Less than two years after welcoming its first student cohort, Cayuga Community College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program has earned its initial accreditation from a national occupational therapy organization.
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in April awarded Cayuga’s OTA program with a seven-year accreditation status, the maximum length new programs can earn, declaring the program commendable in administrative structure, curriculum and fieldwork education.
“I am very proud of the work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students in our OTA program. Earning this recognition is the culmination of years of work by OTA Director Joan Meyers and other leaders at Cayuga, and they deserve the credit for building up this program,” said Cayuga President Dr. Brian Durant. “Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to help our OTA program earn this accreditation.”
“Receiving this accreditation from ACOTE is a goal we’ve worked toward since this program was approved in 2015 and since we welcomed our first students in 2017. As a new program, earning this accreditation without any citations of non-compliance is a credit to the commitment of our staff, faculty and students,” said Meyers.
ACOTE singled out multiple programmatic strengths in its evaluation. Specifically, the report praised Cayuga’s state-of-the-art lab, the integration of the program’s mission and approach to the community’s needs, and the administrative leadership and support for the program. ACOTE identified no areas of non-compliance, which is commendable for a new program.
Earning the accreditation also pays dividends for Cayuga’s students who are interested in a career in occupational therapy. To sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam, applicants must have graduated from an accredited OTA program.
Now that Cayuga has received the ACOTE recognition, the program’s May 2019 graduates and all future graduates are eligible to sit for the national exam and earn their state license to practice as an occupational therapy assistant.
“This is essential to helping our students pursue a career in occupational therapy. Our graduating cohort has worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and now that the program has earned this accreditation, our students can take the next step to earn their license and be ready for their future careers,” said Meyers.
As part of the accreditation process, Cayuga must complete an interim report by the spring of 2022, and the next on-site evaluation will be during the 2025-2026 academic year.
To learn more about Cayuga’s OTA program, visit https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/academics/schools/health-sciences/occupational-therapy-assistant/.
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