MU OT Program Outcomes

In the year 2012, 36 Misericordia University Occupational Therapy graduates attempted to take the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists examination for the first time. Of these 36, 35 passed the examination on first attempt. This resulted in the Misericordia University Occupational Therapy Program having a 2012 first time test taker pass rate of 97%, which is well above the 2012 national average of 85%.

During the 3 year period from January 2010 through December 2012, there were 98 MU OT graduates who sat for the NBCOT exam for the first time. 92 of these 97 passed the exam upon first attempt, resulting in a pass rate of 95% for the first time takers for that 3 year time period.

Occupational therapists work in a wide variety of settings and with age groups from birth through older adulthood. Employment settings include school systems, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, day care centers, hospitals, community mental health centers, prisons, home health agencies, private practice, educational institutions, early intervention programs, and dozens of other sites.

Misericordia University Occupational Therapy Student Retention:

The Misericordia University Occupational Therapy Program has an excellent student completion rate. For the 3 most recent calendar years (January-December of 2007, 2008, 2009), the average attrition rate for the program was .08. This means that during that time period an average of only 8 out of 100 students left the program prior to graduation.

Occupational Therapy Alumni Survey:

Each year the Occupational Therapy Department conducts a survey of its most recent graduating class. The graduates are asked to rate the curriculum on how well it prepared them for practice. Results from the survey of MU OT Class of 2009 graduates show that the vast majority of those who responded felt the curriculum prepared them very well for practice.

Survey of Occupational Therapy Graduates’ Supervisors and Employers:

The Occupational Therapy Department also conducts a yearly survey of the supervisors and employers of its recent graduates. The vast majority of the responses from supervisors and employers of the class of 2009 indicate a high degree of employer satisfaction with the occupational therapy preparation of the graduates.

Career Placement:

Career placement is excellent. Historically there has been, and continues to be, nearly 100% job placement for Misericordia University Occupational Therapy graduates.

Outlook for Employment:

Recent projections predict a healthy future for occupational therapy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports: “Employment of occupational therapists is expected to increase 23 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

Current Salaries:

The Bureau also states that “Median annual earnings of occupational therapists were $60,470 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $50,450 and $73,710.”

For more Information:

Please refer to this link from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information on job and salary prospects in occupational therapy: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm

Prospective students are also encouraged to consult the numerous resources concerning job opportunities and salaries available on the web at the American Occupational Therapy Association: http://www.aota.org/Students/Prospective.aspx