Your Future as an OTA

Student & Professional Organizations

Students are encouraged to join and participate in the Student Occupational Therapy Association at Touro College as well as to keep abreast of the happenings in the AOTA's Student Organization.

Applications for student membership in the New York and New Jersey State Occupational Therapy Associations and the American Occupational Therapy Association are made available to students.

Students play an important part in helping our profession stay current and progressive. The organizations provide a basis for student's professional growth through the various in-services, meetings, conferences and publications that are made available at reduced rates to student members.

Certification by the NBCOT

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. administers a national certification examination to all students graduating from an accredited Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant program and maintains a roster of all certified occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

Students must register for this examination directly with the testing agency, and pay all required fees. These forms are available on line at NBCOT.org. To be eligible to sit for the examination, all academic and clinical work must be completed. Individuals with a past criminal record should contact NBCOT directly prior to commencing the OTA Program to ensure that practicing as an OTA will be possible after graduation.

New York State Licensure

To practice as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in New York, an OT Assistant must be certified with the state. The purpose of certification is to protect the public from unqualified and incompetent practitioners. To obtain certification in New York State, the individual must file an application for certification, submit transcripts, and pay all necessary fees.

Students intending to practice in another state must contact the state's licensure division, or occupational therapy association, for information regarding requirements to practice as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in that state.

Individuals with a past criminal record should contact their states’ licensure division directly prior to commencing the OTA Program to ensure that practicing as an OTA will be possible after graduation.

Job Placement/Listings

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program receives many job listings and also co-hosts an annual job fair with the other programs of the Health Sciences School.

Occupational therapy assistant students are welcome to participate in the Job Fair which is generally held in the late spring, a month or so prior to the completion of the academic year.

The job listings that the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program receives are posted and/or filed in the OTA Office. Students are welcome to review the postings at any time.

An alumni web based support system is under development. Students will be notified prior to graduation of any additional job placement support offered to Touro College OTA student.