There are a number of official NBCOT study tools to assist candidates with their exam preparation including entry-level self-assessments, study guides, online tests and packages. The tools are designed to help candidates assess their examination readiness, focus study efforts in appropriate areas, and become familiar with the areas tested on the examination.  Click the link for more information on the official NBCOT study tools: Test Preparation

NBCOT recently completed a survey to identify textbooks and peer-reviewed journals commonly used in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs.  Results of these surveys are available in the NBCOT publications titled: 2013 Curriculum Text and Peer-Reviewed Journal Report: Entry-level Post-Baccalaureate Occupational Therapy Programs and the 2013 Text and Peer-Reviewed Journal Report: Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs.  Click the following links to access the document for the respective OT educational program level:

2013 Curriculum Text and Peer-Reviewed Journal Report: Entry-level Post-Baccalaureate Occupational Therapy Programs

2013 Curriculum Text and Peer-Reviewed Journal Report: Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs

Click the link below to access a booklet outlining the key psychometric principles that form the foundations of the NBCOT certification examinations, including item development, exam validity and reliability processes, and scoring. 

Foundations of the NBCOT Certification Examinations

From an occupational therapy educator perspective, completion of the most recent NBCOT OTR and COTA practice analysis studies and implementation of the new ACOTE Accreditation Standards (effective July 31, 2013) for OT and OTA education are timely reminders of the forces influencing curricular development.  While distinct missions drive both entities, it is the occupational therapy educational community who strive to meet both the ACOTE accreditation standards and successfully prepare their students to take the NBCOT certification examinations.  Recently, NBCOT completed two reports comparing the results of the OTR and COTA practice analysis studies - NBCOT Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements for the OTR and COTA - with the ACOTE Accreditation Standards for an Educational Program for the OT and OTA.  The reviews showed there are close links between the NBCOT and ACOTE documents.  The result of these reviews suggest that if an OT or OTA program has met the ACOTE standards, it can be assumed the program has also provided adequate learning opportunities to generally cover the areas contained in the NBCOT Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements for the OTR and COTA.

Click the following links to view the 2013 Matrix Study Reports:

OTR Matrix Study

COTA Matrix Study

The OTR® and COTA® examinations are constructed based on the results of the practice analysis studies.  The studies identify the domains, tasks, knowledge, and skills required for occupational therapy practice relative to the respective credential.  The purpose of a practice analysis study is to ensure there is a representative linkage of examination content to practice.  The periodic performance of practice analysis studies assists NBCOT with evaluating the validity of the test specifications that guide content distribution of the credentialing examinations.  NBCOT conducted practice analysis studies in 2012.  The validated domain, task and knowledge statements from these studies will guide examination construction for OTR and COTA examinations administered from January 2014 onward.

Click on the link to access the OTR Validated Domain, Task, Knowledge, and Skill Statements of the COTA Validated Domain, Task, Knowledge, and Skill Statements corresponding to the examination administration timeline:

For candidates taking the OTR and COTA examinations before December 31, 2013:

2008 OTR Domain, Task, Knowledge, Skill Statements

2008 COTA Domain, Task, Knowledge, Skill Statements

For candidates taking the OTR and COTA examinations after January 1, 2014:

2012 OTR Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements

2012 COTA Validated Domain, Task, and Knowledge Statements

The results of the practice analysis studies were analyzed to identify the most critical and frequently performed tasks by OTR and COTA certificants. The 2008 examination blueprints apply to examinations administered until December 31, 2013.  The 2012 examination blueprints apply to examinations administered from January 1, 2014 onward.  The following links outline the percentage of test items devoted to each domain area established for the OTR and COTA examination blueprints.

For candidates taking the OTR or COTA examination before December 31, 2013:

2008 OTR Examination Blueprint

2008 COTA Examination Blueprint

For candidates taking the OTR or COTA examination after January 1, 2014:

2012 OTR Examination Blueprint

2012 COTA Examination Blueprint

 

The NBCOT certification examinations are constructed based on the results of practice analysis studies. The 2008 Practice Analysis summaries apply to examinations administered prior to December 31, 2013.  The 2012 Practice Analysis summaries apply to examinations administered from January 31, 2013 onward. Click on the following links for information on the practice analysis studies for the current OTR and COTA examinations:

2008 Executive Summary of the Practice Analysis Study for the Occupational Therapist Registered OTR

2008 Executive Summary of the Practice Analysis Study for the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant COTA

2012 Executive Summary of the Practice Analysis Study for the Occupational Therapist Registered OTR

2012 Executive Summary of the Practice Analysis Study for the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant COTA

After a candidate has submitted an examination application, an ACVF can be submitted by the school’s registrar no sooner than 3 months prior to the candidate’s anticipated graduation date.

Accuracy of your program’s score report screens is directly related to the accuracy of the school code the candidate enters on the exam application. Advise your student’s about which school code to select and emphasize the importance of entering the correct school code when completing the exam application.

NBCOT will not release the name of a failed a candidate to program directors unless the candidate has given permission for this score release on their examination application.

There are several reasons why a candidate’s name may be missing from your report screen, these include:

• They may not applied to take the examination yet
• They may have applied, but not taken the examination yet
• They may have used an incorrect school code on their examination application
• They may have failed the examination

If you would like NBCOT to investigate a candidate that you suspect is missing from your score report, please e-mail: pdirectors@nbcot.org. Include your program’s name, school code, student’s name, and date of the report you are querying.

The “Comparison Data Screen” is a static screen that records data ONLY for First Time New Graduate candidates testing from your program. The “Report Screen” is a dynamic screen that lists ALL successful passing candidates (including retakes and those testing beyond a year from graduation) from your program as soon as the scoring information is released.

The “Comparison Data Screen” is updated two times per year – in March to reflect the year-end totals from the previous testing year, and August to reflect the first six months of the current testing year.

The “Report Screen” is a dynamic screen that is updated as soon as the examination scores are released. Click the link to check the: NBCOT examination scoring calendar.

For security purposes, program director’s login information is updated on an annual basis. NBCOT will send out alerts in September requesting program directors to complete the latest Program Director Survey.  Your current login will remain active until your survey has been processed and you have been issued with a new login. To complete the Program Director’s Survey please download the document here:

Program Director's Survey

For security purposes, login information will only be issued to program directors via hardcopy mail.

The most likely reason this has occurred is because the candidate used an incorrect school code on their exam application or had a name change between graduating and applying for the examination.  If you would like NBCOT to investigate a candidate listed on your score report, please e-mail: pdirectors@nbcot.org. Include your program’s name, school code, candidate’s name, and date of the report you are querying.