Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Achieves Full Accreditation

Worthington, MN – [September 11, 2024] – Minnesota West Community & Technical College is proud to announce that its associate degree-level Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, has been granted full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). This significant achievement underscores the program's commitment to excellence in occupational therapy education.  OTA Program Director, Anna Sandager, and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Amber Garcia, celebrated this milestone with the 14 currently enrolled OTA students. Sandager shared, “Achieving full accreditation is the culmination of many years of work and our OTA students are a significant piece of that process. They have demonstrated commitment and resilience on their paths to becoming Occupational Therapy Assistants, and we look forward to seeing them join our local communities as practitioners in the near future.”

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of this exam will qualify individuals as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA).   According to ACOTE, Minnesota West’s program strengths include; commitment to core values, community partnerships and their dedicated faculty and administration.  As program enrollment increases, so will the need for additional faculty and to maintain a clear admission criterion for applicants.  “Our talented faculty are passionate and committed to the success of their students and the quality of the program,” added Jackie Otkin, Dean of Allied Health.

Additionally, the onsite accreditation visit was smooth and successful, with all parties involved reporting positive outcomes and experiences. The OTA program completed the rigorous accreditation process with zero areas of non-compliance. Accreditors, visitors, and students continue to be impressed by the state-of-the-art lab and classroom spaces, which allow OTA students to learn and practice within the same space.

To learn more about ACOTE and its standards, please go to www.acoteonline.org.  Review the OTA program online or contact 800-658-2330.