Thursday 8 November 2018

Primary Requirements For Occupational Therapy Continuation Courses Jacksonville FL

By Lisa Foster


Sometimes people feel like they need to change their careers because they are not happy with their job. Also, if you are looking for a career to major in, you can decide to become an OT. Nevertheless, there are several requirements that you have to meet before you become an OT. If you are convinced that this is the career for you, you can start taking the occupational therapy continuation courses Jacksonville FL has to offer. Also, ensure you know the specifics of the field. The requirements that you have to meet are as follows.

Before you start looking for institutions that offer these classes, you have to ensure that you have an associate degree. This career requires advanced degrees. You thus must ensure that you have earned a degree from a school that is accredited. You can start off the profession as an assistant, and learn the basics in biology, physiology, mental health, physical health, geriatrics, etc.

Then, you have to be ready to sit for the COTA national examination. This is a national examination that anyone who wants to become an OT has to sit for and pass. You can take this examination after completing a two-year associate degree. Normally, the examination is completed on the web, whereby the examinee has to tackle 200 multiple choice tests. After passing the test, you will be handed the NBCOT certification.

When you have sat for the COTA exam and excelled in it, you can look for OTA jobs so that you can gain experience in this filed. Even if it is not mandatory to work as an OTA before applying for the OT degree program, it is still essential. This is because you will gain experience and increase your chances of taking a masters degree.

For you to become an OT, you have to advance your education. Thus, you need a masters degree for you to qualify. Interested students can earn an undergraduate degree in related areas like physiology and biology before continuing to the masters degree. Also, students can decide to apply for the combined bachelors and masters program. The masters studies prepare the learners to sit for the OTR examination.

You thus have to sit for the OTR exam and pass it before you become a licensed OT. Just like the COTA examination, the OTR exam is computer-based. The candidate thus has to show that he/she has the knowledge that has been acquired from the studies. After passing the exam, the prospective OT is given an official certificate from NBCOT.

Still, you cannot practice without a license. Hence, you have to ensure that you have gained a permit from the state that you want to practice in. The license requirements differ in different states. The basic requirements are an NBCOT certificate, background check, and transcripts.

If you meet all the above requirements, you will successfully become an OT. If you fail to meet any of the above requirements, you will not be allowed to practice. This career thus requires a lot of dedication and resilience if you want to excel in it.




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