Best Occupational Therapy Programs in Utah

There is only one occupational therapy school in Utah State that is ACOTE approved and that offers a Master of Occupational Therapy degree at the entry level.

Additionally, the state has 2 Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools that are approved by ACOTE and offer an associate degree.

In Utah, a license is necessary to work as an occupational therapist, and candidates can sit for the exam once they have earned a recognized OT entry-level degree.

The OT Department encourages opportunities for inter-professional learning, research, and clinical practice that better equips students to work with healthcare teams.

Occupational Therapy Programs in Utah

There is only one occupational therapy program in Utah and it is:

1. The University of Utah

The University of Utah’s four main strategic goals are to promote student success in order to transform lives, to develop and transfer new knowledge, to engage communities in order to improve health and quality of life, and to ensure the university’s long-term viability.

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The occupational therapist, occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students at the University of Utah in Utah each have their own state association, known as UOTA (Utah Occupational Therapy Association). The UOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization that offers its members a professional network.

In Utah, the occupational therapy profession is represented by the UOTA, a state-based professional association. Occupational science and work are the foundation of the occupational therapy professional program.

The occupation-based, robust occupational therapy skills, professional abilities, and research are key to the program’s educational purpose. The course includes a number of cutting-edge teaching strategies, such as a Level II fieldwork emphasis on health and community service contexts.

They are dedicated to producing competent clinicians for the upcoming years. Their program is ranked 42 out of 197 of the top USA OT graduate schools by US News! Program Statistics for NBCOT

In the three years from 2019 to 2021, 103 students completed the University of Utah’s Master of Occupational Therapy program, with a 96% overall graduation rate.

An organization’s ongoing evaluation of a program of study to assess whether it satisfies specific requirements is known as accreditation.

The U.S. Office of Education recognizes the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) as the sole certifying body for occupational therapy educational programs. The ACOTE has approved the University of Utah MOT Program (2017-2027).

Graduates of this program are qualified to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy’s national certification examination for occupational therapists (NBCOT). The person will become a Registered Occupational Therapist after passing this exam (OTR). To practice, most states require a license. Results of the NBCOT certification exam are often used to determine licenses in the majority of states.

The College of Health at the University of Utah’s OT department provides a Master of Occupational Therapy degree that is entry-level. The school also provides a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science and a post-professional Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy degree. The occupational therapy program is attempting to convert the present entry-level master’s degree to an entry-level clinical doctorate. The majority of the OTD entry-level program will start in the fall of 2021.

Address: 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, United States

Contact: +1 801-585-9135

License for occupational therapy in Utah

The Utah Occupational Therapy Board issues licenses to occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

To be qualified to take the NBCOT Certification Examination and get a license from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, one must satisfactorily complete the academic program and fieldwork.

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Graduates who successfully complete the prerequisites are eligible to use their profession in Utah.

The following are the prerequisites for the license:

  • a certificate of passing the NBCOT exam and a master’s degree or OTD.
  • The Utah Occupational Therapy Law and Rule Exam must be passed.
  • SSN must be provided.
  • Occupational therapy fieldwork under supervision for a minimum of 24 weeks.

OT/OTA Temporary License:

The NCBOT does not issue a temporary license for the practice of occupational therapy (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) in Utah.

Also, the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) entry level course is offered by the University of Utah College of Health on the Salt Lake City, UT campus.

  • D. Associate Professor Beth Cardell
  • Course duration is 2 and a half year
  • School Size is around 34 pupils yearly
  • Once a year, the OT program starts (Fall).

Application Method

  • A candidate must submit an application via OTCAS.
  • Essential Requirements are: a bachelor’s degree from a college or university with accreditation;
  • A CGPA of at least 3 on a scale of 4 is required;
  • 50 necessary contact hours, including a minimum of 8 hours in each of at least two settings;
  • official GRE test scores;
  • If English is not a student’s first language on the TOEFL test, they must have an IBT score of at least 90–91.
  • official transcripts from a university sent straight to OTCAS;
  • Three reference letters will be electronically sent to OTCAS. A minimum of 1 reference must be from an OT who oversaw the observation hours. The additional references must be from people who are familiar with the candidate professionally (employer, professor, etc.).

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Prerequisites academic work

  • one course in general/college physics, biomechanics, or kinesiology.
  • Human Physiology,
  • Abnormal Psychology,
  • Developmental Psychology over the Lifespan,
  • Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Health Education, Special Education, Gerontology, Statistics, Medical Terminology, and
  • Human Anatomy with Lab are among the subjects covered in this course.
  • One course in the fine arts or crafts is called a studio arts course (painting, pottery, knitting, woodworking, etc).

Utah’s Top Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools

  1. Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Ameritech College of Healthcare.

Address: 12257 Business Park Drive, Suite 100 Draper, UT 84020-6540 Email: [email protected]

Website: Visit here

  1. Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Salt Lake Community.

College Postal Address: JHS 3491 West Wights Fort Road, West Jordan, UT 84088

Email: [email protected]

Website: click here

Jobs in Occupational Therapy in Utah

In Utah, the employment prognosis for occupational therapists is excellent. Occupational therapy is one of the fastest-growing professions, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with registered occupational therapists expected to have growth that is faster than average (21–36%). Utah is experiencing a scarcity of occupational therapists and OTAs, according to many health care recruitment companies.

In Utah, there were roughly 900 licensed and employed occupational therapists in May 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Additionally, the demand for licensed practitioners is rising. For occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, Utah offers a wealth of opportunities.

Pay for Occupational Therapy in Utah

According to Indeed.com, the average yearly wage for an occupational therapist in Utah was $80,000 in 2017. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational therapy practitioners made an average of $85,300 per year and $41.01 per hour in May 2018.

Conclusion on Occupational Therapy Programs in Utah

The association’s primary duties include advancing the occupational therapy profession, raising public awareness, supporting therapists in their pursuit of continuing education, and enhancing and maintaining the standard of occupational therapy practice in the state of Utah.

Occupational therapists (OT) inspect a patient’s home or office and, based on the applicant’s health needs, identify future improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for older adults with poor memory. Visiting offices to learn about the difficulties that an injured employee may face when attempting to return to work.

An occupational therapist (OT) examines the applicant’s medical history, asks various questions, and observes them perform jobs.

Examine high-risk manual jobs in offices to see how they can be done more safely. Applicants must have received nearly 50% on their 10+2 exams in chemistry, physics, biology, and English.

A Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (B.O.Th.) degree from a recognized university or institute is required for admission to the Master of Occupational Therapy program.

Students who want to be occupational therapists have a lot of responsibilities, such as building a solid science basis and participating in a variety of extracurricular activities.

Although it may seem overwhelming, you can complete what you need to by getting started as soon as possible and working steadily throughout your undergraduate studies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

See below for the answers to some of the most asked questions relating to the occupational therapy programs in Utah;

  1. Which is more profitable, OTA or PTA?

They may also be employed in general medical and surgical hospitals, nursing homes, and specialty hospitals. Several OTAs work in schools.

According to the BLS, PTAs earned a median salary of $49,970 in 2020, while OTAs earned a salary of $60,950. According to the BLS, there will be nearly three times as many PTAs as OTAs in 2020.

  1. Is BYU a for-profit institution?

Is BYU a for-profit or a non-profit institution? Brigham Young University-Provo is a private, non-profit university.

To fulfill its educational mission, a not-for-profit college must reinvest revenue, such as improving operations, instructor salaries, library resources, or student services.

  1. Is there an occupational therapy program at Utah State?

Utah State University has one ACOTE-accredited Occupational Therapy School that offers an entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy program.

Furthermore, the state has two ACOTE-accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools that offer an associate degree.

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