Pre-Requisites By School?

[skipsbarryimage]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello, I am new here, just looking at my options..dreaming of opening a Hippotherapy Center one day (instead of becoming a Veterinarian?)

I am wondering if there is a general set of pre-reqs that will work for all OT programs? Or if there is a database/book where all of the pre-reqs for each school are compiled in the same area?

I need to know what classes I should be taking, if I decide to go this route, instead of Vet Med.

 

[RedHeadOT]

I am not aware of a database where all prerequisites are compiled. I think you need to find out specific prerequisites by going to each individual school's website. However, as a rule most schools require (at least from what I have seen):

-abnormal psychology
-developmental psychology (birth to death)
-anatomy
-physiology
-statistics
-sociology or anthropology
-medical terminology

...Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Sadly, in addition to those I listed, many schools will have other prerequisites that may or may not overlap with other schools you might be considering. This might include physics, an English course, ethics, speech, etc. Hope that helps.

 

[BHSUStudent]

I've seen Chemistry, Physics, 3D Design, Culture/Humanities, Kinesiology, in addition to what was listed above.

 

[skipsbarryimage]

Thank you both, there is a book for Veterinary School Admissions that has all pre-reqs listed by school, that's why I asked.

I'm planning on majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Psych, to cover all of the pre-reqs for all of my options. I guess I'm looking for reassurance that this is the "right thing" to do? I've just recently "discovered" Occupational Therapy, and feel kind of lost as to how to proceed, any advice or tips would be appreciated. I do plan on "shadowing" a PT and OT if I can find them around my area.

 

[Johann00]

I had to take public speaking for one school I applied to as well. It will be much easier for you to narrow down your school choices and then figure out what you need to take based on those schools. Good luck!

 

[BHSUStudent]

You could also buy an intro to OT book, it won't tell you the pre-reqs, but it will give you a rundown of what courses you'll need by discussing OT theory. You want to be able to apply to as many schools as possible. Criteria change over time, and choosing a list of schools now will narrow down your options when you start to apply later. Schools actually get less applicants when their pre-reqs are more specific, from what I've seen. Schools that have pre-reqs that are very general will get over-saturated with applications. I've seen the specific schools get around 200, while the general ones get 500-800. So by meeting the pre-reqs of more specific programs, you may have a higher chance of getting in. This is not always the case however.

 

[drm66]

Go to AOTA.org
-education and careers
- find a school

You can see all the accredited OT schools and by what level. They have links to each program.

 

[BowlofSunshine]

This was one of my gripes when applying to OT schools.

There were no streamlined pre-reqs

Some schools required more hard (physics, calculus) science pre-reqs while others required soft (social) science pre-reqs

One school even required an art class pre req for the fine/gross motor skill, which I thought was absolutely ridiculous.

My best suggestion: Go to the AOTA site, check the list of schools and narrow your choices by what you want (min. GPA requirement, pre-reqs, shadowing hours, curriculum (science or research based), GRE/GMAT requirements, location, etc.)

This is what I did and helped me narrow down where to apply because applying can get very overwhelming.