Occupational Therapy Assistant (A.A.S)

• Meet admissions requirements, and be accepted by Walters State Community College.

  • Walters State Application

  • Indicate Associate of Science Health Science OTA Path (AS-HOTA) as the desired major on the WSCC application form.

Advising

• Follow college policy for advising prior to registration.

  apply online  

Application, observation documentation and results of designated admissions test must be received by the health programs department no later than the date specified on the online application of the year the student elects to participate in the selection process for the fall semester OTA class.

 

Test Scores

ACT composite score of >19 or HESI A2 score of > 80% in reading, vocabulary and math are the minimum scores for ranking purposes. All test scores must be less than 3 years old.

 

Course Work

Maintain an overall 2.5 GPA (excluding Learning Support courses)

Complete all required Learning Support courses.

Successfully complete BIOL 2010 and 2011 and BIOL 2020 and 2021 no later than the end of spring semester of the year the student elects to participate in the selection process for fall semester OTA class. A grade of C or better must be achieved in each required science course, with an overall GPA of at least 2.5. Biological science courses previously taken must have been completed within the last 10 years.

General education requirements are ENGL 1010, PSYC 2130, SPCH 1010, and HUMANITIES/FINE ARTS ELECTIVE. These courses may be taken after acceptance into the program, but must be completed prior to the spring semester the student intends to graduate. However, it is recommended that all general education requirements be completed no later than the end of the spring semester of the year the student makes application to the OTA program.

Students may not audit any OTA courses without the approval of the department director and the dean of Health Programs.

 

Observation Hours

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, students who are applying for the OTA program are required to complete observation hours or an alternative assignment for the Fall 2022 admission cycle.

 

Immunization Requirements

Due to your potential risk for exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials, you may be at risk of acquiring Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection, measles, mumps, rubella, or varicella (chicken pox). Health Programs students must provide documentation of complete vaccinations or titers from their healthcare provider. For varicella, students with disease history may have their healthcare provider document date of disease.

 

Submission Requirements

Accepted students must submit one form of documentation listed below for each disease following admission to a program.

Students who provide titers with laboratory values inconsistent with immunity are encouraged to get the vaccinations.

Student must submit documentation for medical or religious contraindications.

Hepatitis B (HBV)

• Documentation of three (3) shot dates.
• Titer showing immunity status to Hepatitis B.
• Documentation from my health care provider stating reason for contraindication.
• Signed written statement affirmed under penalty of perjury stating conflict with religious beliefs.

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

• Documentation of two (2) shot dates.
• Titers showing immunity status to rubella, rubeola and mumps.
• Documentation from my health care provider stating reason for contraindication.
• Signed written statement affirmed under penalty of perjury stating conflict with religious beliefs.

Varicella (Chicken Pox)

• Documentation of two (2) shot dates.
• Titer showing immunity status to varicella.
• History of disease with date documented by health care provider.
• Documentation from my health care provider stating reason for contraindication.
• Signed written statement affirmed under penalty of perjury stating conflict with religious beliefs.

Exemption

A student may be exempt from immunization requirement under one of the following circumstances:

• The vaccine is contraindicated for the individual based on guidelines established by manufacturer or Center for Disease Control
• Physician judgment based on the individual's medical condition and history (risk of harm outweighs benefit)
• Religious belief or practice (individual must provide written statement affirmed under penalty of perjury).

Transfer Students

Transfer students who have attended another OTA program and who desire to transfer to the WSCC OTA program will be considered on an individual basis. Transfer requests should be submitted in writing to the director of the OTA program. Students must meet the same standards and criteria as others pursuing an associate of applied science degree in OTA

 

Science Courses

Basic science courses over 10 years old, or specific OTA courses over 5 years old may not be eligible for selection criteria.

• BIOL 2010 and 2011 and BIOL 2020 and 2021 are pre-requisite courses for the OTA Program. Successfully complete BIOL 2010 and 2011 and BIOL 2020 and 2021 no later than the end of spring semester of the year the student elects to participate in the selection process for fall semester OTA class. A grade of C or better must be achieved in each required science course, with an overall GPA of at least 2.5.
  
  
• In order to graduate in five (5) semesters, students may request an accelerated BIOL 2010/2011 & BIOL 2020/2021 path from the Dean of Natural Sciences. This path allows courses to be taken concurrently or in an accelerated online format via TN eCampus.

 

Program Acceptance Notification

Students selected to the program for the fall semester will be notified in writing by July 15

Students notified of admission into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must return the Information Packet for New Admits by the date specified on the form:

• sign, date and return an acknowledgment of the Drug/Alcohol Abuse Policy and Consent form
• a comprehensive health examination at the students expense by a physician with required lab tests and immunizations or records of immunizations. 
• Students who do not respond or who do not plan to attend will have their positions filled by other applicants based on the criteria rankings. 

Students not selected for admission may reapply for a subsequent class

Contact the director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program for additional information, 423-798-8183.

 

Academic Failures

Students who have experienced an academic failure in any healthcare program must disclose this information when they make application to the OTA program.

 

Clinical Failures

Students who have experienced a clinical failure in a healthcare program are not eligible for admission.

 

Limited Enrollment

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program accepts approximately 12 new students each fall semester. The number of students accepted into the program is limited. Programs with limited enrollment such as the OTA program cannot accept out-of-state residents if there are Tennessee residents eligible for admission. Contact the Director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program for further information.

In addition to regular tuition costs, the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program requires approximately $3,313.76 in other expenses over four semesters.

Semester I additional costs: ~$1000.25
Semester II additional costs: ~$346.96
Semester III additional costs: ~$692.55
Semester IV additional costs: ~$1,274.00

 

Estimated One-Time Costs of Additional Materials

Material	Estimated Cost	Required By
Program Shirt/Uniform/Lab Coat	~$150.00	Start of program
CPR Certification	$45.00	Start of program
Immunization Requirements and Physical Examination	Cost Varies (Insurance Dependent)	Start of program
Goniometer Set	~$30.00	Start of program
Splinting Material	~$100.00	Semester III
Name Badge	Cost Varies	Fieldwork sites may have their own facility name badge
Practice NBCOT Exam	$30.00	Semester IV
NBCOT Exam Review Course	$140.00	Semester IV
State of Tennessee Licensing Fee	$12.00	Semester IV
NBCOT Exam Fee	$515.00	Semester IV
NBCOT Exam StudyPack	$75.00	Semester IV (optional)
PAMS Certification	$399.00 (upon completion of fieldwork)	Semester IV (optional, but strongly recommended)

 

Estimated Additional Course Costs by Semester

Expense	Semester I	Semester II	Semester III	Semester IV Level II Fieldwork
Textbooks	~$500.00	~$300.00	~$300.00	N/A
Criminal Background Check	$31.25	N/A	$31.25	Fieldwork sites may have their own requirements
Drug Screen (may be required to do additional per clinical site)	~$55.00	N/A	~$55.00	Fieldwork sites may have their own requirements
Professional Liability Insurance	$35.00	N/A	$35.00	N/A
AOTA Student Membership Fee	$75.00	N/A	$75.00	N/A
SOTA Dues (voted on annually)	~$25.00	N/A	~$25.00	N/A
Research Presentation	$40.00	N/A	$40.00	N/A