OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT MINIMUM …

1 1 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND PERTINENT INFORMATION FALL 2018 Application Dates February 6, 2018 through April 11, 2018 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE EACH ACADEMIC YEAR. 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.

2 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 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, Suite #200 MD 20814-3449. AOTA phone number is (301) 652-AOTA (Website: ). 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.

3 Employment Employment and salaries for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Assistants vary based on work setting and geographical location. The current salary range in the local area is $37,000-$55,000 annually with an estimated 30% increase in jobs over the next 10 years. (Retrieved from 2012 ) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 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 (OTAP) must first meet MINIMUM requirements. Students Must: 1. Have an overall GPA of or higher in all post-secondary coursework completed at Cape Fear 2 Community college . You must maintain a MINIMUM GPA or higher to enter the program in the fall. If your CFCC GPA is below and you have not been enrolled in CFCC for 3 consecutive years, you may be eligible for academic forgiveness. (Refer to the 2017 2018 catalog.) 2. Complete the CFCC General Admissions Application (including Residency Determination Application).

4 3. Complete appropriate Placement Test, if required by the Admissions Office. Meet MINIMUM requirements on the placement test. 4. Request official transcripts from a regionally accredited high school / high school Equivalency agency. high school / high school Equivalency transcripts must indicate the date graduated. Official transcripts are those received either by mail or by hand delivery to CFCC in the original, sealed envelope from the awarding institution or agency. If you graduated from a North Carolina public high school since 2003, you may request your official high school transcript be sent electronically to the Admissions Office via the college Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) website at Home schooled students must submit a copy of the home school s approved registration from the state in which they are registered, and an official transcript including the graduation date and documentation of completion of competency testing.

5 5. Request official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended 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 program 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 high school Equivalency may also meet this requirement if they achieved a standard score of 45 or 450 on the high school Equivalency Natural Science Test. 7. Meet with a Counselor to complete an Intent to Apply and schedule the PSB exam on or prior to 4:30 pm on the last day of the application period. The Intent to Apply is not an application to the OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT Program. 8. Schedule the Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) Health Occupations exam; scores will be used as part of final point count.

6 Information about the PSB examination will be discussed later in the packet. NOTE: Neither federal law nor North Carolina law permits undocumented individuals or those with DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals) classification to receive professional licenses. See 8 1621(a) and (c)(1)(A). This does not prevent a DACA student from enrolling in a Health Science program but will prohibit the student from receiving a professional license. All APPLICANTS MUST APPEAR IN PERSON AT CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY college . APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE TAKEN OVER THE TELEPHONE OR BY EMAIL/WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE. 3 MINIMUM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS 1. PLACEMENT TEST SCORES All students who wish to apply for the OTAP must take the appropriate parts of the Placement Test and meet MINIMUM cut-off scores. Placement test scores cannot be more than five years old. To meet application requirements, you must demonstrate proficiency in DRE 098 and DMA 010 through DMA 050.

7 Compass Accuplacer (CPT) NC DAP 151 Reading + Writing 166 Reading + Sentence 151 English 47 Pre-Algebra 55 Arithmetic *7 Math (DMA 010 DMA 050) 66 Algebra 75 Elem Algebra *A score of 7 or higher on each DMA 010 through DMA 050 on the NC DAP Math exam. SAT ACT 500 Reading or 500 Writing (prior to March 2016) 18 English or Or 22 Reading 480 Evidence-Based Reading/Writing (tested after Feb. 2016) 22 Math 500 Math (prior to March 2016) Or 530 Math (tested after Feb. 2016) - OR Completion of ENG 111 or its equivalent and Math 115, 121, 143 or higher with a grade of C or better may eliminate taking the placement test. An unweighted North Carolina high school GPA of or higher may waive placement testing (graduation within the last 5 years). The student must meet specific high school math course requirements for high school GPA consideration (Multiple Measures).

8 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/modules. If the student completes all of the required developmental courses/modules with a grade of C or better and/or a grade of P prior to the application deadline date and meets the other MINIMUM requirements, he/she may be considered for admission to the program. The Placement Test may be taken twice in twelve consecutive months. Applicants who violate the testing policy will not be disqualified. However, when an 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. 4 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 .

9 In addition, if a student has a documented disability and must arrange for appropriate testing accommodations, he/she should contact the Disability Support Services office in the Union Station Building (Room U-218) at 910-362-7012 or 910 362-7158. 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 . OTAP applicants who have taken the high school Equivalency may also meet this requirement if they achieved a standard score of 45 or 450 on the high school Equivalency Natural Science Test. 3. PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES BUREAU (PSB) HEALTH OCCUPATIONS EXAM Students who meet the MINIMUM requirements will schedule an appointment to take the PSB Health Occupations Exam for OTA.

10 OTAP applicants may take the Health Occupations PSB one time per application period. It is recommended that you purchase a PSB study guide. These are available for purchase online and in most bookstores. In addition, the staff in the CFCC Learning Lab (910 362-7137) will be able to provide resource materials to help prepare for the PSB exam. You may also contact the Literacy Council at 910 251-0911 to get information about a PSB study class. A study guide for the PSB Exam can be accessed at: (use lower case letters). A $ non-refundable 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. Rescheduling of PSB exams will only be considered in the case of extenuating circumstances ( such as a medical emergency) and the applicant must provide documentation of the extenuating circumstance.