Other OT-Related Information About to be dismissed from my MSOT program

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Confusedandlostone

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I tried, and failed miserably. I won't go into any details, but does anyone have any ideas about possible health professions or careers that one can go into after failing out of an occupational therapy program? My gpa will be pretty much shot after this horrible experience of 2 years. In addition, I will be in a boat load of debt and I have no idea how to pay off any of it. I am feeling mixed feelings right now, in a way it was liberating to finally be finished with all the unbelievable stress and pressure from school. However, it pains me to see that I've let down so many people( my family included). I have invested so much time and effort only to get nothing. For those of you who have been in similar situations, please feel free to post a comment or private message me.

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You know, the field isn't for everyone. Sometimes, people may want to go into it for the money, or because it's a hot field. Some people may even LOVE the field, but for whatever reason, the material didn't go through. It happens. If you want to help people and be around OTs, you should definitely consider becoming an OTA. It's two years, you work with the OTs, and you make a good chunk of change. But if you don't want to do that, you may want to regroup and ask yourself: "What can I do with my life?"

Focus on your strengths - if you want to help people and want to be in the medical field, you may want to look into PTA/OTA, Recreational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Speech Pathology (but this is pretty rough too), School Psychology, Counseling and such. If you don't want to be in the medical field, you may want to consider teaching - I'm going to get my teaching license in Social Studies just in case OT doesn't work out.

For now, I think you need to regroup, reassess what happened, try to learn from your mistakes, take your time, do some research, and figure out what you really want to do. Sometimes, life throws us curve balls, but like Dory from Finding Nemo said: "Just keep swimming".
 
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I think Dobber gave you some great advice. Would you mind telling us or hinting what program you were in, if you don't mind could you tell us what caused you to be in that situation? If the academics were too rigorous maybe you would be happier in a field that requires less education or less intense education? Understanding the cause could help people give you appropriate advice on what to do next.

I looked at my program and found out what happens if a student does not meet minimum grades - say for clinicals. I'm terrified of failing out, I know an MOT is not an easy thing to earn..WMU has a great policy of letting a student retake courses (of course there is a max. number of courses which can be retaken and it places you in academic probation, a position no student ever wants to be in).

My advice to you: be proactive. People pick themselves up from a lot worse and you can do it; this is not the end of your life or your options, try to remember that. You should ask yourself what you want to do with your life. Take a job questionaire etc, try to give it some serious thought. You could always go get your OTA and pay off your debts that way if being an OTA will make you happy. What about getting your RN? It's a LOT of work, but if you have the academic ability and the fortitude to handle grimey situations you might have a calling to be a nurse?

I know that counseling would be my next option if I wasn't pursuing my MOT. You can and you will move forward; you need to identify why you failed out so you can address the problem.

Thanks for all of your replies. For me, I definitely think the school was a terrible fit. I don't feel comfortable saying what school/program it was, but the material came too quickly and there was so much to be done in so little time. I also think that the faculty did not care for the students at all(there were many others who failed besides me in various semesters). I was always passionate about becoming an OT, I had a very high GPA, excellent letters of recommendations, volunteered, and even got into schools on my first try of applying. I am seriously regretting coming into this school. I have a couple friends who are in different programs, and they all seem to be doing fine. The structure and teaching of the program itself was very unorganized. I don't know, in a way, I have no one to blame but myself. I just wish I went to a better school honestly.
 
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You know, the field isn't for everyone. Sometimes, people may want to go into it for the money, or because it's a hot field. Some people may even LOVE the field, but for whatever reason, the material didn't go through. It happens. If you want to help people and be around OTs, you should definitely consider becoming an OTA. It's two years, you work with the OTs, and you make a good chunk of change. But if you don't want to do that, you may want to regroup and ask yourself: "What can I do with my life?"

Focus on your strengths - if you want to help people and want to be in the medical field, you may want to look into PTA/OTA, Recreational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Speech Pathology (but this is pretty rough too), School Psychology, Counseling and such. If you don't want to be in the medical field, you may want to consider teaching - I'm going to get my teaching license in Social Studies just in case OT doesn't work out.

For now, I think you need to regroup, reassess what happened, try to learn from your mistakes, take your time, do some research, and figure out what you really want to do. Sometimes, life throws us curve balls, but like Dory from Finding Nemo said: "Just keep swimming".

Dobber, I loved all my clinical experiences within the field, i loved working with the patients and seeing them smile. My clinical instructors gave me good evaluations as well. It's just that I struggled academically within my program.
 
Thanks for all of your replies. For me, I definitely think the school was a terrible fit. I don't feel comfortable saying what school/program it was, but the material came too quickly and there was so much to be done in so little time. I also think that the faculty did not care for the students at all(there were many others who failed besides me in various semesters). I was always passionate about becoming an OT, I had a very high GPA, excellent letters of recommendations, volunteered, and even got into schools on my first try of applying. I am seriously regretting coming into this school. I have a couple friends who are in different programs, and they all seem to be doing fine. The structure and teaching of the program itself was very unorganized. I don't know, in a way, I have no one to blame but myself. I just wish I went to a better school honestly.

It seems to me like you largely feel as though your difficulty with OT school had to do with the pace and structure of the program and not with OT as a profession. You even stated that before this school you had a high GPA and were accepted to other schools. Have you considered the possibility of trying for a MOT at a different school. OTA could also work if you would like to stay in the OT profession but are not interested in trying for an MOT anymore. For some reason I cannot access the AOTA website right now, but I think I've heard of part-time programs. I don't know much about these, but I wonder if they might be a slower pace. Do you think you might do better with that? Or simply switching programs may be just what you need. I don't know how difficult it would be to switch programs. You would need to speak with an admissions counselor regarding how realistic admissions would be given what happened at your old school.

I think other people have suggested good alternative careers if you're looking for a complete career switch.
 
If you are potentially considering returning to a MOT program, you might want to take a look at this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dismissal-from-mot-program.1050700/#post-15357389 (Titled Dismissal from MOT)

I saw this quote from CAT217 in that thread that might be helpful if you are interested in returning to an MOT program. Here is what she/he said:

"I also was dismissed from an MS OT program. my situation was different, I only was in the program for 1 year, in the last semester I failed two courses , which happened because I have learning disabilities and they wouldn't let me go part time it was too much for me to have taken on. In any event since then I decided to apply to multiple OT programs , I also was lost and didn't know what to do but I'm determined to become an Ot. In any event I now will be transferring to a new program where they will be taking some of my credits from my old school . I know Bay Path college will take transfer students, same with Sacred Heart University, and Dominican College in NY will take transfer students as well (although they are a weekend program ). You have to include your graduate transcripts - it's technically illegal not to. And plus they will most likely find out you attended another program , especially if you plan on taking out financial aid/ loans. If I were you I would add an addendum to your application and explain what happened and why you were dismissed, but try to put a positive light on it and explain you put in your hardest efforts. Convince them that you will succeed in their program. I wouldn't go the COTA route because you are too qualified. I thought it was a waste of my time, it will take you much longer to get your masters.
Also, you can try New England university in Maine, Midwestern University in AZ and in Illinois, they considered me but I was on their waiting list. Good luck, let me know if you need any more advise ! Stay strong !"
 
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Thank you for your replies, RedHeadOT. Wow, i am simply amazed at how much support I am getting from these forums. Thank you all very much. I think one of the most important things i need to do is to just take a breather and relax a bit. After that, re-evaluate what to do with my life. I have briefly looked at several COTA programs around my area and it seems as though it's possible for some credits to transfer. In addition, if I am to apply to other MOT programs I would first find out if i'm allowed to "withdraw" first rather than be "dismissed". I think it just looks better on the transcript. Maybe I should message that person who you quoted to find out more information.
 
COTA to OT bridge programs are good for somebody who doesn't have BS yet. It actually takes shorter than getting bachelor and two years in OT school. In your case it would be a huge waste of time. OTA program is extensive 2 years, with 4 months of fieldwork. Then, you do 4 month of field work in MOT,that is overall eight months of field work. You will work full time for free for eight months, just think about it! If you got in to OT school once, you will get in in again somewhere else, keep going with your OT school, it will pay off at the end. My two cents. I'm in OTA program.
 
COTA to OT bridge programs are good for somebody who doesn't have BS yet. It actually takes shorter than getting bachelor and two years in OT school. In your case it would be a huge waste of time. OTA program is extensive 2 years, with 4 months of fieldwork. Then, you do 4 month of field work in MOT,that is overall eight months of field work. You will work full time for free for eight months, just think about it! If you got in to OT school once, you will get in in again somewhere else, keep going with your OT school, it will pay off at the end. My two cents. I'm in OTA program.

Thanks for your reply COTAstar, I actually think my chances of getting into another occupational therapy program is extremely slim. I blew it. I messed up. My transcript GPA will probably like a 2.1 or something because i struggled so much this semester and failed a class. No school would want to take someone who failed a class and has a low gpa. From what i can gather, people who have failed out of MOT program usually move on to COTA programs, especially on this site. I'm curious to hear from other students who have failed out and see what they ended up doing. Honestly, at this point, I am just about ready to move on to anything quick and makes a decent amount of money just to pay off my loans.
 
Ok, now I see. I will consider going to OT school after OTA, and I'm already scared of failing out of grad school! This is the reason why I'm in OTA, if something happens I have this nice job as a backup! It pays decent money for 2 year degree, and I still will be an OT practitioner. OTA to OT bridge program can be an option for you. Find out if you have any schools like that near you and contact them. They may look differently at you, as what they really want is COTA license and they will look at your grades in OTA program, rather than your MOT grades. I already contact my school, and they said, I have to be a COTA, that's it. Also, OT bridge schools are shorter than regular schools, they 1,5 year, not 2-2.5. At least it is what it is like in my state. Because COTAs already have OT practical skills it also might be easier for COTA to go thru grad school, I'm not sure about that, but this is what I think. And yes, if you are COTA, hospital or what ever you work at, may want to pay for your OT school. Do not give up, if you really want to become an OT, there are still options for you out there, I'm sure.
 
I tried, and failed miserably. I won't go into any details, but does anyone have any ideas about possible health professions or careers that one can go into after failing out of an occupational therapy program? My gpa will be pretty much shot after this horrible experience of 2 years. In addition, I will be in a boat load of debt and I have no idea how to pay off any of it. I am feeling mixed feelings right now, in a way it was liberating to finally be finished with all the unbelievable stress and pressure from school. However, it pains me to see that I've let down so many people( my family included). I have invested so much time and effort only to get nothing. For those of you who have been in similar situations, please feel free to post a comment or private message me.
Hey I sent you a PM.
 
An update on my situation for all of you who are interested:

1. I'm going to check out by a psychologist soon to see if I have some kind of learning disability( when i failed, several of teachers said that I may have motor planning issues because I couldn't demonstrate things properly, although this may be due to performance anxiety in front of my teachers as well. Heck maybe I might even have ADHD or something and not know it. This deficit definitely affected my grades because it affected my performance for practicals).
2. I'm currently looking into COTA programs around my area and it seems that most of my undergraduate courses i took could transfer. HOWEVER, i have heard that getting into COTA programs are competitive as well. Although I have a feeling that these programs are not nearly as difficult as MOT programs, so my chances of succeeding may be greater than last time.
3. The occupation of Respiratory Therapy has always caught my eye and I may want to further look into it. I have some friends who are RTs and they seem to love their jobs. I love the idea of working in the hospital and treating patients' cardiopulmonary deficits. It just seems a lot more concrete and specialized than what occupational therapy was.

I know right off the bat that I could not handle nursing. My mother is a nurse, and I have several friends who are nurses, and the stories they have told me seem absolutely terrifying. Plus, nursing school is hell itself, as there is a lot of politics that go on in the classroom and many others fail out.

If there is one thing I know about myself, it's that I never, ever give up. I would not have gotten into occupational therapy school if i did. So I am positive that I'll be able to pull off something out of this terrible situation. This has not been the first time I faced failure, and this is quite a challenge, but I know I can do it.
 
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You might also like recreational therapy. It's probably not a bad idea to check out the job outlook on the bureau of labor statistics website. I mean investing so much money (after already being in debt) would have prompted me to be "practical" before any new commitment.:)
 
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You might also like recreational therapy. It's probably not a bad idea to check out the job outlook on the bureau of labor statistics website. I mean investing so much money (after already being in debt) would have prompted me to be "practical" before any new commitment.:)

Thanks for your input bebob. I looked up what recreational therapy on wiki and it sounds exactly like what occupational therapy does. For instance on wikipedia it states, "Recreational therapists work with clients to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and integrate skills learned in treatment settings into community settings". Hmmmm sounds very familiar to me when i was in occupational therapy school LOL. Anyways, i'll check it out, it's definitely an option and I'm in no position to be a choosy person, especially in the situation i'm in right now. For now though, I am 70% leaning towards the OTA route, it just seems like the only realistic and feasible option right now. It seems that some programs around my area are only about 18 months, so it's not bad. However, I have heard that you need to be interviewed and send in letters of reccomendations, etc. and all that crap again( that damn application process ughhh I hated it), but I guess i gotta do it again. I'm wondering if the stuff I sent in to my former school for masters would suffice for OTA school, hmmm.....
 
Thanks for your input bebob. I looked up what recreational therapy on wiki and it sounds exactly like what occupational therapy does. For instance on wikipedia it states, "Recreational therapists work with clients to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and integrate skills learned in treatment settings into community settings". Hmmmm sounds very familiar to me when i was in occupational therapy school LOL. Anyways, i'll check it out, it's definitely an option and I'm in no position to be a choosy person, especially in the situation i'm in right now. For now though, I am 70% leaning towards the OTA route, it just seems like the only realistic and feasible option right now. It seems that some programs around my area are only about 18 months, so it's not bad. However, I have heard that you need to be interviewed and send in letters of reccomendations, etc. and all that crap again( that damn application process ughhh I hated it), but I guess i gotta do it again. I'm wondering if the stuff I sent in to my former school for masters would suffice for OTA school, hmmm.....

I don't think there are nearly as many job opportunities for recreational therapists, or that they pay as well. Just something to consider as well.
 
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Rdc
Thanks for your input bebob. I looked up what recreational therapy on wiki and it sounds exactly like what occupational therapy does. For instance on wikipedia it states, "Recreational therapists work with clients to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and integrate skills learned in treatment settings into community settings". Hmmmm sounds very familiar to me when i was in occupational therapy school LOL. Anyways, i'll check it out, it's definitely an option and I'm in no position to be a choosy person, especially in the situation i'm in right now. For now though, I am 70% leaning towards the OTA route, it just seems like the only realistic and feasible option right now. It seems that some programs around my area are only about 18 months, so it's not bad. However, I have heard that you need to be interviewed and send in letters of reccomendations, etc. and all that crap again( that damn application process ughhh I hated it), but I guess i gotta do it again. I'm wondering if the stuff I sent in to my former school for masters would suffice for OTA school, hmmm.....

Rec therapy is similar to OT, but I believe RT's mainly employ games as a means to their end. They are less involved with technologies, and I'm not sure about the limitations as to where they can serve. The jobs are more limited, but there are certainly similarities between the fields! Don't give up on your passion to help people, even if a door closes. There are many avenues to this end (even an MSW, or licensed counselor, etc...)!
 
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I don't really have any great advice to give you except to say that life will go on. I'm sure this is really tough right now and I'll bet you aren't feeling real great about it, but I promise you that in the not so distant future this will be a vague memory. Best of luck to you and I hope you find your calling soon.
 
I was dismissed from my MOT program earlier this year due to failure of a five day fieldwork rotation. I totally wish that I had begged them to be allowed to withdraw from the program instead of being dismissed. It looks a lot better to be able to say that you withdrew from a program than to have to state that you were dismissed whenever you interview for a job or apply to other academic programs. I am currently in a situation similar to yours as I work a minimum wage job while trying to figure out how to pay off massive student loans. I am looking into accelerated BSN programs, but I am pretty sure that my chances for getting into one are very slim after being dismissed from grad school. All of the applications include the question "have you ever been dismissed from any school or university." If you have to answer yes to that question, there are not many ways to present the answer in a positive light. I am keeping my fingers crossed that some admissions committee will be willing to take a chance on accepting a student who has been dismissed from grad school. However, I am also looking into other last resort options such as teaching through the alternate route or taking a short course in computer programming that might help me to get a better job. At this point, I don't really care what kind of job I end up having. I just want to get rid of the loans from the one year of OT school and to also get the memory of that obnoxious experience out of my mind.
 
I was dismissed from my MOT program earlier this year due to failure of a five day fieldwork rotation. I totally wish that I had begged them to be allowed to withdraw from the program instead of being dismissed. It looks a lot better to be able to say that you withdrew from a program than to have to state that you were dismissed whenever you interview for a job or apply to other academic programs. I am currently in a situation similar to yours as I work a minimum wage job while trying to figure out how to pay off massive student loans. I am looking into accelerated BSN programs, but I am pretty sure that my chances for getting into one are very slim after being dismissed from grad school. All of the applications include the question "have you ever been dismissed from any school or university." If you have to answer yes to that question, there are not many ways to present the answer in a positive light. I am keeping my fingers crossed that some admissions committee will be willing to take a chance on accepting a student who has been dismissed from grad school. However, I am also looking into other last resort options such as teaching through the alternate route or taking a short course in computer programming that might help me to get a better job. At this point, I don't really care what kind of job I end up having. I just want to get rid of the loans from the one year of OT school and to also get the memory of that obnoxious experience out of my mind.

5 day fieldwork rotation? Wow, that just says something about your school. That sounds like a level 1 to me if it's only 5 days. My school is actually currently working with me to see if i can change my status to withdrawing instead of being dismissed. That way if i do decide to continue to pursue occupational therapy or move on to a COTA school it would def. look better on the application. My academic adviser even said that you wouldn't even have to explain low grades on your transcript and just say that you were experiencing personal or financial problems leading to withdrawal. Can you go back to your school and ask? It wouldn't hurt to talk to someone from your school. What about COTA school for you? I'm thinking that would be the best option for those of us who left OT programs because the pay is not bad and we would not be putting what we learned to waste. The more time passes the more the I think to myself that the program(not profession) was just not for me.
 
I was dismissed from my MOT program earlier this year due to failure of a five day fieldwork rotation. I totally wish that I had begged them to be allowed to withdraw from the program instead of being dismissed. It looks a lot better to be able to say that you withdrew from a program than to have to state that you were dismissed whenever you interview for a job or apply to other academic programs. I am currently in a situation similar to yours as I work a minimum wage job while trying to figure out how to pay off massive student loans. I am looking into accelerated BSN programs, but I am pretty sure that my chances for getting into one are very slim after being dismissed from grad school. All of the applications include the question "have you ever been dismissed from any school or university." If you have to answer yes to that question, there are not many ways to present the answer in a positive light. I am keeping my fingers crossed that some admissions committee will be willing to take a chance on accepting a student who has been dismissed from grad school. However, I am also looking into other last resort options such as teaching through the alternate route or taking a short course in computer programming that might help me to get a better job. At this point, I don't really care what kind of job I end up having. I just want to get rid of the loans from the one year of OT school and to also get the memory of that obnoxious experience out of my mind.

HopefulOTGirl, now that I think of it, if you only failed because of fieldwork( and did not struggle academically like I did) I strongly believe you have a solid case to fight for. Your school should have at least let you wait a year and retake the class, not flat out dismiss you. I find that incredibly odd and inconsiderate of your school to dismiss you because of that. Worst comes to worst, you can add an addendum to your application explaining that your dismissal was due to failure of a fieldwork rotation and was not solely based on academic grades. It just irks me to know that some schools are like this. Keep your head up HopefulOTGirl, we will get through this. If you need someone to talk to, you can PM me.
 
Update on my situation: I was allowed to withdraw from my program but the F on my transcript will still be there. I don't think it makes much of a difference. I am kind of lost on what to do at this point. Once again if anyone has any advice on what to do in this situation, please let me know.....
 
(This is what I would do if I were you:)

I think one of the first things you need to do is to determine which career path you would ultimately wish to pursue. I wouldn't worry about your poor grades or anything at this point. Just allow yourself to dream. You have mentioned respiratory therapy and OTA. Which would you rather do? Or are there additional careers you might be interested in? Once you know where you really want to end up, it will be easier to make a game plan for how to get there.

When you know what career you wish to pursue, you can get realistic about what you need to do to make your situation work. Talk with admissions counselors if you will be required to continue with school. Speak with people in the field. Find out what resources are available to you. Then you can take all that information and decide how to proceed.
 
Agree with previous poster, I would narrow down fields I'm interested in, and then contact academic adviser at schools that offer programs of my choice. These ones are nice - dental hygienist and diagnostic medical sonography.They are "social" jobs and high paid, but I heard DH is over saturated, I don't know if that's true. DMS school is extremely competitive, in my school gpa of 4.0 just to get in. OTA is good because you can advance to OT. I also would definitely consider post-baccalaureate RN , but this job with plenty of issues, you have to like it and be tough physically and emotionally. If I was in your situation I would do OTA,(this is what I already do :happy: in a case I don't get in)RN,or DH all nice jobs :) Do community schools even look at your WF in grad school??????It seems they won't even bother much about it
 
My friends completing the second year of her respiratory therapy program. When I asked her how much her whole program is she quoted 5 grand. I almost choked on my meal when I compared it to how much I'll be paying for my OT program. Just an idea
 
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Sorry for the late responses everyone, I've been pretty busy trying to get my mind off of things. I've been spending the remainder of my summer pretty much taking it easy and enjoying whatever was left of summer. Since it is now September, i've decided to start making moves. It turns out that I actually do have a learning disability. This may or may not have contributed to me struggling in school and I think this actually changes everything. Teachers at my school always suspected something was off about me, however I obviously found out too late. . I've actually spoken to other therapists and some faculty at other schools and they have told me that I may have a shot at applying again to OTA and maybe other OT schools. However, I'm still deciding whether or not to pursue OT yet again. In the meantime, i'm trying to address my disability so this type of problem won't happen again. I'll be seeing the psychologist tomorrow.
 
Hi Everyone,
I was recently issued a letter requiring that I withdraw from the program after 2 failed attempts at my final exam in my FINAL course of the program. Needless to say, I have been feeling down, lost and my confidence is at an all-time low. I don't know anyone that has ever gone through this specific process at my school (in Canada) and wasn't sure who to reach out to. I just want to start by saying that although no one wants to or likes to fail at something, I am comforted by knowing that I am not alone. I've read through all of the posts and will draw from some suggestions to hopefully get back on track and pursue something meaningful. THANK YOU for sharing your stories and helping me realize that I can pick myself up from this. I don't have much more to contribute as I am still digesting this news but I am happy to have found an outlet and a place where others can relate. I sincerely wish you all the best as you try to decide upon and navigate the next steps.
 
Hi Everyone,
I was recently issued a letter requiring that I withdraw from the program after 2 failed attempts at my final exam in my FINAL course of the program. Needless to say, I have been feeling down, lost and my confidence is at an all-time low. I don't know anyone that has ever gone through this specific process at my school (in Canada) and wasn't sure who to reach out to. I just want to start by saying that although no one wants to or likes to fail at something, I am comforted by knowing that I am not alone. I've read through all of the posts and will draw from some suggestions to hopefully get back on track and pursue something meaningful. THANK YOU for sharing your stories and helping me realize that I can pick myself up from this. I don't have much more to contribute as I am still digesting this news but I am happy to have found an outlet and a place where others can relate. I sincerely wish you all the best as you try to decide upon and navigate the next steps.

Wow, sorry to hear about that. Did you try to fight the school? I would have. You were in the final course of your program, so that says you had what it takes to at least succeed in the classes/years before. Your school should have at least let you retake that course the next year, that's the policy at my school at least.
 
Adaptive PE teaching credential is a good cross fit for OT. There is a great demand for adaptive PE teachers to work with those students with special needs. Some of your OT course work would transfer into a teaching credential program. PE is difficult to fill because many who enter PE end up not passing the CSET/ PRAXIS test which is heavy on kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology (sound familiar?) And don' t forget 3 excellent reasons for teaching; June, July, & August.
 
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Hi. I read your post about being dismissed from a MOT program. I was also dismissed from a MOT program. I completed all my courses and was completing the first of two FW 2. I was terminated from the placement at 8 weeks. A lot of things were wrong with the placement. The program's policy was if a student fails FW 2 they are automatically terminated from the program. No second chances given. I appealed the grade. Wrote a letter to the dean, OT faculty, and even the president of the university. However nobody listened. I requested meetings with the faculty to explain my side of the story and was turned down every time. I am angry at my supervisors and professors. My confidence is at a low right now and sometimes I even think everyone is right and OT isn't for me. However that isn't true. Currently I am trying to find schools that will transfer my OT credits into their program...but I need a recommendation letter from an academic professor. I hardly remember my professors from undergrad so I highly doubt they remember me. I am considering swallowing the very little pride I have and ask one of the OT professors. I don't have any other option.
 
I didn't do any of that. My FW was terminated at 8 weeks because the supervisors said "There is no way you can pass even if you stayed the full 12 weeks." They said I wasn't improving at a fast enough rate and will be a waste of everyone's times if I stayed.
 
Wow, it seems like students getting dismissed is a lot more common than I think. In your case, FWSU, if your grades weren't bad, i don't see a problem with asking your previous professors for a letter. I know one teacher off the top of my head who i got along great with and had pretty decent grades in class with, so if the need arises for me i would ask that teacher. I'll be PMing you soon, i want to know if it's possible in my case to go to a different school.
 
I just wanted to chime in and throw another perspective into the mix:

During the fall of 2012 I was actually going to landscape architecture graduate school, and similar to the OP, I have a medical condition that interfered with my ability to succeed in my coursework (especially with the stressful and demanding schedule). Needless to say, I dropped after a semester. My two studio professors turned on me when I revealed my desire to leave, and shunned me from class. It was a traumatic experience.

So just give yourself some time. Lots of time. You don't need to rush into more schooling, or another health care field right away. I took a couple years to recover myself mentally and physically--stress really does kill ya--and found my way to OT. If you asked me back in 2012 after I left school what I was going to do, I probably would have broken down in tears.

Moral of the story: life goes on, and I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Leaving your OT program was not as you had planned, but now you know that you have this learning disability, and will be all the more wiser in your future endeavors. And even though it may seem like it never happens, people do leave grad programs, all the time. So don't ever think that you are alone in that regard.

Also, I'm not sure if you already addressed this, but have you reached out to potential schools and asked about transferring? Immediately when I left school I contacted another one that had accepted me and they told me I would just have to apply as a transfer student. Especially if you explain the learning disability, they may understand.

Re: FWSU-- ask your OT professors for the rec letter. When I left LArch school I asked a professor I absolutely could not stand (and knew she disliked me) for one, and she said yes.
 
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Thanks for your input bebob. I looked up what recreational therapy on wiki and it sounds exactly like what occupational therapy does. For instance on wikipedia it states, "Recreational therapists work with clients to restore motor, social and cognitive functioning, build confidence, develop coping skills, and integrate skills learned in treatment settings into community settings". Hmmmm sounds very familiar to me when i was in occupational therapy school LOL. Anyways, i'll check it out, it's definitely an option and I'm in no position to be a choosy person, especially in the situation i'm in right now. For now though, I am 70% leaning towards the OTA route, it just seems like the only realistic and feasible option right now. It seems that some programs around my area are only about 18 months, so it's not bad. However, I have heard that you need to be interviewed and send in letters of reccomendations, etc. and all that crap again( that damn application process ughhh I hated it), but I guess i gotta do it again. I'm wondering if the stuff I sent in to my former school for masters would suffice for OTA school, hmmm.....
I completed my undergrad in Recreational Therapy. As much as I loved the field, it is still fairly new and there definitely aren't enough job opportunities.That's why I went straight to graduate school and focused on Health Care Administration. I have a feeling that TR will be a "hot field" in the future in the way that other Rehab Sciences and Med school are now.
 
I just wanted to chime in and throw another perspective into the mix:

During the fall of 2012 I was actually going to landscape architecture graduate school, and similar to the OP, I have a medical condition that interfered with my ability to succeed in my coursework (especially with the stressful and demanding schedule). Needless to say, I dropped after a semester. My two studio professors turned on me when I revealed my desire to leave, and shunned me from class. It was a traumatic experience.

So just give yourself some time. Lots of time. You don't need to rush into more schooling, or another health care field right away. I took a couple years to recover myself mentally and physically--stress really does kill ya--and found my way to OT. If you asked me back in 2012 after I left school what I was going to do, I probably would have broken down in tears.

Moral of the story: life goes on, and I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Leaving your OT program was not as you had planned, but now you know that you have this learning disability, and will be all the more wiser in your future endeavors. And even though it may seem like it never happens, people do leave grad programs, all the time. So don't ever think that you are alone in that regard.

Also, I'm not sure if you already addressed this, but have you reached out to potential schools and asked about transferring? Immediately when I left school I contacted another one that had accepted me and they told me I would just have to apply as a transfer student. Especially if you explain the learning disability, they may understand.

Re: FWSU-- ask your OT professors for the rec letter. When I left LArch school I asked a professor I absolutely could not stand (and knew she disliked me) for one, and she said yes.

Thank you for your input idontdance, yes it is very unfortunate about what happened. In the beginning there was so much emotion going through my head....however eventually i pulled myself together, and there is one thing that is staying through the back of my mind: I need to survive. I refuse to be someone who just lives with my parents and does nothing. I've contacted one school and explained about what happened, however she was rather quite rude and pretty much said there are already too many qualified applicants, it is highly unlikely they will consider a student who's already messed up despite having a disability. I will be calling( instead of emailing, because calling them is much more personal) other schools I have in mind. I will also be calling OTA schools around my area as well to see if i can get admitted.

On another note, I already have 2 therapists( different references from my prior admission) who are willing to write me letters. Is there a way to have them just write one letter that they can send to other schools, or do I have to tell them to send an individual letter to each school i'm applying to? It's been two years since I did this damn application process, I need to be enlightened.....
 
You should even call schools you don't have in mind. That way there is no pressure and you can put out feelers and ask whatever questions you want, without feeling like you are revealing too much about your identity.

As for the references, I saw on a lot of school websites that they do not allow committee letters, so having each therapist write their own letter is a better idea. Most schools do not penalize you for having more than the minimum number of letters, but some allow a maximum of 4. If the schools participate in OTCAS, you have to put the reference's name, email, and other information into the reference form and it will automatically send them an email request. This only happens once, so make sure you tell the therapists to expect the email in their inbox. If you click on the FAQ section of OTCAS, it provides more specific directions, including a copy of the reference form.
 
UPDATE:
So I've carefully looked at schools prerequisites and did my research on them. In total I am planning to apply to 10 schools. I've already submitted my OTCAS application and waiting for it to be verified. There are 6 schools I am applying to via OTCAS(Davenport, Concordia, AT still, both Midwestern Glove and Glendale, and University of New England) however I am worried that my application may not be verified in time since some of these schools deadlines are already in February. Apart from that, there are 4 others schools that I am planning to apply to(Kean, Baypath, Salem State, and AIC). I could've applied to at least 2 more schools( D'Youville and LIU) but I missed the deadlines due to one of my references being extremely unreliable and untimely, so I had to desperately search for a third reliable reference. Fortunately I've found a reliable set of references to apply to these 10 schools. Hopefully good new soon.......
 
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I've also applied to Touro's OTA program back in December but I haven't heard back from them yet.
 
Wow that was a quick turnaround! How are you feeling? What will you take with you this time around?

Best of luck, I hope your OTCAS verifies in time! With all this determination I am sure you will succeed in the long-run : )
 
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Wow that was a quick turnaround! How are you feeling? What will you take with you this time around?

Best of luck, I hope your OTCAS verifies in time! With all this determination I am sure you will succeed in the long-run : )

Thank you. Honestly, I'm feeling 50/50 about this process. When I called AT still, the secretary said they do consider students who have withdrawn from another program and that I am free to apply. It's a bit unnerving, because of past failure, but I feel more prepared this time. In retrospect, I started my previous program when I was fairly young( 21-22) and had no idea how demanding an OT program would be, and now I feel like I have identified my weaknesses and have a better understanding of how to deal with them. I'm older now, and now know what I am about to get myself into(if I'm admitted). With that said though, I do think an ideal situation would be for me to get into a part-time school(i.e. baypath or salem state). I realize that I cannot rush these things, and I have to choose which school/program would help me succeed and fit my needs and ultimately reach my goal even though it may take a longer path.
 
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Thank you. Honestly, I'm feeling 50/50 about this process. When I called AT still, the secretary said they do consider students who have withdrawn from another program and that I am free to apply. It's a bit unnerving, because of past failure, but I feel more prepared this time. In retrospect, I started my previous program when I was fairly young( 21-22) and had no idea how demanding an OT program would be, and now I feel like I have identified my weaknesses and have a better understanding of how to deal with them. I'm older now, and now know what I am about to get myself into(if I'm admitted). With that said though, I do think an ideal situation would be for me to get into a part-time school(i.e. baypath or salem state). I realize that I cannot rush these things, and I have to choose which school/program would help me succeed and fit my needs and ultimately reach my goal even though it may take a longer path.

It's great that you feel more prepared! I do think age and experience have a lot to do with it. And I think you're right: you don't have to get into the "best" school, just the one that is best for you. I, too, am considering attending a school with a better work/life balance rather than prestige.
 
I tried, and failed miserably. I won't go into any details, but does anyone have any ideas about possible health professions or careers that one can go into after failing out of an occupational therapy program? My gpa will be pretty much shot after this horrible experience of 2 years. In addition, I will be in a boat load of debt and I have no idea how to pay off any of it. I am feeling mixed feelings right now, in a way it was liberating to finally be finished with all the unbelievable stress and pressure from school. However, it pains me to see that I've let down so many people( my family included). I have invested so much time and effort only to get nothing. For those of you who have been in similar situations, please feel free to post a comment or private message me.
I would say life is full of ups and downs, imagine you could've started a restaurant and had it fail and been in the same situation, at least now you have some experience to show for it and some good grades on the transcript even if they're not all good. That being said I know someone that this happened to his well, you may want to look in becoming a Montessori teacher I know a girl that this happened to who ended up going into getting her credentials to be teacher instead..
 
UPDATE: Accepted into an OTA school. Rejected from 2 OT schools so far(Kean and AT Still). Waiting for other responses, if I do not get into any OT schools I will be attending OTA school in August.
 
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UPDATE: Accepted into an OTA school. Rejected from 2 OT schools so far(Kean and AT Still). Waiting for other responses, if I do not get into any OT schools I will be attending OTA school in August.

UPDATE: I received a letter from the admissions committee from the midwestern glendale campus in AZ that I am currently on "hold" and that my application was "deemed to posses enough merrit to be held for future review and this should be viewed as a positive result. It is, however impossible to predict if or when an interview might be offered". Does anyone know what this means?
 
I would imagine that means you're on some kind of waiting list?
 
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So I've officially applied to Kean, Midwestern AZ, Midwestern IL, Breanau University, Concordia, AT Still, Davenport, Baypath college, Salem State university, American International College, and University of New England.

Rejected from : Kean(incomplete application), UNE, and AT Still so far.

Apparently I'm on a waiting list to get an interview for Midwestern AZ, however there is no prediction "if or when an interview may be offered". No word on Baypath or Midwestern IL yet, which is weird because their deadlines were in February. I start my occupational therapy assistant school sometime in August, I could've started it earlier however I wanted to wait what these schools responses were. I've also been volunteering at an acute care setting (hospital) under an OT and it it's extremely ironic how the material I struggled with at school prior is just now "clicking" when I am out of school. Also I got an idea that if I ace my semester at my COTA program and send my transcript from there to an occupational therapy school, maybe I can strike a deal to get in sooner(since I already have my bachelors and most prerequisites already for an MSOT program). Thoughts?
 
So I've officially applied to Kean, Midwestern AZ, Midwestern IL, Breanau University, Concordia, AT Still, Davenport, Baypath college, Salem State university, American International College, and University of New England.

Rejected from : Kean(incomplete application), UNE, and AT Still so far.

Apparently I'm on a waiting list to get an interview for Midwestern AZ, however there is no prediction "if or when an interview may be offered". No word on Baypath or Midwestern IL yet, which is weird because their deadlines were in February. I start my occupational therapy assistant school sometime in August, I could've started it earlier however I wanted to wait what these schools responses were. I've also been volunteering at an acute care setting (hospital) under an OT and it it's extremely ironic how the material I struggled with at school prior is just now "clicking" when I am out of school. Also I got an idea that if I ace my semester at my COTA program and send my transcript from there to an occupational therapy school, maybe I can strike a deal to get in sooner(since I already have my bachelors and most prerequisites already for an MSOT program). Thoughts?

My concern would be "loyalty". I think you should stick with OT if you truly think that is where your heart lies. I don't think OT schools would like you to drop out of the COTA program to enter their OT program only because that means you took up someone's place and now the other school will lose one student. I think it might be better for you to continue strengthening your application through other means.
 
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My concern would be "loyalty". I think you should stick with OT if you truly think that is where your heart lies. I don't think OT schools would like you to drop out of the COTA program to enter their OT program only because that means you took up someone's place and now the other school will lose one student. I think it might be better for you to continue strengthening your application through other means.

Thank you for your reply, I never thought about it from that aspect before. It would indeed seem fishy if I were transfer out of my COTA program into another OT program. Plus it wouldn't be fair to both the COTA school and other students who have completed their bachelor's already also.

On another note, I have an upcoming interview on the 25th for an MSOT school! The downside, however is that this school is about 6 hours away from where I live. I may skype the school, however would it better for me to take the 6 hour drive to personally visit the school and talk to the faculty? I am thinking that me driving all the way there would make a good impression and shows how serious I am about attending the program. Thoughts?
 
What did you find out about schools that have a part-time program? I know that there are a few "weekend" programs, particularly in the NY region, but that they usually pack all of their classes into the weekend.

I tried to get a disability accomodation from my school to drop down from the heavy credit hour load they call full-time to a normal credit load that they call part-time. While my advisor was okay with it, apparently the professors had a rebellion. I'm going to be sitting out a couple terms and resuming full-time status with the following year's students. And I'm worried that when I resume doing that, I will ruin my health again.
 
What did you find out about schools that have a part-time program? I know that there are a few "weekend" programs, particularly in the NY region, but that they usually pack all of their classes into the weekend.

I tried to get a disability accomodation from my school to drop down from the heavy credit hour load they call full-time to a normal credit load that they call part-time. While my advisor was okay with it, apparently the professors had a rebellion. I'm going to be sitting out a couple terms and resuming full-time status with the following year's students. And I'm worried that when I resume doing that, I will ruin my health again.

Hi there. I really didn't find out that much, except that Salem State's program is just spread out into 4 years with like 3 to 4 classes per term. I applied there but haven't heard from them yet.

I strongly advise you to talk to your dean or anyone higher than the occupational therapy faculty at your school. You are paying a massive amount of money for tuition so it is only fair you get a accommodation to slow down classes if someone is willing to listen. The therapist who treated me for my disability told me that he fought tooth and nail to get his school to accommodate for him. He had to work during his program and couldn't handle the coursework. His professors did not allow him to slow down classes, so he spoke and wrote a letter to the dean and the dean allowed him to not have a full course load.
 
I think the professors are arguing that since the classes build on each other, they can't be reteaching material from one class in another class. That is one thing that hurt my grade in one of my classes. The department head is sympathetic, but he's an external hire and hasn't been there that long, so can't herd the faculty into doing things his way. Not sure pressure from the dean would help. When I spoke with Disability Services, they said that I am not entitled to any extra "help" that other students aren't getting. Many of the students have developed strong bonds with each other and/or have roommates in the program. So they have people to help them study and ask questions of each other.

Even if the disability accommodation is approved, the professors can retaliate in a backhanded way and refuse to help me on other things. One has already implied that I don't have what it takes to complete OT school or be an OT in a busy hospital. I don't know if she feels threatened because I'm a year or two older than her (based on comparisons with her graduation date) and had a successful career in another field before deciding to switch to OT.

Saying that I paid a lot for tuition so I should get my money's worth isn't the way to go about it, unfortunately. My advisor recently said that the conversations I have had with professors have been taken as criticism, and the only time I should be providing feedback is at the end of the semester course reviews.

So saying that I and half the students in the back can't see and giving suggestions as to what they could do in the short-term so that more people could see is criticism? What I learned in the work world is never bring up a problem unless you have a solution. And to bring things up when you see them as opposed to later on. Or at least in the field I was in, it was speak up or get trampled upon.

I have an appointment with the director of Disability Services on Monday. I will see what she thinks my options are.

Right now I'm torn between thinking that a little time off would be very beneficial (but very financially detrimental), and thinking that returning to a full course load in a year after time off is going to destroy my health, mentally and physically.
 
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