Louisiana State University Health – Shreveport
Program in Occupational Therapy

TECHNICAL STANDARDS for MASTER OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENTS

Applicants seeking admission to the LSU Health Master of Occupational Therapy Program must be able to meet(and maintain throughout the program)the physical, cognitive, perceptual, psychosocial and professional demands of an entry level occupational therapist. The occupational therapy faculty have determined that the following skills are essential to the successful completion of the academic and clinical portions of the program.

Intellectual Ability and Problem Solving

Ability to:

  • Understand, remember and synthesize information from a variety of sources and to make logical decisions based on that information, often in the moment, resulting in effective and efficient solutions
  • Apply complex theoretical concepts to real world problems, adapting solutions according to environmental feedback
  • Generate numerous alternative solutions to problems
  • Guide one’s own learning through reading and other forms of self-instruction
  • Write coherently, objectively and succinctly without spelling and grammatical errors consistent with APA guidelines

Sensation/Observation

  • Hearing and vision within functional range (ability to hear soft voices, attend to signs of distress in client, to read small print, etc.)
  • Ability to regulate tactile, vestibular and olfactory input from the environment
  • Ability to attend to details consistently with distractions
  • Comfortable with being touched and touching others
  • Ability to perceive proprioceptive, tactile, and sensory input from clients in order to complete evaluations and treatment

Body Function

  • Sufficient strength and endurance for moderate to strenuous activity 8 hours a day
  • Ability to lift 20 lbs. independently from floor to overhead
  • Ability to perform 50% of a physical transfer of client up to 200 lbs. with assistance or assistive device, from bed, tub seat or wheelchair
  • Sufficient motor planning skills to navigate complex healthcare environment safely
  • Sufficient manual dexterity to use evaluation tools, splinting materials, adaptive equipment, etc.

Emotional Regulation and Communication

Ability to:

  • Manage and monitor own behaviors through self-reflection
  • Organize and manage time in order to complete educational and clinical responsibilities
  • Cope with stressful situations including assignment deadlines, constructive feedback from faculty and peers, public speaking, changing environments and schedules, emotionally laden interactions with clients, etc.
  • Willingly to work with a diverse client population including persons of various ages, disabilities, sexual preferences, ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Identify and interpret emotional affect, nonverbal cues, and response to intervention by individual clients and groups of clients.
  • Communicate (verbally, non-verbally, and in writing) professionally in English with clients/patients, family members, caregivers, faculty, and colleagues. Acknowledge and respect individual values and opinions to foster harmonious working relationships.

Professional

Ability to:

  • Abide by the American Occupational Therapy Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
  • Maintain CPR certification
  • Abide by the Program’s professional dress code and professional development policy motshreveport.pbworks.com
  • Comply with Program requirement to complete one three month fieldwork out of state and to arrange transportation and living accommodations for all fieldwork assignments in a timely fashion, accept all fieldwork placements as scheduled by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, abide by all policies in the LSU Fieldwork Manual motshreveport.pbworks.com
  • Comply with the full tuition of fieldwork courses

Upon acceptance to the program students may request reasonable accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act by contacting the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the School of Allied Health Professions. Accommodations will be considered reasonable if they a) do not substantively change the content or quality of instruction and b) do not compromise the safety of others, including clients. Students must arrange for accommodations prior to each semester and each fieldwork placement. All students, regardless of disability status, must meet the minimum essential requirements to safely, efficiently and effectively practice as a professional occupational therapy student.

Students requiring exemption from any of the activities included in these technical standards on a temporary basis should immediately notify the Occupational Therapy Program Director in writing. Students who require exemptions of greater than 90 days may be requested to resign from the occupational therapy program.

Sources consulted for these technical standards include:

Boston University (bu.edu/sargent/academics/departments/programs-in-occupational-therapy)

Creighton University (spahp.creighton.edu/admission/otd/doctor-occupational-therapy-program)

Touro University Nevada (tun.touro.edu/programs/college-of-health-and-human-services/occupational-therapy)

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