![Student working with Student in classroom clinic](/occupational-therapy-assistant/images/OTA-Hayley-24.jpg)
Discover what others are saying about ACM's Occupational Therapy Assistant program - click an image below.
Phase II of the program includes occupational therapy assistant courses, as well as
fieldwork opportunities in a variety of settings. As you work towards earning your
Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant, you'll also
be required to join the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to gain access
to their website for valuable learning resources, as well as discounts on textbooks
and educational workshops.
As an Occupational Therapy Assistant program student, you'll expand your knowledge
and gain career training through a variety of challenging courses, including:
Introduction to Occupational Therapy
Diversity and Health Determinants
Intervention Techniques I
Dynamics of Human Motion
Intervention in Physical Rehabilitation
Mental Health Concepts and Techniques
Domain of Occupational Therapy
Intervention Techniques II
Intervention with Children and Adolescents
Occupational Therapy Specialty Skills Development
Intervention with the Geriatric Population
Occupational Therapy Program Development
Physical Agent Modalities
Clinical Internship I & II
A full listing of program courses and their descriptions can be found in the credit catalog.
The OTA Program is comprised of both classroom education and clinical experience.
Upon completion of the program students will have accumulated over 500 hours of clinical
training. The program is affiliated with over 50 facilities such as Western Maryland
Health System, Washington County Hospital Association, WVU Hospitals, UPMC Hospitals.
OTA also has several corporate contracts.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) pass rates for Allegany College graduates are available on their website at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.
Allegany College graduates NBCOT Pass Rates:
2019 | 94% |
2020 | 100% |
2021 | 89% |
2022 | 100% |
OT educator's all-inclusive resource on everything NBCOT, including the program director portal, educator resources, and exam prep.
OTA Graduation Rates:
Year |
Total Enrolled |
Total Graduated |
Withdraw Personal |
Withdraw Academic |
Percentage |
2023 |
11 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
73% |
2022 |
7 |
6 |
|
1 |
86% |
2021 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
88% |
|
2020 |
15 |
13 |
1 |
1 |
87% |
2019 |
18 |
17 |
1 |
94% |
|
Total |
59 |
51 |
5 |
3 |
86% |
Transfer Information
Students should recognize that this program is primarily designed to prepare students
to work as Occupational Therapy Assistants after graduation and certification.
Students transferring to some four-year colleges and universities may not receive credit for OTA courses taken at Allegany College of Maryland.
Occupational Therapy Assistants have the opportunity to continue their education by receiving a Master's degree in OT. There are many Occupational Therapy programs designed to prepare Occupational Therapy Assistants to become Registered Occupational Therapists. A list of such programs is available through the American Occupational Therapy Association by calling 1(800) 729-2682 or www.aota.org. Admission requirements for these programs vary from one program to another and making contact with a specific program is the best way to ensure admission.
The ACM Occupational Therapy Assistant program is designated as a Health Manpower Shortage Program by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). Maryland residents from counties other than Allegany County who register in this eligible program will be charged the out-of-county tuition rate. However, these students may be eligible to receive reimbursement for a portion of the cost difference between the in-county and out-of-county tuition rates. Funding availability for this program is based on funding from the state of Maryland and is thus subject to change each semester. Some restrictions apply. Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
Accredited (August 2014) by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Ste 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-6611 or https://acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), One Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, (301) 990-7979 or https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) and can obtain licensure in whatever state he/she chooses to be employed.
ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational
programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District
of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from an ACOTE® accredited occupational
therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take
the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification
exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please
refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage.
Our experienced, knowledgeable faculty and staff are excited to share their expertise with you and prepare you to succeed in the diverse, dynamic field of Occupational Therapy.
Jeff Hopkins, MS, OTR/L
jhopkins@allegany.edu
Program Director
301-784-5536
Allied Health 234D
B.S., University of Maryland, College Park
MS, University of Puget Sound
C. Alex Grimm, BS, COTA/L
cgrimm@allegany.edu
OTA Faculty, Fieldwork Coordinator
301-784-5538
Allied Health 234
A.A.S., Allegany College of Maryland
B.S., University of Cincinnati
Emily Rhodes, BS, COTA/L
emilyrhodes@allegany.edu
OTA Faculty
301-784-5583
Allied Health 234C
A.A., Allegany College of Maryland
B.S., Frostburg State University
Jamie Andres
jandres@allegany.edu
Administrative Associate
301-784-5538
Allied Health 234
A.A., Allegany College of Maryland