Employment & Professional Networking Which OT programs allow for work in every state?

[DBee88]

Hello All! Long time lurker, first time poster I'm considering many schools here in California (Currently living in the East Bay
, CA.)

While I am surrounded by Dominican U,SJSU and Samuel Merritt, I was wondering if any other programs in different states (Colorado U,Columbia University for example) might be an option for me?

I'd ideally like to live in California but I wouldn't mind moving to another state to get my degree (if it's possible to then move back to California and be able to work using my degree from another state. )

All input is welcome!!!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[OT3]

As for what school you'd likely be accepted to, it depends on what your stats are and what kind of program you want to attend. There are schools across the country, look on the AOTA website to see the accredited schools in every state

 

[Bokonomy]

This is dependent on the laws at the time. Right now, you can have fieldwork in any state. However, you should contact the school to see how flexible they are with out-of-state placements. At my school (Thomas Jefferson) they have placements in the Philly/PA/Jersey greater area, and you need to work with the FW coordinator if you want one out of the area, but it can happen.


Even if you don't get one, nothing's stopping you from getting licenced in CA after FW. Although you just might fall in love with the area (and fall in love with someone IN that area ) and not want to go back. So just email the programs you're interested in and ask about fieldwork, but focus on getting in! Good luck.

 

[OT1795]

From what I understand, each state has their own licensing process and requirements, but basically as long as you graduate from an accredited school and pass the NBCOT you can practice wherever you want. It just may take some time to apply and get a license for a state. It's not like for lawyers where you have to take the bar exam for a specific state.

 

[c2902]

For the purposes of finding a job after you graduate, the NBCOT is a nationally-recognized board exam. Therefore, initial state licensure is just dependent on fees and transcripts (though there may be other paperwork requirements by state - but in Virginia where I live, that was it), and then maintaining state licensure just depends on the number and type of CEUs the state requires. So you could get a degree in California, then move across the country after graduation, and find a job. That said, finding a job is also about networking, just like any other field. And fieldwork during school opens up that possibility, if you do a good enough job. Some people are hired by one of their sites after graduation (I was). As mentioned, technically, you can do a Level II fieldwork in any state, but that takes extra coordination and paperwork that you, the student, will likely be responsible for staying on top of and pushing for your program's fieldwork coordinator to make happen. Programs will set up contracts with local sites that they can then send students to year after year (if the site continues accepting them), and initiating a brand new contract in another state, just for one student, is an inconvenience. So if that is what you want, expect to do some leg work.

 

[DBee88]

Thank you all for your responses! I'm using my phone so I can't seem to figure out how to quote and respond to each of the responses. I'll def keep everything you've all said in mind if applying to schools outside CA!