poor | 68-75 |
B. DISQUALIFYING FACTORS
Students may be denied licensure and/or certification for any of the following reasons:
- Conduct not in accordance with the moral and ethical standards of an Occupational Therapy Assistant:
- has given false information or has withheld material information;
- has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any crime which indicated that the individual is unfit or incompetent to practice or that the individual has deceived or defrauded the public;
- has used any drug to a degree that interferes with his or her fitness to practice in occupational therapy;
- has engaged in conduct which endangers the public health;
- A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for
the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
NBCOT offers an Early Determination Review to individuals who 1) have been charged with or convicted of a felony, 2) have had any professional license, registration, or certification revoked, suspended, or subject to probationary conditions by a regulatory authority or certification board, or 3) have been found by any court, administrative, or disciplinary proceeding to have committed negligence, malpractice, recklessness, or willful or intentional misconduct which resulted in harm to another.
The fee for the Early Determination Review is $100.00.
In this "early determination" process, NBCOT may give early or prior approval to take the certification exam to an individual, who is considering entering an educational program or has already entered an educational program, but is not yet eligible to apply for the examination, provided that the information reviewed is not found to be in direct violation of any of the Principles set forth in NBCOT's Candidate/Certificate Code of Conduct.
Should an individual receive a favorable early determination review and then apply to take the certification examination, he/she will still be required to respond to the character questions on the exam application. Provided that no additional incidents relating to character have been incurred since the favorable early determination review, the individual will simply be required to submit a written statement to NBCOT upon application that references the favorable determination and affirms that no additional incidents have been committed since the review. The individual would not be required to resubmit the information reviewed in the early determination process.Information required to be submitted for review is as follows:
- An explanation of the events regarding the individual's character background;
- Copies of any official documentation related to the incident; and
- Any additional information or documentation the individual may wish to include, such as remedial measures taken since the incident.
Information submitted for review should be sent to:
NBCOT, Inc.
Attn: Early Determination Review
800 S. Frederick Avenue, Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150 - A felony conviction may affect students' ability to be placed in a fieldwork Level 2 clinical site.
Depending on fieldwork site accepted applicants may be required to take a drug screen prior to clinical rotation. Positive screening may result in dismissal. Students may be denied Fieldwork I and Fieldwork II placement at a Fieldwork site if they have a felony conviction.
C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Notification of admission status of an applicant is communicated by the Counseling Office.
Accepted students will be required to attend an orientation to the program before the first week of classes.
OTA 260 and OTA 261 Fieldwork Placement II courses offered in the final semester must be completed within twelve months of the didactic course work.
Students in the OTA Program must achieve a "C" in OTA courses in the curriculum in order to progress to the next semester. (Non-OTA courses may be repeated if a grade below "C" is obtained.)
THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT FACULTY EMPHASIZE THAT ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS DEMONSTRATE A STUDENT'S ETHICS, THEREFORE IT IS THE DEPARTMENT POLICY THAT A STUDENT WILL RECEIVE AN "F" IN A COURSE FOR CHEATING, FALSIFYING INFORMATION, AND/OR UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR. AN "F" IN AN OTA CLASS WILL RESULT IN DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM.
Applicants should be aware that travel in areas outside of New Hanover and Pender Counties may be required for Fieldwork placement. Students may also be required to stay overnight during the last Semester when Fieldwork Placement II occurs.
Fieldwork sites will be secured for each student by the OTA faculty. Personal needs and desires of each student will be taken into consideration when determining placement to the extent possible. Students must complete fieldwork at the site provided or be dismissed from the OTA program.
Registration for Fall 2009
If you are applying to the OTA program for fall 2009 acceptance but would like to register for general education classes in advance of your program status notification, you may do so. You may register at any time during open fall registration for any courses that do not have the OTA prefix.
The list of course times below will assist you in selecting general education course sections that will fit within your potential OTA schedule.
In the event that you register for courses but would like to change them following your acceptance into the program, you may do so during fall registration, at the OTA program orientation or on drop/add day.
OTA 110 Fundamentals of OT Monday 11am-1pm, Wednesday 10am-1pm
OTA 120 OT Media I Tuesday/Thursday 10am-12pm OR Tuesday/Thursday 12pm-2pm
OTA 140 Professional Skills I Friday 10am-1pm
Estimated costs:
The AOTA has compiled information on Occupational Therapy scholarships.
| Tuition (in-state) | $ 42.00 | (per semester hour) |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $ 233.30 | (per semester hour) |
| Books/Supplies | 300.00 | (average for each semester) |
| Name Tag | 5.00 | |
| Activity fee | 7.25 - $32.50 | (depending on number of semester hours) |
| Technology fee | 1.00 - $16.00 | (depending on number of semester hours) |
| Parking & Security fee | 10.00 - $20.00 | (depending on number of semester hours) |
| OTA program shirt | 25.00 | |
| Liability insurance | 15.00 | (per school year) |
Students may be responsible for the purchase of health insurance, hepatitis B immunization (optional), and drug screening if fieldwork sites require such.
Students may also be required to obtain CPR certification for level II fieldwork placement. If certification is required, it can be obtained through the American Red Cross for a fee.
CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE
1. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy may deny eligibility for the certification examination for occupational therapy assistants to individuals convicted of a felony or convicted of any other crime involving moral turpitude.
2. The North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy may deny licensure to individuals convicted of a felony or any other crime involving moral turpitude.
3. The National Certification Examination has a $495.00 (approximate) registration fee. This fee must be paid in advance and can be refunded only in part with adequate notice regarding ineligibility or withdrawal.
4. In order to practice within the state of North Carolina as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, the graduate must hold a North Carolina license that is issued following successful completion of the NBCOT exam and the proper fees.
Tuition & Fees
Payment can be made by cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, financial aid, or a third-party sponsorship. All forms of payment must be received by the Business Office to be officially registered.
NURSES LIABILITY: $15.00 PER SCHOOL YEAR
FULL TIME: 12 CREDIT HOURS
¾ TIME 9 CREDIT HOURS
½ TIME 6 CREDIT HOURS
Tuition is established by the North Carolina State Legislature and is subject to change without prior notification.
COUNSELING
If you have questions or concerns regarding the selective admissions process, please contact a counselor in Room A-220 or at the North Campus in Room NA-100.
OTA COURSE AND HOUR REQUIREMENTS
| TITLE | CLASS | LAB | HOURS CLINICAL | WORK EXPER. | CREDIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. General Education Courses | |||||
| BIO 169 Anatomy & Physiology II | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| COM 110 Introduction to Communication | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| ENG 111 Expository Writing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| ENG 114 Professional Research & Report. | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| PSY 150 General Psychology | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| II. Major Courses | |||||
| A. Core | |||||
| BIO 168 Anatomy & Physiology I | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| OTA 110 Fundamentals of OT | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 120 OT Media I | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| OTA 130 Assessment Skills | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 140 Professional Skills | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| OTA 150 Life Span Skills I | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 164 Fieldwork I-Placement 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| OTA 162 Fieldwork I-Placement 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| OTA 163 Fieldwork I-Placement 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| OTA 170 Physical Dysfunction | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 180 Psychosocial Dysfunction | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 220 OT Media II | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 240 Professional Skills II | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| OTA 250 Life Span Skills II | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 260 Fieldwork II-Placement 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| OTA 261 Fieldwork II-Placement 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| PSY 241 Developmental Psychology | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| PSY 281 Abnormal Psychology | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| C. Other Major Courses | |||||
| CIS 111 Basic PC Literacy | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Or | |||||
| CIS 110 Introduction to Computers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| OTA 280 Professional Transition | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SOC 240 Social Psychology | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Or | |||||
| BUS 230 Small Business Management | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Or | |||||
| PSY 265 Behavioral Modifications | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Or | |||||
| SOC 213 Sociology of the Family | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Or | |||||
| SOC 220 Social Problems | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
TOTAL CREDITS 75
Rev. 9 2008