Click here to see the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy section of the 2012-2013 JCHS Catalog.

Click on a link to see more information.

• What is Occupational Therapy?
• What do Occupational Therapists do? 
• What traits should Occupational Therapists have?  
• What are the job prospects for Occupational Therapists?
• Why should I choose the JCHS Occupational Therapy Master of Science Program?
• How can I apply for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program?
• What outcomes can I expect from the JCHS Master of Science in Occupational Therapy?
• Statement of Purpose
• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Mission Statement 
• Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (Abbreviated)
• Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education at JCHS
• Accreditations
• Graduate Certification Exam
• Registration/Licensure
• Transfer of Credits
• Program of Study
• Sequence of Courses
• Class Enrollment
• Grade Point Average

 What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is an allied health profession. Its primary aims are to provide intervention to individuals whose lives have been disrupted by adverse circumstance, assist them in gaining or improving their quality of life, and make them capable, using specific skills required of them, to function effectively within their own dynamic environments. To this end occupational therapist use meaningful / purposeful "occupations" (those tasks and functions of life that time and energy which otherwise able-bodied individuals take for granted) to develop or redevelop necessary and/or desired skills for life. These life tasks include, but are not limited to, self care skills such as bathing, dressing, and toileting; interpersonal communication skills such as carrying on a telephone conversation or speaking with family members or an employer about sensitive issues; everyday living tasks such as the roles of a homemaker, vocational interactions and the roles of employee; paying personal bills, balancing a checkbook, purchasing groceries, driving, planning for the future, enjoying leisure pursuits, etc.

Occupational therapists function in a variety of settings. Graduates may work in a hospital, rehabilitation center, extended care facility, nursing home, public schools, developmental daycare facility, adult day care program, mental health clinic, out-patient facilities, home health agencies, industrial rehabilitation programs, hospice programs, private practice and in various community agencies that aid individuals with specific disabilities.

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 Occupational Therapists:

• Assess and treat clients experiencing a mental, physical, emotional or developmental problem.
• Assist clients in developing, recovering or learning new ways to perform daily activities.
• Use physical exercises to help clients increase strength and dexterity.
• Use activities to help patients improve visual acuity and the ability to discern patterns.
• Design and fabricate adaptive equipment, instructing patients/families in its use.
• Use computer programs to help clients improve decision-making, abstract reasoning, problem- solving, memory, sequencing, coordination and perceptual skills.

In addition, Occupational Therapists can choose to work with a certain age group or with clients throughout their lifespans.

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 What traits should Occupational Therapists have?

Occupational Therapists should have:

• Patience and strong interpersonal skills to inspire trust and respect in clients.
• Ingenuity and imagination in adapting activities to meet individual clients' needs.
• Good problem-solving and active listening skills.

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What are the job prospects for Occupational Therapists? 

Employment for Occupational Therapists is projected to increase much faster than other healthcare professions due to the rapid growth of middle-aged and elderly populations demanding therapeutic services. Emerging specialty areas in Occupational Therapy include driver rehabilitation and fall prevention. Places of employment include hospitals, rehabilitation centers, public schools and skilled nursing facilities. 

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Why should I choose the JCHS Occupational Therapy Master of Science Program? 

As an affiliate of Carilion Clinic—one of the largest healthcare systems in Virginia—JCHS offers you hands-on experience in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings. In addition, JCHS offers small class sizes with more individualized instruction. 

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How can I apply for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program?

To apply for the MSOT program, applicants should provide the following to the Office of Admissions by Jan. 15, 2013:

• The Application for Admission, completed and (digitally online) signed.
• Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities in which you have enrolled.
• Completed Recommendation Forms from three individuals who are knowledgeable regarding your suitability for graduate work.
• Official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (JCHS school code 5099). 

• An earned Baccalaureate degree with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Completion of the following pre-requisite coursework:
  • 3 credit course in statistics or a research design course.
  • 6-8 credits in courses pertaining to anatomical systems such as human anatomy, kinesiology, human physiology, and exercise science.
  • 3 credit course in sociology or anthropology
  • 3 credit course in human growth and development throughout the lifespan
  • 3 credit course in abnormal psychology 
• Completion of an essay (double-spaced, 12-point font), which includes a discussion of your personal contact with the world of health and human services (volunteer work, family health, personal experience with injury or disease) and the process you used in deciding to pursue a career in OT.
• Observation of an Occupational Therapist in a variety of settings is Recommended, but not Required. Documentation of such hours signed by the OT observed may be included as one of the references on the application.
• Completion of Recommendation Forms from three individuals who are knowledgeable regarding your suitability for graduate work.
• Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which includes a standardized writing sample within the last five years. You must arrange to have GRE scores submitted directly to JCHS. Our institutional code is 5099.
• The graduate admissions committee will screen applications and selected candidates will be scheduled for interviews on campus as a part of the admissions process. 

Click here to apply online and begin the application process. Also, please note that you may need some of the forms listed below as you complete your application:

• Graduate Recommendation Form (.pdf)
• Graduate Recommendation Form (.doc)
• Graduate Program Application (.pdf)
• Graduate Program Application (.doc)
• Graduate Transcript Request Form (.pdf)
• Graduate Transcript Request Form (.doc)

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What outcomes can I expect from the JCHS Master of Science in Occupational Therapy?

Upon graduation from the occupational therapy program a graduate will be able to:

1)       Apply occupational therapy theories with evidenced-based evaluations and interventions to achieve expected outcomes as related to their client's participation in their daily lives.

2)       Demonstrate life-long learning by applying the latest research and professional knowledge that supports the practice of occupational therapy.

3)       Contribute to the occupational therapy profession through the analysis and application of current occupational therapy theories and other related healthcare knowledge.

4)       Communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals, agencies, and other members of the healthcare team to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

5)       Articulate and model the ethical standards, values, and attitudes of the occupational therapy profession.

6)       Advocate in various settings for both the services occupational therapy may provide and the recipients of those services.

7)       Effectively manage the delivery of occupational therapy services through the

coordination and supervision of staff and the prudent utilization of resources.

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The purpose of the OT program is to produce graduates who demonstrate generalist competencies at an entry-level. The graduates will also possess resource awareness with unique perspectives and experiences in dealing more with a person or persons, than a disease or disability. The OT program will graduate practitioners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to engage individuals, who demonstrate some form of impaired coping skills, in a process of evaluation, treatment planning and therapeutic interventions.

These interventions will be presented within a performance context of cultural and environmental demands, according to that individual's needs and wants.

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The mission of the Jefferson College of Health Sciences' Occupational Therapy program is to provide qualified students an opportunity for practice and advanced study in the profession of Occupational Therapy. Graduates will develop skills in the analysis and application of occupations to restore, reinforce and enhance a client's performance while promoting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Graduates will be prepared to engage in advocacy as it pertains to the impact on an individual's health, well-being and participation in daily occupations. Graduates will be prepared to engage in collaborative practice, leadership and scholarship to improve the health of the communities they serve.

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A complete copy of this code is provided students in the first semester of the program.

Principle 1. Occupational therapy personnel shall demonstrate concern for the well-being of the recipients of their services. (beneficence)

Principle 2.  Occupational therapy personnel shall respect the rights of the recipients of their services. (e.g. autonomy, privacy, confidentiality)

Principle 3.  Occupational therapy personnel shall achieve and continually maintain high standards of competence. (duty)

Principle 4.  Occupational therapy personnel shall comply with laws and association policies guiding the profession of Occupational Therapy. (justice)

Principle 5.  Occupational therapy personnel shall provide accurate information about occupational therapy services. (veracity)

Principle 6.  Occupational therapy personnel shall treat colleagues and other professionals with fairness, discretion and integrity. ( fidelity, veracity) 

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The profession of Occupational Therapy believes in the concept that human beings are complex individuals who derive meaning from interacting with their environment. These environments are: physical, social, temporal, cultural, psychological, and spiritual. It is through active encounters within these external and internal environments that humans learn, adapt, and change. Occupational Therapy education advocates the use of varied "occupations" in order to facilitate this healthy growth, change, and adaptation with the goal of increased participation as a means toward improving self esteem, problem solving abilities, and the overall quality of one's life.

Occupational Therapy is grounded in the core concept that individuals are active beings. To this end, this educational program seeks to instruct students in methods used to engage clients in meaningful occupations. OT interventions seek to address the needs of all age groups. Strategies developed may be used to enhance the client's already healthy lifestyle and thus prevent future infirmities or, assist in the remediation of a loss of participation in a specific "occupation" secondary to injury or disease.

This program embraces the development of performance-based autonomy. It is our belief, that the students themselves must bear considerable responsibility for attaining their educational goals. Faculty encourages and facilitates the students' learning by working with them to flesh out answers to problems posed within an on-going educational process. This program teaches students to offer creative solutions to difficult problems. This may be accomplished by teaching them to broaden their creative thinking to a level where there are no limitations to increasing a client's level of participation in meaningful activities. We firmly believe that participation in meaningful activities equates to the overall quality of one's life.

One goal of this program is to help students recognize their own potential as adaptive, creative, and resourceful individuals. During this developmental process, students first learn self-awareness and how this awareness can be used in approaching problem-solving with others. Next, students research and learn the theories and techniques utilized by occupational therapists when working with clients to accomplish their treatment goals. All of this knowledge is intertwined with the concept of life-long learning as it is the competent therapist's responsibility to always remain aware of changes not only in our profession, but also in the social/political climate that affects us all.

This program supports the practice of occupational therapy as a vocation and as such, seeks to graduate professionals with a predisposition to serve others. We instill in our graduates the personal responsibility to continue to learn as they practice. As graduates, their challenge is to become a dynamic part of a diverse, multi-cultural society stressing occupations as their primary intervention for health promotion in an ever-changing world.

Established 2007

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The Occupational Therapy 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, Maryland, 20814-3449. The telephone number for ACOTE (c/o AOTA) is 301-652-2682 or (301-652-AOTA). The web site link is www.acoteonline.org 

Upon graduation from this program graduates must sit for a national registry exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Their offices are located at 12 S. Summit Avenue, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20877-4150. NBCOT's phone number is (301) 990-7979.

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All graduates of an Occupational Therapy degree program are required to pass an entry level national registry examination prepared by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) prior to their becoming licensed to practice as an occupational therapist. As part of the accreditation standards of all OT programs, each program is required to make the results of these first-time tests for the previous three (3) years available to the public. Jefferson College of Health Sciences results were as follows: 

Year	Number of Program Graduates	Number of first-time test takers	Number of first-time test takers who passed the exam	Percentage of first-time test takers who passed the exam
2011	14	14	13	93%
2012	14	14	13	93%
2013	14	13*	10*	77%
Total for past 3-years	42	41*	36*	88%*

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Jefferson College of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy program accepts credits for transfer purposes from other institutions only for prerequisite courses. The office of the registrar will make all final decisions concerning acceptance of transfer credits. Applicants to the OT program are required to complete all necessary professional courses at Jefferson College of Health Sciences.  Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the start of the master's course sequence beginning in the Fall Semester of each year.   

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The Occupational Therapy program is an entry-level Master's program consisting  of  28 months of academic and fieldwork experiences. Students are accepted into the program after completion of a bachelor's degree and the prerequisite courses as listed in the program information.

The OT curriculum is seven semesters: five semesters of academic work followed by the last 2 semesters of Level II fieldwork to be completed prior to the granting of the degree. If necessary, due to unforeseen circumstances and approval by the Program Director, students may take up to eighteen (18) months to complete their fieldwork requirements. All academic and fieldwork requirements must be completed before the granting of the degree. A continuation in either the academic program or fieldwork completion will result in the delay of graduation from the program.

Semester 1	COURSE TITLE	CREDITS
BIO 521	Gross Anatomy for Clinical Applications	4
OT 531	Occupational Response to Pathological Conditions	3
OT 501	Fundamentals of Occupation	3
OT 510	Use of Occupations in Mental Health	3
OT 554	Fieldwork I-A	1
	Total Credits:	14
Semester 2
BIO 530	Functional Clinical Neuroanatomy	4
OT 520	Humans in Motion	3
OT 502	Research Methodologies	3
OT 555	Fieldwork I-B	1
OT 670	Occupational Fitness for Life	2
	Total Credits:	13
Semester 3
OT 540	Occupation using Adaptation	3
OT 560	Client Advocacy/Public Policy	3
	Total Credits:	6
Semester 4
IPE 507	Ethical and Legal Decision Making	3
OT 556	Fieldwork I-C	1
OT 602	Occupations thru the Lifespan I	4
OT 602L	Pediatric Lab	0
OT 615	Client Care Techniques	3
OT 615L	Techniques Lab	0
OT 631	Research Project Decisions	3
OT 635	Program Development	3
	Total Credits:	17
Semester 5
OT 557	Fieldwork I-D	1
OT 603	Occupations thru the Lifespan II	4
OT 603L	Geriatric Lab	0
OT 610	Clinical Reasoning	3
OT 640	Topics in Administration	3
OT 650	Research Implementation	3
	Total Credits:	14
Semester 6
OT 682	Fieldwork Level II –A	8
	Total Credits:	8
Semester 7
OT 692	Fieldwork Level II – B	8
OT 695	Senior Seminar	1
	Total Credits:	9

 

	Credits from Non-Major Courses	11
	Credits from Major Courses	70
	Credits from Validation Courses	0
	Total Credits	81

Graduation in December following final semester. 

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The OT program of study is conceived as a lock step curriculum. All courses of one semester must be completed before moving on to the next. A delay in taking the course in sequence will result in a delay in the date of graduation from the program.

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Classes begin in the Fall semester of each year. Applications will be accepted beginning in September for the class beginning the following fall. Interviews will be conducted in the period from February -March. The incoming class will be selected by mid April. All prerequisite courses must be completed, and grades received by the Registrar’s Office prior to the start of classes in the Fall.

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As a graduate program, students are expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

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