Student Manual and Procedures

Program Outcomes

The Touro College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is dedicated to educating capable health care practitioners. The College and program engage in ongoing quality assurance and program evaluation processes to ensure success in meeting the outcome goals established. Included here are some highlights:

The total number of graduates who passed the certification exam as first-time new graduate test takers in 2005-2007 was six out of nine, which is a sixty-seven percent pass rate. During that three-year time period, the program had a total of twenty –nine graduates.

Graduates of the Class of 2007 are all currently employed as Occupational Therapy Assistants. It took an average of only three weeks for these students to secure employment and begin working as OTAs.

Professional Behavior and Ethics

Academic Honesty: High standards of personal behavior and conduct are expected of all students in this professional program. Students are required to do their own work and conform to established standards of citation and acknowledgment for any papers. Students suspected of cheating, plagiarism, or related problems may be sanctioned or dismissed from the program. Charges relating to academic honesty will be made in writing to the Program Director, who will notify the student of the charges, appoint a committee of the faculty to review the evidence, and decide on a course of action. If deemed appropriate, the Program Director will refer the matter to the Associate Dean for action. Additional detail regarding performance standards in this area are found in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Manual.

Professional Behavior and Dress: Students are professional trainees and representatives of Touro College who come into contact with patients, families, and a variety of health professionals during their educational experience. Students are expected to conform to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Code of Ethics, to maintain patient and inter-student confidentiality, safety, and dignity at all costs. Students may be dismissed from the program for serious and/or continuous violations of these standards.

Further, dress and behavior in public places is expected to be appropriate for professionals in training. As with issues of academic dishonesty, students charged with professional infractions (such as not following policies and procedures as set forth by the program) will be notified, their behavior reviewed, and decisions rendered by a committee of the faculty. Serious infractions that might result in dismissal will be referred to the Associate Dean for action.

Student Manuals: The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program publishes an Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Manual each year. This document includes many of the specific policies and procedures adopted by the program as well as additional information to assist the student in the successful completion of the educational program. Students should read and use this manual as a primary resource for their day-to-day activities. Any changes to this manual will be published and distributed to all students prior to the initiation of these changes. Students will also be provided with two additional manuals for their use during their studies at Touro. The Fieldwork Manual focuses on the skills, resources, and expectations necessary for the successful completion of Level I and Level II fieldwork. The Research Manual provides guidelines for preparation and presentation of the student’s final research project. These publications are subject to change.

Graduation: Students will be recommended for graduation upon satisfactory completion of all course and clinical work and acceptance of the student thesis. Students expecting to graduate should complete the graduation form and pay the graduation fee at the beginning of their last semester at Touro. Forms can be obtained from the Occupational Therapy Assistant office at each campus.

Certification and Licensure: Students graduating from the Touro College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program are eligible to take the occupational therapy certification examination, which is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). Presently, the examination is given at a number of locations, and also serves as the state licensing examination for most states. Students must apply separately for licensure, however. The license is generally obtained in the state where the student plans to practice. The NYS Education Department licenses occupational therapists to practice in New York.

Since both the NBCOT and NYS credentialing procedures are designed to protect the public, these official bodies also monitor professional practice and control entry by felons. Individuals with a past a criminal record should contact credentialing agencies directly prior to commencing the OTA Program to ensure that practicing as an OTA will be possible after graduation.

Probation and Dismissal

Student performance is measured utilizing an aggregate of data essential to professional skill development. Students failing to meet the established standards relating to professional behavior, academic performance and clinical competence may be placed on probation or dismissed from the program. These decisions are based on the number of courses failed, faculty review of overall academic and professional behavior performance, and relevant extenuating circumstances. Specific standards are published in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Manual. Students are afforded the opportunity to appeal performance, continuation, and dismissal decisions according to the policies and procedures detailed in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Manual and in accordance with Touro College academic policies, and are guaranteed a fair hearing and due process.

Leaves of Absence

A student may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) for financial, health, or personal reasons. Students requesting a leave must submit the requisite Touro College leave of absence documentation as delineated in the Occupational Therapy Student Manual, and the Touro College Student Manual. Special conditions for returning from leaves will be established in writing prior to the leave commencing. This will be done collaboratively with the student and faculty and must be met by the student prior to the resumption of studies. Length of Leaves of Absence may be affected by course schedules. Students will ordinarily be granted unrestricted leaves for periods of one year or less, as noted in the college manuals. Curricular changes may require them to repeat some coursework upon return. Students should be aware that financial aid status may be affected by leaves and should consult the Office of Financial Aid . Students should refer to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Manual for greater detail regarding the above procedures.

Withdrawal

Students wishing to withdraw from the program should notify the Program Director in writing prior to the withdrawal. Withdrawing students will not be guaranteed re-entry into the program.

Withdrawing, and in some cases dismissal, from the OT Program is not always tantamount to withdrawal from Touro College. Exiting students should contact the Office of the Registrar and a Touro College counselor if they wish to transfer to another program at Touro College.