Occupational therapy assistant classes at Ross campuses in Hopkinsville, KY.
ACOTE’s Disclosure Statement regarding Probationary Accreditation Action: The occupational therapy assistant program at Ross College in Hopkinsville, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was placed on Probationary Accreditation effective March 23, 2024, because the area of noncompliance related to 2018 Standard A.6.4 (certification exam pass rate) is so serious that the capability of the program to provide acceptable educational experiences for the students is threatened. The program has been requested to submit a Progress Report to return the program to full compliance with the Standards within the mandated time period for correction.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate of Applied Science degree program can prepare you for the opportunity to help improve the quality of a person’s life and ability to perform daily activities through rehabilitative exercises and activities. Working as part of a rehabilitation team and under the supervision of an occupational therapist, you will find occupational therapy assistants in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, home health care, early intervention, school systems, and psychiatric hospitals.
The goal of occupational therapy is to help clients return to every day activities such as work, play, leisure, and home activities. In order to accomplish this, occupational therapy assistants think creatively to help clients with disabilities.
Occupational therapy assistants work alongside and under the supervision of occupational therapists. They assist occupational therapy clients as they relearn and develop typical daily life skills like eating, getting dressed, working, driving, etc. Occupational therapy assistants can be found in a variety of settings and working with many different types of patients.
Some choose to work with the elderly in their homes, nursing homes, or clinics. Others work with children, helping them to expand their skills in accomplishing fundamental activities. Still others may decide to work with patients that have disabilities that challenge their ability to perform necessary tasks.
Students enrolled in the Ross Occupational Therapy Assistant program are required to successfully complete two different fieldwork components. The first fieldwork experience is a one week full time observation based experience in a psychosocial setting. This one week fieldwork is scheduled during the same month as Intervention in Mental Health allowing students to apply academic principles to real world settings. Once students have completed all academic courses, students are required to complete two 2-month full time fieldwork experiences.
This fieldwork experience allows students to follow and learn from experienced, well respected occupational therapy assistants and occupational therapists. Not only do students build necessary clinical skills, but more importantly gain valuable patient interaction skills. In summary, the four months of fieldwork allows students to apply academic principles to real patient care. The combination of the academic coursework and the fieldwork experience serve as an appropriate starting point for students to pass the certification exam allowing them to be practicing occupational therapy assistants.
Once a student successfully completes the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Ross, they are eligible to take the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) exam through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). In order to be able to work as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, graduates must take and successfully pass the exam.
In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
NBCOT Certification Examination Performance: For information pertaining to the most recent OTA graduates on the national certification examination, please refer to https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.
The total number of graduates from Ross College – Quad Cities/Bettendorf, Iowa, campus for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program during the three-year period of 2022-2024 was 11 with an overall graduation rate of 73%.
The total number of graduates from the Ross College – Hopkinsville, Kentucky, campus for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program during the three-year period of 2022-2024* was 29 with an overall graduation rate of 88%.
| Graduation Year | Students Entering / Graduates | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10/6 | 60% |
| 2023 | 5/5 | 100% |
| 2024 | 0/0 | NA |
| Total | 11/15 | 73% |
| Graduation Year | Students Entering / Graduates | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20/18 | 90% |
| 2023 | 7/5 | 71% |
| 2024 | 6/6 | 100% |
| Total | 33/29 | 88% |
An Associate of Applied Science Degree will be awarded to each student who successfully:
| Program | Credit Hour | Program Length (Quarters) | Tuition per Credit Hour | General Fee | Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 96 | 8 | $411.00 | $0.00 | $39,456.00 |
* There is an optional technology kit that would add $395.00 to the cost of the program if selected. Published fees for the program are subject to change
Ross College Official 3 year Cohort Default Rate (for all campuses under the main campus of Ross Medical Education Center – Brighton, MI) for 2020 is [0.0].
THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT PROGRAM IS ACCREDITED BY THE ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION (ACOTE) OF THE AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION (AOTA), LOCATED AT 7501 WISCONSIN AVENUE, SUITE 510E, BETHESDA, MD 20814. ACOTE’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, C/O AOTA, IS (301) 652-AOTA, AND ITS WEB ADDRESS IS WWW.ACOTEONLINE.ORG.”
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 652-2682 acoteonline.org
During my time at Ross Medical I have learned the fundamentals of becoming a pharmacy technician, and I feel like I've been prepared to start my career properly. The staff is friendly, helpful, and always there when I need them. When I first started I was nervous and didn't know if I could do it, but because of all the factors that Ross offers I had a smooth transition. It's also great that they help you with the interviewing process and getting a job. My instructor Laura Cyphers was great! She had experience being a pharmacist, which gave a real-life perspective of how the field operates. She explained the curriculum well and I have the highest GPA I have ever had. I feel like I have received enough knowledge to succeed. The Campus Director, April Harr, is great, because you can always go talk with her and she's there to listen. Overall, my experience at Ross has been educational and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this school to other people, because Ross has helped me better my life.
Brisk Reed Graduate Pharmacy Technician student at Johnson City, TN campus Graduation: April 3, 2019
Completing a certificate in Medical Assisting through Ross Medical has jumpstarted my career! I was recently hired on at an oncology office which is such an amazing opportunity. I have gained so much valuable experience and I am continuing to learn new information and gain new experience every time I am at work.
Hope Bockover Graduate Medical Assistant student at Kokomo, IN campus Graduation: November 10, 2017
The main reason I would recommend Ross College is the atmosphere! All the staff members are caring and helpful! The instructors are knowledgeable in the fields they are teaching. As a result, students are passing and wanting to come to class!
Tonya Shaffer Graduate Medical Assistant student at North Canton, OH campus Graduation: April 24, 2019
My name is Robin. I started at Ross in September 2018. Enrolling for a medical assistant has been very challenging but so very rewarding. It's been the best academic experience of my life. I could not have picked a better school for myself and my needs. The staff has been amazing!
Robin Whalen Graduate Medical Assistant student at Flint, MI campus Graduation: April 24, 2019
The program has changed me a lot. I learned to be more professional. I've learned a lot and I watched myself make progress, from getting better grades to having a better and more professional attitude, as well as understanding situations better. It also expanded my knowledge about the medical field. I recommend the program if you are looking to go into the medical field, I think it's a good start.
Anderih Toma Graduate Medical Assistant student at Madison Heights, MI campus Graduation: November 18, 2019
