RICHMOND, Ky. (April 26, 2024) — Japanese Kentucky College (EKU) is residence to one of many prime Occupational Remedy (OT) packages within the nation, boasting a 99% commencement charge since 2020. Just lately, EKU ranked No. 22 in Greatest Occupational Remedy Packages for 2024 Greatest Well being Colleges by U.S. Information & World Report, shifting up from a earlier No. 29 place. The brand new Occupational Remedy Doctorate (OTD) program was lately accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Remedy Schooling (ACOTE), for the utmost seven-year interval.
“With April being Occupational Remedy Month, it’s solely becoming that we rejoice EKU’s success on this discipline and the profound influence it has on the lives of our college students and the broader neighborhood,” mentioned EKU President David McFaddin. “Offering well-trained professionals to satisfy the wants of communities throughout Kentucky and past is what we do finest at EKU. We’re proud to see our OT program proceed to realize nationwide recognition for excellence on this healthcare discipline.”
An occupational therapist works with sufferers who’ve circumstances which can be mentally, bodily, developmentally or emotionally disabling. They assist sufferers develop, get well or keep the abilities wanted for day by day dwelling and dealing.
EKU Affiliate Chair/Graduate Coordinator and Affiliate Professor, Dr. Renee Causey-Upton, spoke on this system’s construction, stating, “College students enter our program as juniors. After finishing a bachelor’s diploma in Occupational Science, college students are in a position to enter immediately into the OT doctorate diploma program. They finish our program with each occupational science and occupational remedy backgrounds.”
College students who full the tutorial observe to graduate from EKU’s OT program can be ready to enter the sector as generalist occupational therapists, Causey-Upton mentioned. College students who full the mixed OS/OTD program are eligible to take the nationwide certification examination given by the Nationwide Board for Certification in Occupational Remedy (NBCOT) and apply for licensure in all states, which is required to observe.
“College students can go into any space of observe and work with any inhabitants from the tiny child within the NICU, all the best way as much as aged sufferers. I’ve had shoppers as previous as 104 years,” mentioned Causey-Upton, who has labored as a training occupational therapist herself.
Whereas she mentioned many graduates keep within the Richmond space or select to serve their residence communities, EKU’s OT graduates are working throughout america, even so far as Alaska, and a few go to work as occupational therapists internationally.
Kris Kleine, ’00, is working as an occupational therapist in 4 elementary colleges in New Hampshire. Kleine has used his OT abilities, training and expertise to serve his neighborhood of various ages within the public faculty system.
Kleine first took an interest within the OT discipline as a baby, stating, “My aunt was developmentally disabled and got here to reside with us after my grandparents handed away.” At 43 years previous, she had by no means been in a position to feed herself on account of her incapacity, Kleine mentioned.
“As my dad (Glen Kleine) was a professor at EKU on the time, he knew in regards to the OT program and organized to have a number of EKU OT college students come to our home to see if they may assist her discover ways to feed herself,” Kleine mentioned. “After they started working together with her, the scholars developed some adaptive utensils for her which gave her the flexibility to lastly be capable to feed herself after a couple of weeks.”
Seeing the actions of the EKU OT college students left an impression on Kleine. EKU performed a job in shaping what occupational remedy meant to Kleine after which via the diploma program, aligned along with his personal path for fulfillment within the discipline.
“The OT program at EKU helped present me with many hands-on experiences each within the classroom and thru the various fieldwork experiences,” mentioned Kleine. A co-op alternative at Hitachi Automotive, he mentioned, broadened his talent set as he discovered how one can collaborate with a big group, practiced public talking and gained expertise in negotiating with people of various mindsets.
As a scholar in EKU’s OT program, he mentioned, “I used to be in a position to each observe and take part in OT evaluations and periods with college students throughout the native faculty system. I at all times felt supported by professors and particularly my fieldwork placement coordinator. By these relationships, I’m now paying it ahead and have supervised a number of OT college students from northeast OT packages and nonetheless join with them on a private degree as properly.”
EKU’s Occupational Remedy program gives college students with the information, instruments and expertise to enter a rewarding and fulfilling occupation of serving others. From EKU and throughout Kentucky to New Hampshire and past, graduates from the Faculty of Alternative are making a constructive distinction for people and their communities.
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