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Spring Semester 2020 Catalog

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Occupational Therapy Assistant, Associate of Applied Science Degree

Overview

Offered at the Augusta Campus

Entrance Dates: Fall
Length of Program: Six Terms
Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 73

Admissions: Occupational Therapy Assistant is a competitive program. Students who meet the College criteria for admission will be admitted to the College to take prerequisite courses.  Prerequisite courses (ALHS 1090, ENGL 1101, MATH 1111, Humanities/Fine Arts Area IV[refer to options]  , SPCH 1101, PSYC 1101, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, and BIOL 2114L) must be completed with a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale by the designated deadline to be ranked for program admission. The grade point average in BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, and ENGL 1101 determines the academic/ranking order for selection of students for admission to the program. Students who are not selected for admission may consider another program or resubmit a new admission application and a new Competitive Ranking Application by the next ranking cycle deadline. A high school diploma or GED is required for admission to the program. For additional information regarding this process, please contact the Admissions Office at (706) 771-4028. Refer to program related deadlines.

Program Description: The Occupational Therapy Program is designed to train students to implement treatment plans and interventions for clients with limitations in occupational performance under the supervision of an occupational therapist per the standards of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and state regulations.  Other occupational therapy assistant responsibilities include assisting with clinical management and client evaluations as appropriate.  The Occupational Therapy Assistant program meets the accreditation requirements of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Program graduates are eligible to seek certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).  This certification is required for state licensure. The program provides learning opportunities to introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills and work ethics required for job acquisition, retention and advancement.  Program graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science degree.

The program includes off-campus fieldwork in health care facilities (may include out-of-town assignments).

The Occupational Therapy/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 telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA (2682) and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates of the program will be 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 exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy 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

Employment Opportunities: Occupational therapy assistants work in inpatient and outpatient hospitals and rehabilitation centers, transitional care facilities, prisons, home health care, nursing homes, industry, halfway houses, group homes, assisted living facilities, schools, sheltered workshops, community mental health centers, day care or early intervention centers, hospice programs, and wellness/fitness centers.

Curriculum Outline

General Core Courses, 15 credits

ENGL 1101COMPOSITION & RHETORIC

3
MATH 1111COLLEGE ALGEBRA

3
XXXX XXXXHUMANITIES/FINE ARTS AREA IV

3
SPCH 1101PUBLIC SPEAKING

3
PSYC 1101INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY

3

Occupational Courses, 58 credits

ALHS 1090MED TERM/ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCE

2
BIOL 2113ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I

3
BIOL 2113LANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I LAB

1
BIOL 2114ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II

3
BIOL 2114LANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II LAB

1
OCTA 1010INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY THEORY AND CONDITIONS

4
OCTA 1020GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

2
OCTA 1030DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS ANALYSIS

2
OCTA 1050KINESIOLOGY

4
OCTA 2010MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

6
OCTA 2040PEDIATRIC ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

4
OCTA 2060PHYSICAL DYSFUNCTION AND TREATMENT METHODS

4
OCTA 2090GERIATRIC ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

3
OCTA 2120OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TRENDS AND ISSUES

2
OCTA 2130THERAPEUTIC ADAPTATIONS

3
OCTA 2210LEVEL II FIELDWORK - A

6
OCTA 2220LEVEL II FIELDWORK - B

6

Notes:

  • A grade of “C” or higher is required for all courses.
  • Students must have received a grade of a “C” or less in order to retake a course for ranking purposes. The first grade and the retake grade(s) will be averaged to determine the grade used for ranking purposes. This policy also applies to students with a transfer grade of a ‘C”. The transfer grade of a “C” and the retake grade will be averaged to determine the ranking grade.
  • A student who receives a grade of less than a “C” in two or more prerequisite courses is not eligible for program progression/admission. This includes less than a “C” in the same or a different course taken under any program of study at Augusta Technical College and/or courses included on formal transcripts received from a previous colleges/university attended.
  • If a student makes less than a “C” in a prerequisite course that includes a lab, this will be counted as “one” academic failure or unsuccessful attempt. The student will be required to retake the component (lab or theory) in which a grade of less than a “C” was awarded in order to meet the prerequisite requirement. The theory letter grade will be averaged with the corresponding letter grade in lab to determine the final letter grade for ranking purposes.
  • Unsuccessful course attempts that led to ineligibility for competitive progression evaluation will expire after five years.
  • A student who does not earn a grade of “C” or higher in any one course attempted with the OCTA prefix will be suspended from the program for one year. Before re-entering the program, the student must complete an individualized remedial program assigned by the department head. After the second unsuccessful attempt of any courses with the OCTA prefix, the student will not be allowed to re-enter the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
  • All Level II Fieldwork must be completed within 18 months of completion of the didactic course work before the student is eligible for graduation.
  • Prior to participation in Level I and Level II Fieldwork experiences, students are required to submit completed medical and dental examination forms. Separate documentation will be required for Hepatitis B seroconversion, RPR, TB testing, MMR and chicken pox titers. Students who refuse to take the Hepatitis B vaccination series must sign a declination form and be aware that fieldwork sites may refuse them an opportunity to gain clinical experience.
  • FELONY STATEMENT: Conviction of a felony or gross misdemeanor may prohibit employment in the field and or may make a student ineligible to take the licensing/certification exam required for the profession.   A background check and drug screen is required prior to participating in Level I and Level II fieldwork.  For more information, contact the program director
  • Student activities associated with the curriculum, especially while students are completing his or her clinical rotations, will be educational in nature. Students will not be receiving monetary remuneration during this educational experience, nor will he or she be substituted for hired staff personnel within the clinical institution in the capacity of an occupational therapy assistant.
  • Natural science and ALHS prefix courses older than 5 years will not be considered for program progression evaluation. Students will need to retake these courses to become eligible for program progression evaluation.
  • Prior to participation in campus/clinical labs, students are required to show proof of current health insurance. Students who cannot show proof of health insurance need to be aware that clinical practicum sites may refuse to allow them the opportunity to gain clinical experience at their facility.

Guided Pathway

Augusta Day Program

PROGRAM NAME: Occupational Therapy Assistant

AWARD: Associate of Applied Science Degree

CAMPUS: Augusta Day Program

Year 1 Fall Semester

ENGL 1101COMPOSITION & RHETORIC

3
MATH 1111COLLEGE ALGEBRA

3
BIOL 2113ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I

3
BIOL 2113LANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I LAB

1
SPCH 1101PUBLIC SPEAKING

3

Year 1 Spring Semester

BIOL 2114ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II

3
BIOL 2114LANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II LAB

1
PSYC 1101INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY

3
ALHS 1090MED TERM/ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCE

2
 
HUMN 1101INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES

3
OR
ARTS 1101ART APPRECIATION

3
OR
ENGL 2130AMERICAN LITERATURE

3
OR
MUSC 1101MUSIC APPRECIATION

3
OR
THEA 1101THEATER APPRECIATION

3

Year 2 Fall Semester

OCTA 1010INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY THEORY AND CONDITIONS

4
OCTA 1020GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

2
OCTA 1030DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS ANALYSIS

2
OCTA 1050KINESIOLOGY

4

Year 2 Spring Semester

OCTA 2040PEDIATRIC ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

4
OCTA 2060PHYSICAL DYSFUNCTION AND TREATMENT METHODS

4
OCTA 2130THERAPEUTIC ADAPTATIONS

3

Year 2 Summer Semester

OCTA 2010MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

6
OCTA 2090GERIATRIC ISSUES AND TREATMENT METHODS

3
OCTA 2120OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TRENDS AND ISSUES

2

Year 3 Fall Semester

OCTA 2210LEVEL II FIELDWORK - A

6
OCTA 2220LEVEL II FIELDWORK - B

6

Note: Please refer to the College Catalog for competitive progression requirements for this program.

*Refer to the College catalog for course prerequisite requirements.

Students who choose to not follow the Course Sequence listed above may not be able to complete the program in the number of semesters shown above.

The Augusta Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender or disability. For information on Title IX, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Shannon Patterson at (706) 771-4013 or in Building 100. For information on ADA/504, contact the ADA/504 Coordinator, Karissa D. Wright, at (706) 7714067 or go to the Counseling Center in Building 1300.

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy/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 telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA (2682) and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Program Outcomes

Graduate Information

COTAs are frequently employed by skilled nursing facilities, acute hospitals, rehabilitation centers, pediatric clinics, vocational rehabilitation centers and may also be found in private practice sites. Of our 2016 graduate COTAs, all are currently working in the field of occupational therapy, a related field, or are continuing their education.

Graduation Year Number of students entering/graduating Graduation rate
2016 19/14 74%
2017 17/13 76% 
2018 20/20  100%
2019  20/20 100% 
Total: 76/67 88%

NBCOT Certification Examination Pass Rates:

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

Year Number of Students Who Sat for NBCOT Exam Number/Percentage Who Passed NBCOT Exam Within 1 Year of Graduation
2016 11 11/100%
2017 22 19/86%
2018  12  12/100% 
TOTAL: 45 95%