The Iowa state has 3 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy program. Plus, the state also has 4 ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools which provides an associate degree. The license is required to practice as an OT or OTA in the state of Iowa and it’s compulsory for the graduates of OT schools to apply for the licensure.
The 3 Occupational therapy schools in Iowa are-
- Allen College
- Ambrose University and
- Drake University.
Occupational therapy in Iowa-
The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own state association, i.e. IOTA (Iowa Occupational Therapy Association).
The IOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The IOTA is a state-based professional organization and public voice for the occupational therapy profession in Iowa.
The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession, create public awareness, provide support to the therapist in continuing education and improve and maintain the quality of occupational therapy profession in the state of Iowa. The IOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational therapy association.
Website – www.iowaot.org/
Occupational therapy License in Iowa-
Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get a license from the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy.
The minimum requirements for the license are –
- Entry level master degree or OTD degree
- NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
- Application fees of $120.
Limited OT/OTA Permit: A limited permit to practice as an occupational therapist (OT) or as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) may be granted to persons who have completed the educational and experience requirements for licensure and are waiting to take or receive the results of the certification examination. The limited permit is valid for six months or until the date on which the results of the certification examination are made available.
Here is the complete overview of Occupational Therapy schools in Iowa.
#1 Allen College
| Allen College | |
|---|---|
| Course Offered– | Master of Science in Occupational Therapy |
| University Campus | Waterloo, Iowa |
| Public or Private- | Private Institute. |
| Program Director- | Cindy Hahn, OTD |
| Course Duration- MSOT |
2.5 years program (7 semesters plus fieldworks). |
| Seat capacity | —- |
| OT Admission | Once a year (Fall) |
| Application Procedure | Submit an application through OTCAS |
| Minimum Requirement (MSOT) |
|
| Pre-requisite Course work |
|
| Address | Occupational Therapy Program 1825 Logan Avenue Waterloo, IA 50703-1916 Email- [email protected] |
| Website | www.allencollege.edu |
#2 St. Ambrose University
The St. Ambrose University was the 1st university in Iowa to offer an accredited OT program leading to a registered occupational therapist degree. The OTD curriculum is of three years of coursework that includes fieldwork and internships. The course also includes a final doctoral project.
The OT school offers state of the art labs and multiple opportunities to work with students in other professional programs( PT, SLP, nursing) within the university. The OT school also has an Assistive Technology Outreach Service that is a resource center for students and offers free services to clients and healthcare professionals
The Occupational Therapy entry-level doctoral program at St. Ambrose University has applied for accreditation and has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the AOTA, Inc.
| St. Ambrose University | |
|---|---|
| Course Offered– | Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) |
| University Campus | Davenport, Iowa |
| Public or Private- | Private Institute. |
| Program Director- | Kilburg Lynn |
| Course Duration- OTD |
2.5 years program (8 semesters, including fieldworks and doctoral project). |
| Seat capacity | —- |
| OT Admission | Once a year (Fall) |
| Application Procedure | Submit an application through OTCAS. Interview after selection. |
| Minimum Requirement (OTD) |
|
| Pre-requisite Course work |
|
| Address | Occupational Therapy Program Center for Health Sciences Education 1320 West Lombard Street Davenport, IA 52804 (563) 333-6277 Email- [email protected] |
| Website | www.sau.edu |
#3 Drake UniversityDoctor of Occupational Therapy Program-
(Program with Candidacy Status) The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the AOTA.
| Drake University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences |
|
|---|---|
| Course Offered– | Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) |
| University Campus | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Public or Private- | Private Institute. |
| Program Director- | Griffiths Yolanda |
| Course Duration- OTD |
3-year program |
| Seat capacity | Approx 45 students. |
| OT Admission | Once a year (Fall) |
| Application Procedure | Submit an application through OTCAS. Submit a Drake University’s supplemental application. |
| Minimum Requirement (OTD) |
|
| Pre-requisite Course work |
|
| Address | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 3003 Forest Avenue Des Moines, IA 50311-2911 Email- [email protected] |
| Website | www.drake.edu/ot |
Iowa OTA schools-
#1 Hawkeye Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
PO Box 8015
Waterloo, IA 50704-8015
Status: Probationary Accreditation (effective August 4, 2017)
#2 Indian Hills Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
525 Grandview Avenue
Ottumwa, IA 52501-1472
Status: Accreditation
#3 Kirkwood Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
508 Linn Regional Center
1770 Boyson Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233
Status: Accreditation
#4 Ross College in Quad Cities
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
2119 E. Kimberly Road
Bettendorf, IA 52722-3628
Status: Accreditation
Occupational Therapy jobs in Iowa-
The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in Iowa. The United States’s Bureau of Labor Statistics includes occupational therapy as one of its fastest-growing occupations, with registered occupational therapists predicted to have a faster than average growth (21- 36%). Many Health Care Recruitment providers have reported a shortage of occupational therapists and OTA in Iowa.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 1,050 employed and licensed occupational therapists in Iowa in May 2016. And the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Iowa for the occupational therapist and occupational therapy Assistant.
Occupational Therapy Salary in Iowa-
As per indeed.com, the average salary for an occupational therapist in Iowa was $77,800 per annum (in 2016) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy professionals were $75,000 and $36.06, respectively in May 2016.
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