Program: AS-25535

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program provides the student with opportunities to develop interpersonal and clinical skills while promoting lifelong learning within an environment of excellence to ensure a successful career in healthcare. Occupational Therapy is a vital healthcare service in which practitioners use occupation (purposeful activity) as a means of preventing, reducing, or overcoming physical, social, and emotional disabilities in people of all ages. Some of the responsibilities of occupational therapy assistants include carrying out treatment interventions designed by an occupational therapist, adapting the environment for individuals with psychosocial and physical dysfunctions to maximize independent functionality, and teaching the use of adaptive equipment and compensatory techniques to facilitate performance of daily activities. 

The Associate in Science (AS) in Occupational Therapy Assistant is a limited-admission, 74-credit hour degree program. Each OTA applicant must first be admitted to the College and meet pre-admission requirements. Twenty-four applicants are selected each year by the OTA Selection Committee for program enrollment in the spring semester. The College reserves the right to change the requirements of the OTA Program as needed.

Two Linkage Program seats are reserved for students enrolled at Hillsborough Community College or Pasco-Hernando State College. A prospective Linkage Program student should contact an academic advisor to learn more about this opportunity. Two seats are also reserved for eligible veterans through the College’s Veteran Services Agreement. After the review of applications from Linkage and Veteran candidates, there are 20-24 seats open to the general public. If no Linkage Program or Veteran Services Agreement applications are submitted (or deemed to be complete), there are up to 24 seats available to the public for the admissions cycle. 

The OTA Program is offered on the Winter Haven Campus. Program courses are usually offered from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., typically two to four days a week. The courses require face-to-face participation, with some sessions requiring an online-assisted format. A reliable home computer (or access to a computer) is necessary. The OTA Program requires full-time commitment throughout the year, including the summer. It contains 14-credit hours of clinical fieldwork (Level I and II) that are completed at various sites in Polk County, adjacent counties, and possibly other states. During fieldwork experiences, the student is expected to participate on a full-time, 40-hour-per-week basis. The Essential Requirements of an OTA Student are listed on the program webpage (www.polk.edu/ota).

The OTA Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD  20814. The ACOTE’s telephone number through AOTA is: 301.652.6611 (www.acoteonline.org).

 

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate is able to:
PLO 1: Respond to requests for services in accordance with a service agency’s policies and procedures.
PLO 2: Assist with data collection and evaluation under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 3: Develop treatment goals under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 4: Implement and coordinate intervention plans under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 5: Provide direct services that follow documented routines and accepted procedures under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 6: Adapt interventions, the environment, tools, materials, and activities according to the needs of individuals and their socio-cultural contexts under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 7: Communicate and interact with other team members, and an individual’s family or caregivers, in collaboration with a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 8: Maintain the records and documentation required by the work setting under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 9: Follow the policies and procedures required in a setting.
PLO 10: Perform continuous quality-improvement activities and program evaluation in collaboration with a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
PLO 11: Maintain the treatment area, equipment, and supply inventory as required.
PLO 12: Monitor personal performance of duties and identify supervisory needs.
PLO 13: Identify and pursue professional growth opportunities for development.
PLO 14: Participate in professional and community activities.
PLO 15: Function according to the American of Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy.

Admission Criteria and the Application Process

The application period for the OTA Program is September 1 through September 30. The following are the minimum requirements for admission:

1. Gain admission to Polk State College. A student who has never attended Polk State College must apply to be admitted to the College as a degree-seeking student with all required admissions documents received by the Registrar’s Office before applying to the OTA Program. 

   1. The student must follow the Admission Steps to Polk State College as listed on the College website. Transcripts and admission documentation must be processed by the Registrar’s Office before applying to the OTA Program. (Note: This process requires 6-8 weeks.) 

   2. A Polk State College email account is required for the student application; this email address must be used for all application and admission communications.

2. Complete the required prerequisite courses. The student must complete all required prerequisite courses with a combined minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted). (Note: BSC 2085C Human Anatomy and Physiology I must be passed with a C or better within five years of the admission.  It is highly recommended that all prerequisite coursework be completed within five years of the expected date of admission to the program.) 

• BSC 2085C - Human Anatomy and Physiology I     
• PSY 2012 - General Psychology    
• ENC 1101 - College Composition I    

(Note: Prerequisites to a program and courses that can be taken prior to admission can change. A student not yet admitted to the program may be required to take additional or alternate prerequisites prior to admission.)

3. Earn an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better upon application to the program.
4. Obtain verification of at least 20 observation or volunteer hours in the field on the Polk State College OTA Program Observation Hours Form; this requires the student to document at least 20 volunteer or observation hours in any type of occupational therapy setting, or to obtain verification of employment hours in the field.
   1. Observation hours must not be more than three years old at the time of application to the OTA Program.  
   2. The Polk State College OTA Program Observation Hours Form must be used to document observation or volunteer hours.  
   3. The applicant must answer questions about the occupational therapy profession that are located on the OTA Program Observation Hours Form within a separate document and submit these responses with the completed OTA Program Observation Hours Form at the time of application. 

(Note: Observation hours are valid for up to three years from the date of completion. Some hospitals and facilities may require the student to meet certain criteria before allowing an individual to observe in their facilities.)

5. Submit a resume. A template to assist with the creation of a resume is available on the OTA Program webpage (https://www.polk.edu/wp-content/uploads/Resume-Template.pdf).
6. Submit a completed Statement of Readiness. Before completing the Statement of Readiness, the student must review the Essential Requirements of an OTA Student listed on the OTA Program website. These list the student requirements for the program and field experiences. A commitment to two years of full-time study is necessary to apply for the OTA Program.
7. Submit a completed Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application during the submission window. Each applicant (including a Linkage or Veterans Agreement applicant) must complete and submit the entire OTA Application during the appropriate application window via Etrieve.
   1. A veteran of the U.S. Military may qualify to apply for one of the reserved Veterans Services Agreement seats. The student must meet with the Coordinator of Veteran Services to determine eligibility before initiating the application process. More information is provided on the Veterans Services Agreement webpage (https://www.polk.edu/occupational-therapy-assistant/how-to-apply/veteran-agreement/).
   2. A student seeking program entry from either Hillsborough Community College or Pasco-Hernando State College may qualify to apply for one of the two reserved Linkage Program seats. Information on this opportunity is available in The Linkage Handbook that is available through an academic advisor at the respective college.

(Note: If the Linkage Program or Veteran Services Agreement application deadline has passed, it is in the student’s best interest to apply when the general application window opens on September 1 at 9:00 a.m. using a completed application. This provides the next-best chance of acceptance to this limited-admission program.)

Additional Program Requirements

Each student must complete the following additional requirements no later than the first day of class within the program:

1. Obtain a physical examination.
2. Complete all immunizations and communicable disease screenings, including a Tuberculosis PPD, Tetanus vaccination or booster (i.e., this must have been completed within the last five years), MMR vaccine (i.e., Measles/Mumps/Rubella) or an MMR titer, a Varicella titer, and a Hepatitis B vaccination. (Note: The Hepatitis B vaccination is optional and highly recommended.)
3. Document certification in Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider. The course must include infant and child CPR and require in-person skills testing (i.e., no online testing). 
4. Document certification in AIDS/HIV Precautions (Note: This is a one-hour course).
5. Obtain a Level-II Background Check (including fingerprinting) and drug screening via CastleBranch (www.castlebranch.com).

(Note: The OTA Program may also request additional drug testing by a random selection of students at any time while active in the program.)

Specific requirements are communicated to the student at the required November Orientation meeting. The Program Director alerts the cohort to any changes in requirements during orientation, as these items must be complete before the first day of classes in January. The student must update the admission requirements each year.

The General Admission Process

1. The electronic application for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is available online between September 1 and September 30. The application link is activated at 9:00 a.m. on September 1.
2. The electronic Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application and instructions are accessible under the “How to Apply” link on the OTA webpage.
3. The date and time of receipt are posted on the application form.
4. No application is considered if it is submitted before or after the admission window.
5. No application is considered until all necessary Polk State College admission documentation is received and processed by the Registrar’s Office (i.e., application to Polk State College, transcripts, and residency paperwork).

(Note: The OTA Program is competitive and fills quickly. An applicant should seek to submit the application as soon as possible within the submission window.)

The Selection Process

1. The OTA Program determines the number of available seats for each entering class (up to 24 students).

2. For Linkage Program Applicants:

   1. A total of two seats are allocated to prospective candidates from Hillsborough Community College and Pasco-Hernando State College who apply via the Linkage Program.
   2. A prospective Linkage applicant can find detailed instructions in the Linkage Handbook available from an academic advisor at the respective college.
   3. A Linkage applicant must submit the electronic application and required documents between September 1 and September 15 only after meeting with an academic advisor at the respective college to initiate the Linkage Transmittal Form. The Linkage Transmittal Form must be submitted to the linkage administrator at Polk State College by August 15. Any applicant who neglects to follow this process is not considered for admission and the application is not acknowledged. If an application is denied and deemed to be incomplete, the applicant must re-apply during the General Admission Application Window (i.e., September 1 - September 30).
   4. Preference is given to the student with the highest GPA if more than one qualified applicant from the same institution applies for the same seat.
   5. Each selected Linkage candidate is notified via electronic mail the week after September 15.
3. For Veterans Services Agreement Applicants:
   1. A total of two seats are allocated on a first-come, first-qualified basis for eligible Veteran Students enrolled at Polk State College. The Veteran Student must first meet with the Coordinator of Veteran Services to determine eligibility before initiating the application process.
   2. After establishing eligibility to apply for a Veteran-Agreement seat, the student must meet with an academic advisor to determine if the admission criteria have been met.
   3. An academic advisor then forwards the qualified application and related documents for the Veteran Student (i.e., Veteran Services Agreement Transmittal Form, OTA Program Observation Hours Form, the resume, and transcripts) directly to the OTA Program Director between July 15 to August 15.
   4. If more than two qualified applicants apply for the two available seats, preference is given to the student with the higher GPA. If two or more applicants have the same GPA, the seats are assigned to the student(s) who applied first (i.e., based on the date and time posted on the OTA Application Form).
   5. The two selected Veteran applicants are notified via electronic mail shortly after August 15.
   6. Between September 1 and September 15, each of the two selected Veteran Student applicants must complete the online application for the OTA Program, which is available on the program website under “How to Apply” (www.polk.edu/ota).
   7. Any Veteran Student applicant who is not selected during this early-selection process is able to re-apply during the General Admission timeframe from September 1 through September 30.

(Note: Any unassigned Veteran Student seats revert to General Admission student seats.)

4. For General Admission Applicants:
   1. The remaining 20-24 seats are allocated to General Admission student applicants after the Program Director reviews the submissions of qualified Linkage Program and Veteran Services Agreement applicants.
   2. Ten additional applicants are designated as alternate students.
   3. Each candidate or alternate is selected according to the following standards:
      1. The OTA Selection Committee utilizes a point system as a guide in the evaluation of each qualified student for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. A prospective student may contact the Program Director with any questions regarding this process. 
      2. Areas evaluated by the committee include college GPA, cumulative prerequisite-course GPA, Polk County residency, related experience, and co-requisite and General Education courses completed. 
   4. The application window for qualified applicants is available from 9:00 a.m. September 1 through 11:59 p.m. September 30.
   5. The selected candidates and alternates are notified via the Polk State College Etrieve system in mid-October after the Selection Committee meets.

Transfer of Credits for OTA Coursework

1. The OTA Program may accept transfer credits for required General Education courses pending review from the Polk State College Registrar. Criteria for this review is outlined below.
2. Only first-semester OTH-prefix courses, without a Capstone Project, are considered for transfer. Transfer is limited to courses that align their content and objectives with OTH 1001C Introduction to Occupational Therapy and Lab and OTH 2300C Psychosocial Occupational Therapy and Lab. 
3. OTH-prefix courses taken more than two years from the student’s admission date into the Polk State College OTA Program are not eligible for transfer to the program. 
4. The OTA Program Director determines the eligibility of transfer credit for occupational therapy-related coursework using the following process:
   1. A student requesting transfer credit for occupational therapy-related courses must meet with the Program Director prior to application. 
   2. The student must provide a copy of the previous program’s curriculum.
   3. The student must provide a copy of the syllabus for each course to be reviewed, including course learning outcomes and course content. 
   4. The OTA Program Director reviews the content of the course(s) and makes the final decision on acceptance or denial of the transfer of credit. 
   5. Prior to accepting any transferable credit, the student must pass an exam(s) from each Polk State College course in which the individual is eligible for credit to ensure that the student can demonstrate the course knowledge for the transferred credit. 
   6. The OTA Program Director notifies the Polk State College Registrar of any transferrable OTA Program-specific credit.

Work Sites

Typical work sites for OTAs are traditional hospital and rehabilitation units, as well as outpatient orthopedic centers, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, home-healthcare agencies, psychiatric units, mental health agencies, community-based agencies, developmental disabilities agencies, pediatric agencies, schools, higher education institutions (community colleges), and industrial settings.

Program Cost

The program’s cost is approximately $10,600. This estimate includes the cost of tuition, books, and lab fees; uniforms and a name tag; the certification exam and Florida licensure; CPR and AIDS certification; a physical exam; a background check and drug screening; and fingerprinting.

Certification Examination

Each graduate of the OTA Program is eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), One Bank St., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; telephone: 301.990.7979. The examination is offered online throughout the year, with a cost of $540 if taken within the United States. After successful completion of this exam, the graduate becomes a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam and the ability to obtain a state license.

Florida Licensure

Upon successful completion of the certification exam, the graduate must apply for licensure by contacting the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy to obtain the application documents. The current fee for Florida licensure is $180. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to attain state licensure. A prospective student should be aware that a Social Security Number (SSN) is required to be issued a certificate or license by the Florida Department of Health, the state’s healthcare licensing authority.