OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT PROGRAM

About Us
The Weatherford College Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program is a two-year curriculum comprised of classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning experiences. The course of study is designed to prepare the graduate to work under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist and provide occupational therapy services to people with physical, mental, emotional or development disabilities. Occupational Therapy professionals assist individuals by increasing their independence in normal daily occupations.

Mission Statement
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program offers a specialized health care curriculum designed to meet the needs of the people within its service area. It is our desire to prepare competent students who will serve our community members with commitment and compassion. The goal of the program is to graduate professionals who are skilled at establishing therapeutic relationships and providing OT interventions that are occupation based, client centered, and evidence based.

Program Goals
Clinical Competency, Problem-Solving/Critical Thinking Skills, Effective Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Knowledge of OT Theories and Frames of Reference, and Effective Therapeutic Relationships.

(1) **The occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Developing Program Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesdas, MD 20824-1220. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. Once accreditation of the program has been obtained, its graduates 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 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. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

ONCE SELECTED FOR ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM, THE STUDENT MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

• Complete a criminal background check
• Obtain a TB screen test, a 10 panel urine drug screen, various titers and immunizations, completion of Hepatitis B series, and a back/spine screen
• Submit proof of major medical health insurance
• Obtain current American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR

Information and specifics on obtaining the above criteria will be available to the student upon acceptance to the program.
Start-up costs for immunizations, titers, urine drug screen, CPR, back/spine screen, and health insurance varies but could run as much as $400. Criminal history/background check is $24.95.

Program Restrictions
Please refer to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program student handbook. The DFW hospital council has also published certain restrictions applying to students in clinical sites.

English Proficiency Requirements
Before being accepted into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program an applicant who’s native language* is not English must submit an acceptable score on the TOELF iBT. Additional information may be obtained from the OTA Department.

*A native language is a language that is acquired naturally during childhood & is usually spoken at home, as opposed to a language that is learned later in life, for example, as a part of a person’s formal education.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program begins every year in January and is a two-year continuous program which requires all day attendance Monday through Friday. All prospective students are required to meet the admission criteria. In addition, all applicants should be free of illegal drug use, have no felony convictions, and be clear of any misdemeanor convictions other than minor traffic violations. For more information about the application procedures please call Karen Wells at 817-598-8850 or 940-325-2591 or the OTA Program Director, Cindy Hahn, 817-598-8801. Applications for admission will be accepted beginning the first business day in May through the last business day in July each year for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Applications may be downloaded from our program web page.

Application requirements include the following:  

• Submit Weatherford College application and official transcripts to the Office of Student Affairs
• Evidence of successful completion of the Texas Success Initiative to include TASP/THEA/ ACCUPLACER/COMPASS or evidence of being exempt.
• Submit Allied Health application with official transcripts from all colleges attended to the Administration office at the Weatherford College Education Center at Mineral Wells. 
• Submit Proof of at least the first Hepatitis B Vaccine (three dose series), or a positive Hepatitis B titer, or Department of State Health Services Waiver. The student must complete their Hepatitis B series and submit proof of the series to the OTA office, located at the Mineral Wells Education Center. This is a 4-6 month process and must be completed prior to the first day of class.
• Submit Observation Documentation Form with at least 10 hours of observation in a minimum of two separate occupational therapy settings.
• Only completed Allied Health applications with official transcripts, observation hours documented, and documentation of at least the first Hepatitis B shot will be accepted.  
• Science courses must have been taken within five years prior to admission
• Applicants will be required to interview with the Program Director prior to acceptance into the OTA Program.
• Failure to meet application requirements may result in denial of application.

Section Criteria
Selection into the program is based on the following scoring methods:

Prerequisite Courses:
For each of the seven prerequisite courses completed the following points will be awarded. Science courses must be taken within the last five years.
    A = 4 points
    B = 3 points
    C = 2 points

Previous educational degree/field experience:
     Bachelors or higher – 6 points
     Associates – 4 points

Up to 10 points can be obtained from the interview process.

OTA CURRICULUM

Prerequisites

Semester I

Semester II

Semester III

Semester IV

Semester V

(2) Students must complete Level II fieldwork within 18 months following
completion of the didactic portion of the program.