Essential Requirements

Essential requirements have been established to identify the specific technical standards and skills required of students in the program. Decisions to enroll in the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program should be made after considering the program’s Essential Requirements.

It is the responsibility of the program applicants to carefully review the essential requirements and ask questions if not familiar with the standards and skills listed. Certain chronic or recurrent illnesses and problems that interfere with patient care or safety may be incompatible with occupational therapy training or clinical practice.

Conditions that may lead to a high likelihood of student absenteeism should be carefully considered. Deficiencies in knowledge, judgment, integrity, character, or professional attitude or demeanor which may jeopardize patient care may be grounds for course/rotation failure and possible dismissal from the program. All applicants to the program must have the ability to meet the standards and skills in the Essential Requirements list in order to complete the educational requirements for the Associate in Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant.

If a student cannot demonstrate the standards and skills without accommodation, it is the responsibility of the student to request an appropriate accommodation with the Coordinator for Special Services (in the Student Services Department) before the beginning of the school term. The College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity as defined in the catalog and will provide reasonable accommodation as long as it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program offered and does not compromise patient safety, or impose an undue hardship such as those that cause a significant expense or are unduly disruptive to the educational process.

Students may be required to travel up to or more than 60 miles to clinical sites.