Occupational Therapy

Department of Occupational Therapy
School of Health Related Professions
515 Kimball Tower
South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214-3079
(716) 829-3141
Fax: (716) 829-3217
Web: Occupational Therapy
Robert L. Klick, Acting Chair
Susan M. Nochajski, Program Director
Diane M. Gayles, Coordinator of Professional Studies

Beginning January 1, 2007, occupational therapy programs will only be accredited at the post-baccalaureate degree level. Applicants should check with the coordinator of professional studies for the most current admission requirements.

The Program
The occupational therapy program at the University at Buffalo is based on the philosophical belief that people have a vital need for occupation. Occupation is defined as the ways in which people occupy their time and includes such activities as self-care, play, work, and leisure. One engages in occupation for three primary reasons: (1) to acquire the skills and behaviors necessary for ensuring one's survival, (2) to achieve a sense of quality in one's life, and (3) to contribute to the progress and well-being of society by being a productive member of that society.

Based on the assumption that it is within the context of roles that people engage in occupation, the concept of occupational role emerged to account for those major life roles that occupy one's time. These major life roles or occupational roles have a developmental perspective and change over the course of a lifetime. They include the roles of preschooler, student, worker and/or homemaker, and retiree. Each role has its associated age-appropriate and role-appropriate tasks that influence the nature of one's occupations. What evolves in responding to these tasks is called occupational behavior. Occupational competence is another concept, which implies an individual's ability to engage in a fulfilling lifestyle consistent with his or her goals and values.

When individuals are threatened by deprivation, disease, illness, or injury, occupational therapy intervenes to protect and/or restore (1) the individual's physical, psychological, and social capacities to achieve occupational competence; and (2) the skills and habits of effective role performance. Occupational therapy is committed to providing services to the "whole person"; thus, occupational therapy is holistic in its orientation to health care.

Occupational therapists work in all types of private nonprofit and public settings, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and community health agencies. There are good opportunities for employment and advancement within the profession, and salaries are on par with other health professions that require a university degree.

Preceding their professional preparation, students receive a liberal arts education in their preprofessional studies. The professional program, structured to prepare them for personal and professional development, is flexible enough to meet the needs and interests of individual students while still insuring that upon graduation they will be competent to enter the profession.

Classes begin in the summer immediately preceding the junior year. The ten-week summer program includes ANA407 Gross Human Anatomy (6 credit hours) that meets daily for eight weeks, and OT 351 Therapeutic Media (1 credit) that continues for seven days following ANA407.

Three additional academic semesters include learning experiences structured to integrate theory and practice. Following the completion of all academic coursework, students register for six months of full-time, supervised fieldwork experience. Students choose fieldwork sites by a lottery system and in consultation with the fieldwork director. Additional fieldwork experiences in such specialized areas of practice as developmental disabilities, substance abuse, and ergonomics are available as electives. The department maintains clinical affiliation agreements with more than 150 health-care facilities throughout the United States for student placement. Students should expect to leave the Western New York area to fulfill this requirement.

Upon completion of all program and university requirements, the student is awarded the B.S. degree and is eligible to take the national certification examination and to apply for professional licenses in states in which they are required. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is the certifying agency, and the program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220, (301) 652-AOTA.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

230 Therapeutic Interaction (3) (F; Sp)
Therapeutic approaches used by occupational therapists in working with patients and their families: interactions in work, play/leisure, self-care. LEC

300 Fieldwork Experience in a Specialty Area (9) (Sp)
Three months of full-time supervised fieldwork experience following the completion of required academic courses. LAB

301 Orientation to Occupational Therapy (3) (F)
Overview of philosophy, theory, and practice of occupational therapy. LEC

313 Medical Science: Orthopedics (2) (F)
Various orthopedic conditions and their medical management. LEC

314 Medical Science: Pediatrics (2) (Sp)
Etiology, course, prognosis, and medical management of diseases and disabilities of concern to occupational therapists working with children. LEC

315 Medical Science: Medicine (2) (Sp)
Various medical conditions and their clinical management. LEC

316 Medical Science: Psychiatry (2) (F)
Medical management of psychiatric disorders and OT intervention strategies in treating the mentally ill. LEC

317 Medical Terminology and Pharmacology (1) (F)
Introduces language used by health-care professionals whose medical decisions affect and determine the course of the rehabilitation and therapeutic process; includes four-week introductory unit on the fundamentals of pharmacology. LEC

342 Neuroscience I (3) (F)
Fundamental neurophysiology and clinical neuroanatomy of sensory systems. LEC/LAB

343 Neuroscience II (3) (Sp)
A continuation of Neuroscience I, focusing on clinical neuroanatomy of motor systems and integration of sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. LEC/LAB

344 Neuroanatomy I (1) F
LAB

345 Neuroanatomy II (1) (Sp)
LAB

351 Therapeutic Media I (1) (Su)
Introduces the use and analysis of various media used in occupational therapy practice. LAB

352 Therapeutic Media II (1) (F)
Continues study and practice with selected media and methods used in occupational therapy practice. LAB

353 Therapeutic Media III (1) (F)
Continues therapeutic media instruction and practice. LAB

361 Functional Anatomy (3) (F)
Kinesiology, biomechanics, ergonomics for occupational therapy students. LEC/LAB

371 Human Development I (2) (F)
Human development from the prenatal period of life through adolescence; factors affecting growth and development during this time span and their significance in evaluation and treatment. LEC

372 Human Development II (2) (Sp)
Human development from young adult to aged; factors affecting growth and development during this time span and their significance in evaluation and treatment. LEC

381 Theory of Occupational Therapy (2) (Sp)
Philosophy and theory of OT; theory of occupational behavior, which provides a broad perspective for practice. LEC

400 Fieldwork Experience in Physical Dysfunction (9) (Sp)
Three months of full-time fieldwork experience following the completion of required academic courses. LAB

401 Elective Fieldwork Experience (3-9) (F; Su)
Supervised fieldwork experience in a specialized area, such as developmental disabilities, substance abuse, and ergonomics; elective course. LAB

405 Occupational Therapy in Physical Dysfunction (4) (F)
Applies OT theory and techniques in the treatment of the physically disabled. LEC/LAB

408 Research in Occupational Therapy (2) (Sp)
Applies the principles of scientific inquiry to the critical evaluation of scientific literature. LEC

410 Neurophysiological Processes (4) (F)
Basic concepts underlying the neurophysiological control of motor behavior; application of these concepts in treatment of neuromuscular dysfunction. LEC/LAB

411 Occupational Therapy in Mental Health (4) (Sp)
Applies OT theory and techniques in mental health. LEC

414 Group Process (2) (Sp)
Working knowledge of group process; skills for conducting task-oriented groups. LEC/LAB

430 Issues in Occupational Therapy Service Delivery (3) (F)
An overview of current issues impacting the roles, functions, and provision of OT service in diverse areas of OT practice, from clinical and management perspectives. LEC

440 Applied Treatment in Pediatrics (4) (F)
Evaluation and treatment techniques used by occupational therapists in pediatrics. LEC/LAB

450 Prosthetics and Orthotics (3) (F)
Knowledge and skills required for manufacturing splints and orthotic devices, and for fitting and operating orthoses and prostheses. LEC/LAB

499 Independent Study (1-4) (F; Sp; Su)
Tutorial instruction for special study and research in areas of major interest; elective course. TUT

Occupational Therapy - B.S.

Acceptance Criteria
Minimum grades of "C" in all courses listed in the section titled pre-occupational therapy requirements (except for general education requirements); however, a student may be admitted to the program on a probationary status with a "C-" in one prerequisite course

Minimum GPA of 2.5 in prerequisites

Minimum of 28 prerequisite credit hours must be completed at the time of application

Completion and recommendation from a work or volunteer experience of 70 hours in an OT setting providing direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist within two years of application

All applicants must submit a departmental application and a completed volunteer/work experience form to the coordinator of professional studies by January 15 for review. This date may be extended due to space availability.

Admission is limited to fifty students per year and is based on GPA and quality of volunteer/work experience

Required Courses

Pre-Occupational Therapy Requirements
ANA113 Human Anatomy
APY345 Comparative Primate Anatomy
APY346 Dissections in Comparative Primate Anatomy
OT 230 Fundamentals of Therapeutic Interaction
OT 301 Orientation to Occupational Therapy
PGY300 Human Physiology
PHI101 Introduction to Philosophy
PHY101/151 College Physics I/Lab
PSY101 Introductory Psychology
PSY207 Psychological Statistics* (MTH115 Survey of Algebra and Trigonometry is prerequisite for PSY207)
PSY222 Abnormal Psychology
SOC101 Introduction to Sociology
UGC211 American Pluralism and the Search for Equality (this course satisfies a major requirement; minimum grade of "C" is required)

Occupational Therapy Requirements
(These courses are not open to freshman or sophomore students.)
ANA407 Gross Human Anatomy
OT 300 Fieldwork Experience in a Specialty Area
OT 313 Medical Science: Orthopedics
OT 314 Medical Science: Pediatrics
OT 315 Medical Science: Medicine
OT 316 Medical Science: Psychiatry
OT 317 Medical Terminology and Pharmacology
OT 342 Neuroscience I
OT 343 Neuroscience II
OT 344 Neuroanatomy I
OT 345 Neuroanatomy II
OT 351 Therapeutic Media I
OT 352 Therapeutic Media II
OT 353 Therapeutic Media III
OT 361 Functional Anatomy
OT 371 Human Development I
OT 372 Human Development II
OT 381 Theory of Occupational Therapy
OT 400 Fieldwork Experience in Physical Dysfunction
OT 401 Elective Fieldwork Experience
OT 405 Occupational Therapy in Physical Dysfunction
OT 408 Research in Occupational Therapy
OT 410 Neurophysiological Processes
OT 411 Occupational Therapy in Mental Health
OT 414 Group Process
OT 430 Issues in Occupational Therapy Service Delivery
OT 440 Applied Treatment in Pediatrics
OT 450 Prosthetics and Orthotics
OT 499 Independent Study
Electives

See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements (page 254) for general education and remaining university requirements.

Recommended Sequence of Major Requirements

First Year
Fall-ANA113, PSY101
Spring-APY345, APY346, OT 230, PSY222

Second Year
Fall-UGC211, PHY101/151, OT 301 (direct transfer students only must take in junior year)
Spring-PHI101, SOC101, PGY300, PSY207* (MTH115 is a prerequisite for PSY207)
Summer-ANA407, OT 351

Third Year
Fall-OT 313, OT 316, OT 317, OT 342, OT 352, OT 361, OT 371, OT 301 (direct transfer students only)
Spring-OT 314, OT 315, OT 343, OT 372, OT 381, OT 408, OT 411, OT 414

Fourth Year
Fall-OT 353, OT 405, OT 410, OT 430, OT 440, OT 450
Spring-OT 300, OT 400, OT 401, OT 499, electives

Academic Affairs

Phone: (716) 645-6003

Fax: (716) 645-2549

Last updated: Thursday, 09-Dec-2004 15:21:19 EST