| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
Enhance Your OTR and COTA Certifications with a Practice Area of Emphasis
Research shows employers of occupational therapy practitioners value increased knowledge and skills. Now you have the opportunity to add even more value to your current OTR or COTA certification by demonstrating to your employer that you’ve focused your professional development activities in a specific area of practice.
Beginning in 2010, NBCOT will implement a new option as part of its certification renewal requirement—a Practice Area of Emphasis—that recognizes certificants who have focused their professional development activities in one of eight practice areas:
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Practice Areas of Emphasis |
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Administration and/or Management |
Pediatrics |
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Work and Industry |
Geriatrics |
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Mental Health |
Education and/or Research |
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Rehabilitation |
Orthopedics |
As part of the certification renewal process, you will have the option to renew by satisfying either:
- 36 professional development units that support general growth in your professional work; or
- 24 professional development units that focus on a designated area of practice, and the remaining 12 units can satisfy your individual needs and interests.
Certificants are encouraged to work with their employers or supervisors to create professional development goals and outline a program that will address employer needs and satisfy certificant professional interests. NBCOT developed a Professional Development Worksheet to help certificants select a Practice Area of Emphasis and map PDU courses as part of the next certification renewal cycle.
Here are sample scenarios:
Scenario 1 – An OTR receives a Practice Area of Emphasis:
An OTR in hand therapy practice is up for certification renewal in 2011. She has been diligent in seeking professional development activities that advance her knowledge and skills in dealing with patients with upper extremity conditions. She has met 26 of the required 36 professional development activities. She submits a renewal application requesting recognition with an emphasis in Orthopedics because the therapist attained at least 24 professional development units related to this area.
Scenario 2 – A COTA selects a variety of professional development activities:
A COTA is scheduled to renew in 2011. He works in a variety of settings and has taken professional development courses to support all of them. The assistant submits a renewal application verifying completion of the 36 professional development units, but does not request a Practice Area of Emphasis because the assistant did not attain 24 units in one specific practice area.
For any questions regarding the new Practice Area of Emphasis, please contact us at recert@nbcot.org
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