Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree
The Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) Associate Degree in Applied Science Program is
offered at the community colleges through the Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market
(SICCM). SICCM is a consortium of four Southern Illinois community colleges, SIU at
Carbondale, and SIU at Edwardsville.
The OT Assistant possesses the technical skills to provide services to individuals of all ages who
have physical, psychological, or developmental disabilities; including those suffering from
strokes, heart diseases, arthritis, diabetes, serious burns, spinal cord injuries and psychiatric
disorders. The profession tailors the rehabilitation process individually for each patient and,
through evaluation and treatment, seeks to achieve restoration or improvement of impaired
functions. Occupational Therapy serves a diverse population in a variety of settings such as
hospitals and clinics, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care facilities, extended care facilities,
sheltered workshops, schools and camps, private homes, and community agencies. The goal of
occupational therapy is to assist patients in achieving a maximum level of independent living by
developing the capacities that remain after disease, accident, or other disability.
The Medical Laboratory Technology graduate will qualify to take the American Society of Clinical
Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Registry national certification exam. This examination if offered
throughout the year in three-month examination periods.
The SICCM/MLT program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical
Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Students apply for admission to the MLT Program through their home community college. Each
college has a predetermined allotment of program spots. Contact the college's Admission
Office: Applicants must:
| 1. | Graduate from an approved high school, or demonstrate equivalent competency (G. E. D.
examination).
|
| 2. | Complete general admission procedures for the institution to which application is made. Each
participating college in SICCM has its own general admission procedure. |
| 3. | By March 1, file the following OTA application information with the appropriate office at the
college to which admission is being sought:
---Completed OTA application form
---Health Occupations Aptitude Test results
---Official Transcripts of previous college
experience |
| 4. | Achieve competitive level on a composite selection score for the college. The five top-
scoring applicants on each campus are awarded admission. This score is based upon the
Health Occupations Aptitude Examination - Revised test results and weighted grades for
previous college coursework taken within, or transferring to, the Occupational Therapy Assista
nt required curriculum. |
| 5. | Upon notification and acceptance os admission, complete a successful physical examin
ation, required vaccination and immunization series, and 16 hours of job shadowing prior to
the beginning coursework. |
MLT Program admission is non-discriminatory, but certain personal and physical attributes are
key to success in the profession. These may include: good general physical health, good vision
(may be corrected), good color vision, and good manual dexterity.
For more information contact
Peggy Greer at (618) 634-9411, ext 282
or Carol Belt (618) 634-
9411, ext. 277.
OBJECTIVES
For completion of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, the student must be able to
demonstrate the entry-level competencies for Occupational Therapy Assistant. The graduate will
possess the technical skills necessary to:
| 1. | Collaborate in providing occupational therapy services with appropriate supervision to prevent
deficits and to maintain or improve functions in activities of daily living, work, and play/leisure
and in their underlying components, e.g., sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial.
|
| 2. | Participate in managing occupational therapy service. |
| 3. | Direct activity programs |
| 4. | Incorporate values and attitudes congruent with the profession's standards and ethics. |
(Consult home college curriculum for specific degree requirements)
ACCREDITATION STATUS
The SICCM Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council
for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Assoc.
(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 SICCM OTA Program will qualify to
sit for the American Occupational Therapy Certification Board (AOTCB) national certification
examination. This examination is administered each March and September. Successful
completion of this exam congers the title of Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, (COTA).
Illinois and most states additionally require licensure to practice, usually basing this on the
AOTCB examination results.
*Must be completed within 18 months of academic coursework.
For More Information Contact:
Carol Belt - Allied Health Division Chair
at 1-800-481-2242 ext. 3277 or e-mail
carolb@shawneecc.edu
