Maine Occupational Therapy Degrees

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: April, 7 2010

Education/Schools/Courses for Occupational Therapists in Maine

One of the first steps in preparing for this field is to check one’s own health.  Because of the rigorous training and the physical demands of the job, being healthy is critical to success in the field.

The second step is to find the right program for each student.  There are several excellent programs for Occupational Therapy in Maine, both online and on campus, all with different acceptance standards.  In general, students need to have had some biology, chemistry, and mathematics or statistics courses at the high school level to be admitted into the pre-professional or Phase One portion of the OT educational process.
  
A number of Maine’s occupational therapy courses offer the undergraduate or Bachelor of Science program, then their graduates must transfer to a school with a Masters’ program to complete their education.  Other schools offer a program that combines both.  Those planning on transferring should carefully look into their targeted program to ensure that all of their coursework is acceptable to the MS program.

Specific curriculum in OT programs vary from school to school, but basic components of the pre-professional programs include Life Science courses, general science courses of Biology, Anatomy, Physiology and Chemistry; and all general education courses as prescribed by the school.  In addition there are usually some types of introductory Occupational Therapy courses and Ethics classes.
  
By the fourth year, most programs include several Occupational Therapy courses, such as Biopsychosocial Dimensions of Elders, Occupational Performance of Elders and analysis of the occupation.
  
By the time students are in the MS portion of their education, there can be additional expenses that should be noted. Often, courses require additional books and supplies, travel to and from fieldwork assignments, and student malpractice insurance.  These additional expenses vary, but can be in excess of $6,000, depending on the specific program.
  
Once an OT is working, continuing education is necessary and there are a variety of programs offered through various professional organizations, such as American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and Maine Occupational Therapy Association or MeOTA.  MeOTA is a non-profit organization, affiliated with American Occupational Therapy Association or AOTA.  Its members include Occupational Therapists (OT), Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA), and Occupational Therapy Students (OTS). 
  
In addition to continuing education courses and seminars, MeOTA offers online membership, research and study supports, a legislative voice, and a job forum to professionals in this field.