FAMU occupational therapy’s overall licensure rate just under 90%

[tusk91]

Interesting read....

Link:

http://rattlernation.blogspot.com/2011/07/famu-occupational-therapys-overall.html

Article:

FAMU’s occupational therapy program was placed on probation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) on April 17, 2011 for failing to meet the required 70 percent first-time passage rate benchmark on the national licensure examination despite the fact that its overall passage rate is about 90 percent.

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[Whistle Pig]

Tusk, from the article, there is no "despite" pertinent here. Did you read what it said? 50% first-time pass rate; allegedly 90% pass following multiple test-takings. AOTA uses only first time rate which must be 70% or higher.

And this is THE FACTOR that works against programs taking poor performing academic students. They cannot afford to admit then support sub-par academic students. It is this simple. And when they are increasingly able to get top-shelf performers ... who can and will pay the cost of tuition ... they will. There is simply little or no call nor rationale for their doing otherwise. And the common app facilitates such. In light of these realities, FAMU has a particular challenges being a traditionally black institution.

 

[FutureOT2013]

This from famu's website:

NBCOT Certification Results:
The total number of graduates who passed the certification examination as first time graduate test takers in 2007-2009 was 6 out of 14, which is a 42% pass rate. During that three year time, the program had 15 graduates.

An average of 5 OT grads per year? Either this is a really exclusive program or....

Exactly how big are these cohorts to begin with?

 

[tusk91]

It is not an exclusive program just a smaller program.

As far as accepting sub-par academic students, that will always be the knock on HBCU's by those who never attended one. But, apart of the mission is to give a percentage of students who may not other wise be considered college material a chance at a higher education.

My thoughts are that the problem is more with the smaller student base than poor academic students. The OT program is a masters level program and to gain admittance the students had to obtain a Bachelors degree already.

http://www.famu.edu/alliedHealth/Admissions Process 6.1.09.doc

FAMU will just have to implement changes in the program itself to increase the first time passage rate. Similar thing occurred at my own school with the Nursing program.

 

[lizzo76]

Interesting, and I think Whistle Pig absolutely nailed it. The overall passage rate is irrelevant. And, I had never given any thought to passage rate playing a role in most schools' reluctance to admit weaker students, but if I had, it would have made perfect sense.

A smaller student base is usually a POSITIVE thing and should improve passage rates on national exams (especially if, as Tusk posits, the students are not poor academically.) This is not really a situation where the 'n' is not large enough to be representative. If there are only 15 students over 3 years, and 14 of them take the exam, in most programs I would expect to see a higher passage rate than I would if 200 students were taking the exam in that time. The program should be structured in such a way that just about every single student of such a small group passes. To see fewer than half pass is distressing. (And many OT programs are direct entry masters programs which require students to have already obtained a bachelors degree... that doesn't usually affect ability to get applicants, and even a "HBCU" should be able to get applicants for a masters program.)

I'm also interested in the "15 graduates" - this says nothing about how many people were admitted. Do we know attrition rate? Are these 15 people the stronger students who didn't leave earlier and yet they still can't pass?

 

[fejin757]

Tusk, from the article, there is no "despite" pertinent here. Did you read what it said? 50% first-time pass rate; allegedly 90% pass following multiple test-takings. AOTA uses only first time rate which must be 70% or higher.

And this is THE FACTOR that works against programs taking poor performing academic students. They cannot afford to admit then support sub-par academic students. It is this simple. And when they are increasingly able to get top-shelf performers ... who can and will pay the cost of tuition ... they will. There is simply little or no call nor rationale for their doing otherwise. And the common app facilitates such. In light of these realities, FAMU has a particular challenges being a traditionally black institution.

Well, FAMU accepted me and my stats to them were:

GPA: 3.4
Prerequisite: 3.2
GRE: 1270

I don't think that qualifies as a 'poor performing academic student.' Needless to say, their probation scared me off from accepting

 

[Watch Dog]

Well, FAMU accepted me and my stats to them were:

GPA: 3.4
Prerequisite: 3.2
GRE: 1270

I don't think that qualifies as a 'poor performing academic student.' Needless to say, their probation scared me off from accepting

Not enough info behind those numbers, but we're not here to judge right? Besides, at FAMU those stats would make you a Rhodes Scholar.

 

[Toc]

I received my undergrad at Famu for Occupation and Wellness and can say there are a few issues. Class sizes are small, with usually admitting 15-18 students a year with GPA's averaging 3.4+('09-'10) . I don't believe FAMU's program is lacking in academic students, but more so students with a passion. It's easy to look through applications and determine who best qualify, but harder to scan for a passion in this profession.

I've witnessed more than a few students transfer out of the program into something like PT or Nursing or just drop out completely. Some use the degree as a stepping stone and throw out all wants to take the test and apply to another school proving they can handle graduate work for another program

This year, the program had more applications than ever 250+ thanks to OTCAS. I know of at least 10 students from my undergrad class who applied and were accepted and there is thought to be at least 30 seats available this year. So hopefully with more seats and more serious students the pass rate will go up.

I'm not worried about FAMU's probation at the moment, it may be the swift kick the program needs to mature quickly, and the upcoming graduating class is one of the most dedicated I've seen.

GPA: 3.7
Pre-req:3.0
GRE:1000

I was accepted to other programs, but went with FAMU simply because the last year of undergrad classes in OW is the first year within the grad program. I'm all for shorter school time especially a year less.

 

[fejin757]

Not enough info behind those numbers, but we're not here to judge right? Besides, at FAMU those stats would make you a Rhodes Scholar.

Ok here is more info:

Florida State University
B.S in Exercise Science
Minor in Biology
GRE: 1270 (610-87th percentile verbal 660-quant 4AW)


Haha, good enough? But yeah..I think I was definitely a stronger applicant at their school while I'd only be considered average at others.

 

[tusk91]

Update:

Occupational Therapy: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Exam

Florida A & M University

First-time, Pass Rate - 2012 / 60%
First-time, Pass Rate - 2013 / 92%
Overall Pass Rate* - 2014 / 96%

* Due to changes in accreditation policy, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (OTR) Examinations no longer report first-time pass rates. The pass rates are now ‘New Graduates’ pass rates and represent the ultimate pass rate, or the percentage of students who passed regardless of how many times the exam was taken. The Occupational Therapy exam is a national standardized examination, and is not a licensure examination. Students who wish to practice in Florida must also take a licensure exam.