November 4, 2022
Shawnee State University’s Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program announced its graduating class in 2021 has achieved a 100% pass rate on their board exams. The students, who graduated in Autumn 2021, took their exams throughout the spring and summer of this year.
“Having a high pass rate on the board exam keeps SSU’s Master of Occupational Therapy program competitive in recruiting students,” said Barbara Warnock, SSU’s Program Director of MOT. “It reflects the ability of our graduates to compete for jobs in the field.”
The field of occupational therapy is a vital health care service that uses occupation as the basis for treatment of people of all ages with a wide variety of physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities. Occupational therapists help people acquire or regain the skills they need to live independent, productive, and satisfying lives. In SSU’s MOT program, the curriculum focuses on bringing community involvement into the classroom to teach students how to build a better overall community.
“Our community experiences include 14th Street Community Center projects, Area Agency of Aging Fall Prevention Education, leading groups at the Counseling Center to support individuals in recovery, building therapeutic relationships with elders, and working with children in schools,” Warnock said.
Using these experiences, SSU’s OT professors are aiming to teach their students how to provide treatment activities for clients individually and in groups, and also how to carry out treatment plans with a variety of allied health professionals.
“The faculty of the MOT program have high expectations and significant knowledge that gives me confidence and gratitude to the work they do when I see the students succeed,” said Warnock.
SSU offers several degrees in occupational therapy including a two-year associate’s degree that prepares graduates for careers as occupational therapy assistants; the master’s degree that is also offered as an accelerated 3+2 degree for incoming freshmen who want to prepare for a career as an occupational therapist in five years; and the post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy designed for therapists interested in advancing their careers.
“Several programs at SSU have also embedded tracks in their curriculums to enter the MOT program,” said Warnock. “These include Exercise Science, Health Science, Psychology, and Biology.”
The MOT program has continually witnessed high board pass rates among its graduates and has been ranked Top 185 nationally in the U.S. News & World Report’s Graduate School category.
To learn more about the Master of Occupational Therapy program at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/occupational-therapy.