To all our OT and OTA Students – Introducing the MiOTA Corner for Community and Networking (MCCN)!

MiOTA is presenting a new networking community allowing OT/OTA students to share any information, stories, or impactful situations that you have recently experienced that you think could benefit the occupational therapy community’s growth toward continuous learning.  This information could go a long way to help educate or provide inspiration for our fellow students and/or have any impact in the therapy process. This could include any information from a personal or professional experience, or simply any educational material that is based within the occupational therapy profession – including any intervention approaches, treatment planning, assessment implementation, or research. MiOTA appreciates any expertise, recognition, or awareness that our members could share with the occupational therapy community. Below, is a further list of ideas that could be included. If you have any further ideas and/or questions in regards to the MiOTA corner, please send an email to Cydne (cydne.c.johnson@wmich.edu) and/or Toya (thomlato@mail.gvsu.edu)

• Lightbulb moments – a particular realization or something you know now that you wish you would have known before before entering into the profession, or as a student transitioning into a new grad
• Any way that you have created some structure/method to more easily navigate the occupational therapy process 
• Level I, Level II fieldwork experiences including recommendations and preparation advice 
• NBCOT study tips/resources
• OT program survival tips
• Resources, AE recommendations/where to buy, continuing education 
• Discount resources – websites to find discounted books, adaptive equipment, OT gear, etc.
• OT groups to join – associations, study groups, podcasts etc. 
• New evidence-based practice, new research within OT 
• Book suggestions outside of textbooks – novels, memoirs, etc. that could help a student see from an individual’s perspective within a specific clinical diagnosis/condition 

Examples from current MiOTA Members

"I am a recent OT graduate who has just taken the NBCOT. For those who are preparing or inquiring about NBCOT, I would like to share the resources I used to help me during studying. The resources I used were NBCOT and AOTA study pack, OT miri (youtube), and OT exam prepper (podcast). OT exam prepper also has study notes that are helpful to follow along with when listening to his podcast or reviewing content. Additionally, I created a study plan and studied for 6 weeks, 5/wk for, 4-6hrs per day. Tip - don’t not over think! You've got this!"

"For me, it’s important to try and find a few ways that I can ‘refresh’ some of the information I’ve learned in my classes. One way that I do this is through podcasts! Podcasts are great because you can listen to them while you’re in the car, on a walk, or even making dinner, and it’s a fun, easy way to review some information on a topic that you may have had a difficult time retaining. A couple of my favorite podcasts include the OT Potential Podcast, the AOTA Podcast, and the All-Things Sensory Podcast! I especially love the AOTA podcast because the AOTA features guests who highlight different case applications and how an OT should intervene in following the occupational therapy process." 

Jurisprudence Examination is required for OT/OTA licensure
The Bureau of Professional Licensing - Licensing Division in the state of Michigan, requires occupational therapy a jurisprudence exam as part of the application for an OT/OTA license in the state of Michigan. A score of 75% or greater on the exam is required to pass. Effective June 1, 2017 licensure candidates must take the jurisprudence examination through PSI (www.psiexams.com). The jurisprudence exam is a closed book exam and examinees will be charged a administration fee of $95.95.

The Jurisprudence Examination covers information from two documents:
1.  Michigan Public Health Code (Article 1, parts  11 and 12 and Article 15, parts 161 and 183)
2.  Michigan Administrative Rules and Regulations for an OT/OTA

Resources to Help Students Secure Housing for Level II Fieldwork

Rotating Room - Aims to help healthcare students around the country find places to stay while doing away rotations and helps individuals with housing find healthcare students to sublet their rooms.

AirBnB - Student can search for short-term housing options and can specify search criteria to meet their needs whether that's renting an entire residence, a private room or a shared room. 

CommunOT Student Forum - AOTA member only forum for students in search of  level II fieldwork information.