Other OT-Related Information OT hours?

[Kungfuchloe]

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What do you guys think?
In HS I volunteered/shadowed with an OT for 100hrs. Does it matter that I did those hours in 2008-2009? They were once documented as well, idk if they've kept the sign in sheets this long though.

And I just started working at the state hospital as Physical Therapy Aide. They didn't offering anything similar OT wise, heck I can't even get the OT department to call me back. Do you think working as a PT aide will be any use in applying to OT school?

 

[cb31]

What do you guys think?
In HS I volunteered/shadowed with an OT for 100hrs. Does it matter that I did those hours in 2008-2009? They were once documented as well, idk if they've kept the sign in sheets this long though.

And I just started working at the state hospital as Physical Therapy Aide. They didn't offering anything similar OT wise, heck I can't even get the OT department to call me back. Do you think working as a PT aide will be any use in applying to OT school?

Most places won't accept hours more than two years old and PT hours are not counted at all... at least in the two year of researching schools, I never saw any schools that would accept hours with PTs.

 

[ot.3277]

Most places won't accept hours more than two years old and PT hours are not counted at all... at least in the two year of researching schools, I never saw any schools that would accept hours with PTs.

Wow I did not realize there was a 2 year limit, I thought it was around 5 max, but who knows. And yes, PT hours will not count in the OT related volunteer/shadow hours section, but you could put it under the non-OT volunteer section. If you have already started the PT hours then I would put it there, if you haven't started it yet then Ii would maybe try to find OT hours instead, but either way any experience is better than no experience 🙂

 

[gntk]

Many schools have a limit on how long ago the OT hours were completed. Also, almost all OTs know about the volunteer hours requirement for schools (and most are usually are nice about it, considering they had to do it themselves). Depending on your relationship with that OT you shadowed/volunteered with, you can probably ask them sign off whatever volunteer documents you need for the upcoming application cycle. This only works if they are not required to write the timeframe of when the hours were completed--some volunteer documents only ask for the "total" hours. Although, if they don't remember you as well, its probably not a good idea to do this because majority of the volunteer documents will require the OT to write some sort of evaluation on your behalf. A bad evaluation could mean application rejection.

Working as a PT aide is definitely worth while for OT school. Actually, almost anything could be applicable to OT school, depending how you word it. As a PT aide, you'll be able to gain critical skills working with patients, understanding exercise plans, and being able to work collaboratively with practitioners in the Rehab field. If you decide to pursue the PT aide route for experience, I'd say you should sway away from emphasizing anything PT related, but emphasize patient interaction skills on your application. But remember...try to also gain some experience in something that is OT related. Many schools look for this, as a way to know if an applicant actually knows what OT is all about.

As for the PT aide position, you might actually get a good recommendation from someone at the hospital! And, the PT aide position might make it easier to get in contact with a few OTs in the department, considering that they will see you around and know your name. Keep in mind though that you most likely will need one recommendation signed by an OT. 🙂

 

[ot.3277]

Many schools have a limit on how long ago the OT hours were completed. Also, almost all OTs know about the volunteer hours requirement for schools (and most are usually are nice about it, considering they had to do it themselves). Depending on your relationship with that OT you shadowed/volunteered with, you can probably ask them sign off whatever volunteer documents you need for the upcoming application cycle. This only works if they are not required to write the timeframe of when the hours were completed--some volunteer documents only ask for the "total" hours. Although, if they don't remember you as well, its probably not a good idea to do this because majority of the volunteer documents will require the OT to write some sort of evaluation on your behalf. A bad evaluation could mean application rejection.

Working as a PT aide is definitely worth while for OT school. Actually, almost anything could be applicable to OT school, depending how you word it. As a PT aide, you'll be able to gain critical skills working with patients, understanding exercise plans, and being able to work collaboratively with practitioners in the Rehab field. If you decide to pursue the PT aide route for experience, I'd say you should sway away from emphasizing anything PT related, but emphasize patient interaction skills on your application. But remember...try to also gain some experience in something that is OT related. Many schools look for this, as a way to know if an applicant actually knows what OT is all about.

As for the PT aide position, you might actually get a good recommendation from someone at the hospital! And, the PT aide position might make it easier to get in contact with a few OTs in the department, considering that they will see you around and know your name. Keep in mind though that you most likely will need one recommendation signed by an OT. 🙂

So besides the letter of rec from individual OTs, each OT will give an evaluation? I couldn't find where it says that in OTCAS

 

[gntk]

@ot.3277 I applied to schools in CA, so it might be different on the east coast.

TBH, the OTCAS system was confusing. Unless its changing this upcoming cycle--the 2014-2015 OTCAS required applicants to input the volunteer hours, type of experience, whether paid/non-paid, and the contact information (phone and email) from the OT who supervised you. There is also a box that states if you are requesting a reference from the OT whom supervised you. In this case, I made sure ask each OT I received a recommendation from to input the total hours I completed in their letter. The only way for the OTCAS to verify those hours is if they were to call up or email the OT (which I hardly doubt they did...). It seems like many schools whom went solely through the OTCAS based these hours on the honestly system.

On the side note, a school may also required the applicant to submit a volunteer evaluation form or hours verification form (not through OTCAS) and mail it to the school. Usually this is how the school would verify any hours completed. On these forms, they usually have a checklist or space for an OT to write any additional comments. These forms are then sealed and mailed directly to the school by the OT. This can also be through a supplemental application where they might have you input an email address of the OT--where the OT then fills out the volunteer evaluation online

Schools that are not through the OTCAS usually require some sort of volunteer evaluation.

 

[cb31]

@ot.3277 every school is different... Some may require an evaluation form others may not... This form would be supplement to OTCAS application so make sure when you look at schools you see if you have to submit anything in addition to your OTCAS application.

Also, on a slightly different note, not all schools just accept the number of hours you put on OTCAS. When I was accepted into my OT program I had to fill out another OT observation hour sheet, include the OT contact info AND their LICENSE number (wtf, who has that... lol), and then I had to get it notarized. So it got real, lol.

 

[deleted704821]

If you want a good chance of getting in I recommend only doing OT hours. Everyone you will be going up against will probably have OT hours and if you did PT they will wonder why you didn't just go to PT school and probably accept someone who actually dedicated themselves to OT. Most schools I encountered won't accept hours past 3 years or so.