| Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
General Information The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is the first and the only entry-level professional program in Occupational Therapy in Puerto Rico that prepares occupational therapist at the master level. Graduates with baccalaureate degrees in disciplines other than Occupational Therapy can become occupational therapists through this program. Occupational Therapy is a profession whose focus is on enabling a person or a group of persons to access and participate in activities that are meaningful, purposeful, and relevant to their lives, roles, and sense of well-being. It helps people to be productive and to have satisfying lives. Occupational therapists consider occupation to be everything people do to occupy themselves, including taking care and supporting themselves and others, work, education, play, enjoying life (leisure) and social participation with family, friends, colleagues and in the community in general. Occupational Therapy focus on improving performance, preventing illness and disability, and promoting adaptation to life changes. Occupational therapists assess, utilize, and adapt everyday activities to improve function, enhance performance, promote health, prevent illness, and increase independence in those persons to whom they provide services. Occupational therapists examine not only the physical effects of an injury or disease, but also address the psycho-social, community and environmental factors that influence function. Occupational therapists work in a range of settings including: hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient centers, mental health centers, schools, pediatric clinics, community centers, workplaces, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, home health and in private practice. They provide services in all areas of occupation in which people engage in their everyday activities. The academic program is a full-time two years and a half in length. Two years are required to complete the didactic courses. Twenty-four weeks of internship (fieldwork) are required for certification to practice, and are completed in three 8-week, full-time periods following the didactic courses of the academic program. Upon completion of all graduation requirements, the student receives a Master in Science in Occupational Therapy. The Occupational Therapy Program is currently accredited for ten years (2002-2012) by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD, 20824-1220. AOTA’s phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the Program will be able to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapists, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Satisfactory completion of both the academic program and 24 weeks of internship (fieldwork) are required to be eligible to take the licensure test offered by the Puerto Rico Occupational Therapy Board of Examiners and to take the Certification Examination of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of the licensure test allows graduates to practice the profession in Puerto Rico. Passing the certification examination is the final step in becoming an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR) and qualifies the OTR for working in the United States and Puerto Rico (See New Graduates-First Time Takers passing rates for the last three years below). Felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and attain a licensure in Puerto Rico and in other states. Admission Requirements: The Accreditation Council for Occupational Education (ACOTE) established that beginning January 2007, occupational therapy programs will only be accredited at the post baccalaureate degree level. Candidates for admission for the entry-level master in Occupational Therapy must possess a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than Occupational Therapy from an accredited university. Additionally they must have: A specific grade point average of 2.5 in the following pre-requisite courses:
A general grade point average of 2.8 in the baccalaureate degree. A score of 500 or above on the EXADEP (Examen de Admisión a Estudios de Post Grado). Basic computer skills is highly recommended. Weight of Admission Requirements:
General Point Average
30% Graduation Requirements: In order to graduate, students must meet the following requirements: Complete all the requirements of the didactic (67 credits) and the fieldwork component (16 credits) of the curriculum with a minimum GPA of 2.8, within a maximum period of 4.5 years after registration as first year OT student. Demonstrate professional behaviors considered acceptable by faculty and fieldwork supervisors and in accordance with regulations of the Medical Sciences Campus and the Occupational Therapy Program. Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Total semester Credit-hours 83 Professional Courses
*This course is in the process of codification by the Central Administration of the University of Puerto Rico Course Descriptions (Please click here to download the course descriptions in PDF format) Informative Sheet (Please click here to download the Informative Sheet of the Program) Puerto Rico Licensure Exam Pass Rate Results for the Last Three Years
Aggregate pass rate: 96% National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Test Pass Rate Results for the Last Three Years
Aggregate pass rate: 40%. * Results of January through June Program Faculty Wanda Colón Ramirez,
Ph.D., OTR/L Migdalia Morales
Berrios, MS, OTR/L Arnaldo Cruz
Rivera, Ph.D., OTR/L Dyhalma Irizarry
Gómez, Ph.D.,OTR/L, FAOTA Norma Báez
Carrasquillo, MS, OTR/L Diana Hernández
Ortiz, MPA, OTR/L Luz A. Muñiz
Santiago, Ed.D., OTR/L Elsa Orellano Colón
Ph.D., OTR/L Carmen Rodríguez
Delgado, Ph.D., OTR/L María de los Angeles
Rohena Pagán, Ed.D., OTR/L
Physical Address
Medical
Center Complex Telephones
Director -
758-2525 ext. 4210 Professional Links American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA) American Occupational Therapy
Foundation (AOTF) World Federation of Occupational
Therapists Canadian Association of Occupational
Therapist Association of Occupational
Therapists in Mental Health Asociación de Terapia
Ocupacional de Puerto Rico
Last Modified:
11/13/2009 |
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