Occupational Therapy (Residential), OTD

The purpose of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at A.T. Still University is to prepare entry-level occupational therapy practitioners who demonstrate exceptional clinical skills and caring toward clients and populations across the lifespan. These clinicians will be further trained to develop and grow new programs in the community, as well as being competent leaders and advocates for their patients, clients, consumers and the profession. Graduates are expected to meet the evolving needs of a dynamic and changing society by practicing in traditional settings as well as in unique and diverse community arenas.

Curricular threads of the residential doctoral program include the development of skills that would allow graduates to: 1) serve individuals, communities, and populations; 2) promote health and wellness in all OT practice arenas; 3) encourage social consciousness and responsibility; 4) and to nurture and use meaningful occupation as an organizing principle for all OT practice arenas.

Curricular content blocks provide structure for organizing and conceptualizing the Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program course content. Curricular content blocks include: The Human Body as an Occupational Being; Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice; Occupational Therapist as Program Developer, Leader and Advocate; Occupational Therapist as Scholar; The Occupational Therapy Student in Practice.

Community based experiences to inform student learning are a hallmark of the residential Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program curriculum. Students will engage in community based observational and experiential activities throughout the curriculum; specifically in the Practice Immersion courses, the Directed Research Sequence (based on the nature and scope of the specific project), as well as throughout the process of the doctoral experiential component. Significant learning in community-based experiences occurs throughout the fieldwork portions of the curriculum.

The doctoral experiential component of the curriculum is developed over time, drawing from content and community based experiences from the Professional Development course series spanning the first year and building further in the subsequent Seminar series. Upon completion of their Doctoral Experience, students will have engaged in the full process of program design and development, including implementation and evaluation of the program. This component of the doctoral program will have facilitated in-depth experiences to further the student’s: clinical practice skills, program and policy development abilities, advocacy efforts, administrative acumen, leadership skills, and/or ability to educate others.

Length of Program

The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is a 36-month, full-time program of study offered in a residential format, culminating in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) degree. The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program will consist of content that is delivered in 40 courses that equate to 111 credits.

Admissions

Application Process

Application for the Occupational Therapy program is through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). For further details, please see the OTCAS website at www.otcas.org.

Application Deadline

Applications for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Program are processed on a rolling admissions basis, but applicants are encouraged to apply early. Point of entry into the program is only once each academic year with classes beginning in mid-July.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the residential Doctor of Occupational Therapy program must meet the following requirements prior to matriculation.

1. Applicants are required to meet all ATSU and ASHS general admission requirements
2. Applicants must have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
3. Candidates accepted for admission will have earned a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation.
4. The following prerequisite coursework must be completed by the end of the semester prior to matriculation (Spring):
   1. Human Anatomy: One Course with lab, minimum of 4 semester/6 quarter hours.
   2. Human Physiology: One course with lab, minimum of 4 semester/6 quarter hours. (Note: Human Anatomy/Physiology I And II may substitute for the above two courses)
   3. Science: One additional course (in addition to Human Anatomy/Physiology) for a minimum of 3 semester/4 quarter hours.
   4. Human Development: One course, minimum of 3 semester/ 4 quarter hours(Course Options: Developmental Psychology, Child Development, or another course with a lifespan development perspective)
   5. Introduction or General Psychology: One course, minimum of 3 semester/4 quarter
   6. Abnormal Psychology: One course, minimum of 3 semester/4 quarter hours
   7. Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology; One course, minimum of 3 semester/4quarter hours
   8. Medical Terminology: One course, minimum of 1 semester hour/ 1 quarter hour
   9. English: Two courses of composition, grammar/literature, minimum of 6 semester/8quarter hours
   10. Humanities: Two courses (e.g., philosophy, religion, literature, fine arts, logic, ethics, foreign language), minimum of 6 semester/8 quarter hours
   11. College algebra or higher: One course, minimum of 3 semester/ 4 quarter hours (A Statistics course can be used for this prerequisite)
5. Applicants are required to submit all official college or academic transcripts.
6. Applicants are required to obtain a minimum of 30 contact/observation hours in the occupational therapy field. More than one setting is recommended.
7. Applicants must secure three (3) letters of reference.
   1. One of these letters must be written by: a present or former faculty member, academic advisor, or employer.
   2. One reference letter should come from a professional from the occupational therapy field or another clinical supervisor.
   3. The final letter can come from a reference of your choice, but may not be from a friend or family member.
   4. Letters from an educational consulting service will not be accepted.
   5. New letters of reference must be submitted for each application year.
8. Students must obtain and maintain CPR certification. Verification must be submitted to ASHS prior to enrollment.
9. ASHS and many of its clinical affiliations require criminal background checks on matriculants and students to ensure the safety of patients and employees. The checks are conducted by a vendor selected by ATSU. The student will pay the cost of the criminal background check directly to the vendor. Failure to comply with this mandate will result in denial to matriculate. A matriculant with a positive criminal background screen will be reviewed.
   1. Applicants need to be aware that having a felony conviction might impact a graduate’s future ability to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Exam and/or ability to obtain state licensure to practice.
10. All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to the Arizona School of Health Sciences, A.T Still University. See the ASHS English Proficiency section for more details.
11. Applicants are expected to be computer literate and experienced in word processing. All curricula require extensive computer usage. Accepted applicants are required to have a laptop computer prior to the first day of class.
    1. See the Minimum Technology Specifications  under the General Admission Requirements section.

Applicants who are considered potential candidates will be invited to visit ASHS to participate in an applicant interview process.

Graduation Requirements

To earn the entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree, all students must:

1. Complete with a passing grade of all didactic coursework and maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
2. Complete with a passing score of all Level II fieldwork within 24 months of completion of didactic coursework.
3. Complete with a passing score, the experiential component of the OTD degree within 12 months of completion of all Level II fieldwork.
4. Complete a directed research project and a project presentation.
5. Discharge all financial obligations to ATSU-ASHS.
6. Attend commencement activities and graduation.