MASTER OF Occupational therapy
{ goal }
improve lives
{ reality } real solutions “ As an Ambrose OT graduate and adjunct instructor, I value the faculty’s emphasis on best practice initiatives. Accountability is important. We can’t truly be successful until our clients have positive outcomes.” Julie Theill BSOT ’92, MBAH ’07 MOT Adjunct Faculty, St. Ambrose University Rehab Services Manager, Hammond-Henry Hospital
WHY ST. AMBROSE?
Established in 1989, the St. Ambrose University Occupational Therapy program is the only master’s level program in Iowa. Our holistic curriculum—developed in our rich liberal arts tradition—addresses psychological, social, physical and environmental factors impeding human function across the life span.
At Ambrose, we focus on finding real solutions for real people. Iowa’s only Assistive Technology Lab involving fabrication is located on campus and allows students and faculty to create and adapt devices that solve specific problems for individuals. Such devices have won the prestigious Maddak Awards conferred by the American Occupational Therapy Association, including a one-handed nail and hammer designed for amputees, a life-saving seizure sensor, and a check-valve straw enabling individuals with breathing or movement impairments to drink liquids independently.
student success
Our faculty
members are committed to the profession, their students and the individuals they serve. Such dedication develops occupational therapy graduates with the same level of commitment who are prepared to be integral members of health care teams, where their advanced education assures their ability to solve problems now and in the future.
On average,
90% of Ambrose
MOT students pass the national certification exam on their first try, and our 2007 class achieved a 100% pass rate.
What do Occupational Therapists do?
> Master of Occupational Therapy graduates become health and rehabilitation professionals who work with individuals across the entire life span in a variety of practice settings.
> OTs often work on interdisciplinary teams with teachers, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, psychologists, speech therapists and social workers.
> OT treatments are individualized to help clients rebuild functional skills and live healthier lives.
> OTs respond to emerging social needs among growing populations, from premature infants to older adult clients, helping all achieve their highest level of function in the face of chronic health problems or other threats to long-term wellness.
OT at Ambrose
Our personal education nurtures professional success. Faculty
members combine clinical experience with passionate dedication to their students, clients and profession. Students learn how to integrate professionalism and service from exemplary role models. OT faculty members are known to bring students into their private practices to work with patients, and to travel abroad with their students on service trips in community and public health settings.
Established students mentor new OT students, while campus organizations get them involved in the department and the community. The Student Occupational Therapy Association, the student arm of AOTA, engages in service projects such as assisting with Special Olympics, and provides opportunities for professional development, including attending AOTA’s annual conference. Joint lectures, clinical discussions and special projects, like the Health Sciences Adventure Camp for 7th- and 8th-graders, introduce our students to working with other health care professionals on a rehabilitation team.
Did you know? O ccupational therapy is one of the nation’s 150 best-paying, fastestgrowing and recession-proof jobs.
Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs
{what’s Next?} Explore our program in depth and apply online www.sau.edu/ot Chat with us Occupational Therapy Department 563/333-6277 Graduate Student Recruitment Office 563/333-6354 Schedule a campus visit to experience Ambrose firsthand Email mot@sau.edu or call 563/333-6277
program options
The “2 plus 3” program consists of liberal
arts education prerequisites emphasizing biological and social sciences, and three years of professional occupational therapy course requirements including internships.
> Undergraduates can complete two years of general education and prerequisites and enter the program in their junior year, graduating with a Master of Occupational Therapy in only five years.
> Students who have earned degrees in other fields can enter as graduate students. They must earn approximately 90 credits, and spend five semesters on campus and one semester doing fieldwork.
Carol Haywood { goal } finding a focus { reality } seeing the big picture “ When I entered OT one of my primary objectives was to understand the different practice areas and find my niche. As I experienced several settings throughout my fieldwork—inpatient, outpatient, schools, home health—I realized what is most important is understanding the big picture of OT and applying it across the lifespan.” Carol Haywood ’08, MOT ’09 Waverly, Iowa
READ
more profiles
www.sau.edu/ot
service to others
> The program’s curriculum enables students to learn by doing and allows them to apply their knowledge to serve communities, from the local to the international. One such student is 2007 graduate Janna Syester, who worked with young children with disabilities in an orphanage in Ukraine, where occupational therapy is not available.
> Our department also participates in St. Ambrose’s wide-ranging service learning initiatives. Faculty members and students routinely help individuals with disabilities experience water skiing at the “Access to Waves” adaptive clinic.
> This dedication to service doesn’t end at graduation. Alumna Angie DeLost ’98 led an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build in Pekin, Ill., for the family of one of her pediatric clients.
Only at
Ambrose
> Drawn by our program’s reputation and the success of our alumni, Master of Occupational Therapy students graduate with a comprehensive knowledge base and ethical standards for professional practice. > Two significant projects deepen practical understanding. In research, student teams collaborate with faculty members on evidence-based research for an entire year. In the leadership and management course, students conduct a needs assessment to determine where an occupational therapy program could be started or expanded. > Study abroad options in Ecuador, Brazil and Ireland also give students the opportunity to learn about the need for occupational therapy outside of the United States and for hands-on experience in making a direct impact. > A spirit of cooperation and generosity thrives here, which reflects the quality of life in the Quad Cities and at St. Ambrose.
{ goal } personal treatment { reality } personal rewards read more: www.sau.edu/ot
Joe Ulloa ’01, MOT ’02, Home Care Occupational Therapist, Trinity Health Systems
“The MOT program gets you into all different settings, from pediatrics to geriatrics. As a student, I didn’t know I’d like working with an older population until a professor took my class to the Center for Active Seniors for a learning experience. It was amazing when I put my hand on the shoulder of one elderly woman, and her face lit up. That decided it for me.�
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www.sau.edu/ot
518 West Locust Street Davenport, Iowa 52803
The St. Ambrose University Master of Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association, located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220, 301/652-2682. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist administered by the National Board for Certification (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered. In addition, Our Mission St. Ambrose University— most states require licensure to practice; however, independent, diocesan, and Catholic—enables its most state licenses are usually based on the results of students to develop intellectually, spiritually, ethically, the certification exam. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification exam or socially, artistically and physically to enrich their attain state licensure. own lives and the lives of others.