Occupational Therapy

UTHSC Program

What degree does the UTHSC offer in Occupational Therapy?

A Master’s of Occupational Therapy is offered and can be obtained at either the Chattanooga or Memphis campus, both are accredited. The MOT curriculum uses an alternative format, live interactive video conferencing, as the primary instructional mode. This state of the art technology allows for same time learning linking the Memphis and Chattanooga campuses. Labs are hands on at each campus.


Occupational Therapy Program

Established in 1988, the baccalaureate program was the first accredited occupational therapy program in the state of Tennessee. The occupational therapy program is an entry-level master’s degree program that consists of 18 months on campus and nine months in three separate fieldwork sites. Upon graduation, graduates are highly sought after by employers. Many even find jobs prior to graduation. Because of the high standards of the occupational therapy program, graduates have an excellent reputation: all have obtained national certification.

Broad Based Educational Experiences

Although trained in the Tennessee community and culture, entry-level therapists who graduate from the Program in Occupational Therapy in Memphis emerge as leaders and change agents who are prepared to accept challenges in the world of work outside of Tennessee and abroad. The occupational therapy graduate has a generalist education, which provides the foundation for practice in a wide range of settings or the option for specialization through continued education and training. Past graduates have pursued specialization in work hardening, hippotherapy, pediatrics, hand therapy, gerontology, and neurorehabilitation.

Wide Variety of Fieldwork Opportunities

The Occupational Therapy Program has an academic fieldwork coordinator who has developed relationships with fieldwork supervisors throughout the United States. Students must complete three, three-month fieldwork experiences, which includes one of their own special interest. Students are expected to complete at least one of their affiliations outside the city of Memphis. Fieldwork placements abroad can be explored.

Preparation for Professional Responsibilities

Developing a strong occupational therapy identity is the foundation for the professional responsibilities that the therapist will face in a changing and challenging healthcare environment. The experienced occupational faculty serve as role models and mentors. A faculty-student ratio of 1:5 and opportunities for individual and small group interactions provide a supportive and active learning environment conducive to professional development.

Education in a Health Science Center

The UTHSC in Memphis is an urban setting with opportunities to expose the student to the professional culture of a medical center while reaching out to the community through collaborative partnerships. Multi-disciplinary opportunities such as the Memphis Interdisciplinary School Project brought together occupational therapy, social work, medical, dental, and nursing students on teams which then went out to various elementary, middle, and high schools in the surrounding area to address the health and wellness concerns of that school. Lecturers from the College of Allied Health and from the other colleges on campus, such as medicine, nursing, and pharmacy are also a positive aspect of this program. Students often remark how different the professional environment is from other educational institutions they have attended. Although the academic demands of professional graduate programs are rigorous, students find opportunities to play intramural sports or participate in social events. While becoming an occupational therapy professional, the student also gains an understanding and appreciation of other professions and their contribution to health and wellness in our society.

Accreditation

The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) has accredited both the Memphis and Chattanooga campuses through the 2012/2013 academic year.

ACOTE is located at:
4720 Montgomery Lane
P.O. Box 31220
Bethesda, MD 20824-1220
Telephone: (301) 652-7711
Email: accred@aota.org

2006 - 2008 Program Outcomes

The MOT program graduated it's first class of 19 students in May 2007. According to NBCOT, as of 3/28/08, 16 took the exam for the first time. Fourteen graduates passed on the first attempt (87.5%) and three are currently unreported. The 23 graduates in the class of 2008 are currently registering for the exam. Prior to 2007, all graduates were enrolled in the Bachelor of Science Occupational Therapy program.

Graduate Employment

All graduates seeking employment were employed within two weeks of completing their final fieldwork.

For additional information, please read our page of Frequently Asked Questions.

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