Good question from a student

From: OT Student
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 11:55 AM
To: info@abctherapeutics.com
Subject: OT student needs help

Hi,

I just visited your website and found your blog section very interesting. I am a current MOTS student from XXX that is working on a project looking at whether COTAs should be required to have a bachelors degree rather then just an associates.
I am wondering if you are able to post this question on your blog as I need feedback from OTRs and COTAs on how they feel about this issue.

I would be most grateful.

Thank you in advance,

OT Student


**************************************************************************


Dear OT Student,

If you create an online survey (there are several free survey tools available) I will be happy to put the link on my blog.

I am not aware of any evidence that supported graduate degrees for OTRs - and this is an important question that should be raised. If more schooling is required and this feeds competence that is fine - but I don't know that anyone is able to say that someone trained at the masters level is more proficient or competent than someone trained at a baccalaureate level.

If you apply degree inflation to COTAs then you will undoubtedly price many people right out of the job market. People sometimes participate in associates level degree programs because they can't afford more schooling.

This is a big human resources issue for the profession.

There is a corollary issue to also consider: How is the education and skill set of a COTA suited to meet the needs of people who receive occupational therapy? What level of education is needed to provide occupational therapy services? This is a thorny problem for the profession that most people aren't willing to seriously discuss.

Individual states place limits on COTA practice but the limitations vary widely. There is very little specific guidance from the professional association, presumably because of the way that the issue would alienate some of their potential association participants. In the vacuum of this lack of specificity you will find some rather varied opinions about what COTAs should be able to do. You will find no such vacuum of guidance from our physical therapy colleagues and how they delineate the professional and technical levels of their profession.

Good question though. Please don't stop asking because we need a lot more questioners in order to advance our profession.

Regards,

Chris

Comments

Occupational Therapy University said…
Nice discussion about OT. This is very useful for me

Thanks for that !

:)
12:25 AM
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