Occupational Therapy

Chair of the Department: Susan Noyes

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director: Sarah Grinder

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator: Elizabeth Palmer

Professor: Noyes; Assistant Professor: Grinder; Clinical Associate Faculty: Bickmore; Clinical Assistant Faculty: Palmer; Principal Lecturer: Kroon; Lecturer: Krasnavage

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health and human services profession that recognizes humans as occupational beings. People define who they are by what they do, or by the occupations in which they engage. Occupational therapy practitioners use meaningful occupation or activities as intervention to help people of all ages maximize wellness and perform the skills they need to participate as fully as possible in society. OTPs intervene with people who are experiencing varying degrees of activity impairment as a result of developmental, physical, psychological, cognitive, or environmental dysfunction. They assist people in developing, compensating for, or regaining the skills necessary for participation in meaningful life roles and skills of self-care, work, and leisure.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA-B) at USM develops entry-level OTA practitioners with skills in clinical reasoning, intervention, documentation, and the use of evidence-based practice. Coursework and fieldwork training prepare you for work in diverse settings including mental health, physical disability, pediatrics, management, and more. The course of study includes a baccalaureate project and culminates in a bachelor’s degree and eligibility to sit for the national OTA board exam. Students complete 120 credits.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant at the University of Southern Maine is currently in candidacy status conferred by the ACOTE - Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). ACOTE Is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD  20814. The telephone number for ACOTE c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611, 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 therapy assistant  administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapy Assistant, Certified (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.