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Milestones & Progression
Milestones
To earn an OTD degree at UTRGV, students are expected to reach each program’s milestone within the specified time to make satisfactory progress through the program. Faculty advisors will work with each student to customize the responsibilities included in the Agreement. Students who are not making satisfactory progress may lose funding, be placed on academic probation, or be dismissed from the program. If a student has ongoing concerns or grievances related to their Milestones Agreement, they should follow the institution's academic grievances policy and procedures as outlined in the institution's graduate catalog (or Handbook of Operating Procedures).
|
Milestone |
Expected Time (DATE) of Achievement |
|
Successful completion and submission of pre-matriculation activities, health documents, and orientation items |
Beginning of semester One |
|
Review of student’s progress with the faculty advisor. |
Annually or as determined by the program |
|
Research protocols and IRB approval |
Semester Four |
|
Capstone proposal completed and approved |
End of Semester Seven/Eight |
|
Coursework successfully completed |
End of Semester Nine |
|
Research study completed and presented |
Semester Nine |
|
Student completes and files all paperwork required for graduation |
End of Semester Ten |
|
Capstone project completed and accepted by the faculty |
Semester Eleven |
|
Exit interview completed |
Semester Eleven |
The maximum time to complete the OTD Occupational Therapy program is five (5) years. This includes successfully completing all academic coursework and requirements, Fieldwork Level II, and the capstone experience.
Students have 24 months after completing the academic coursework to complete Level II fieldwork requirements as declared by ACOTE. Students must complete and pass the equivalent of a minimum of 24 weeks of full-time Level II fieldwork before proceeding to the doctoral capstone experience.
Graduate students in Occupational Therapy are expected to maintain an overall 3.5 GPA in all OT coursework. A graduate OT student is ineligible to continue and will be dismissed from the Program if:
- A student receives a failing grade "F" in any course.
- A student receives a grade of "C" in three courses in the Program. (Even if the course is repeated and a higher grade is received, the higher grade does not alter the "C" rule.)
- A student receives a grade of "C" in Applied Clinical Kinesiology & Biomechanics (ODTE 8401), Applied Clinical Neuroscience (OTDE 8305), or any of the OT intervention & treatment courses (OTDE 8402, 8309, 8403, and 8310) and does not make a grade of "B" or better on the repeated class. Even though the student has no prior grades of "C," the student must repeat that course and earn a grade of "B" or better. If the student is not successful in getting a grade of "B" or better on the repeated course, the student will be dismissed from the Program.
- A student fails two Level II Fieldwork (OTDE 8601/8602 or 8312/8313) or Capstone Experiences (OTDE 8603/8604 or 8316/8317). If a student fails one Level II Fieldwork or Capstone Experience, the course must be repeated and scheduled at the discretion of the Program.
If a student gives evidence of unsafe or ineffective health care practice, the faculty of the Occupational Therapy Department reserves the right to refuse the opportunity to the student to care for patients or perform evaluation/testing procedures. A student may not render care, tests, or evaluations when under the influence of prescribed or over-the-counter medication, which may affect judgment or if the student imbibes or is under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs. A student who is deemed to demonstrate unsafe practice will fail the course and be dropped from all clinical rotations in which they are enrolled at that time. The student may be dismissed from the Program.
Any student whose overall OT GPA falls below 3.25 or placed on academic probation by the Graduate College must meet with their academic advisor to develop a remedial action plan. This plan must be submitted to the program chair for final approval. If the student does not restore their OT GPA to 3.25 by the end of the next semester, they will be terminated from the OT program.
Capstone Experiences & Projects
Doctorate Capstone
Students pursuing a doctoral degree (OTD) are required to complete one fourteen-week Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) following level II FW. The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone is for students to demonstrate their ability to apply theory to practice and to demonstrate the synthesis of advanced knowledge. The goal of the DCE is to develop occupational therapists with in-depth knowledge and skills in a focused area of study and to acquire deeper practice-scholar competencies as reflected in the program’s curriculum design. The DCE directly connects clinical practice with scholarship via the implementation of a doctoral capstone project during the DCE.
An integral part of the program curriculum, the Doctoral Capstone (DC) provides in-depth exposure to one or more of the following areas:
- administration and leadership,
- program development,
- education,
- clinical practice skills,
- research skills,
- advocacy,
- theory development.
Given the curriculum philosophy and design, each Capstone project will intersect with the didactic portions of the curriculum, including the course series on the (themes):
- Continuum of health care (public health/community-based)
- Inquiry and research on occupation and health (research)
- Foundation of occupation (administration, education, theory development) and human conditions (clinical skills & treatment)
- Influence of culture on care and practice (culture)
- Professionalism, interprofessionalism, and leadership (advocacy & services)
Through the interaction of the curriculum’s themes and service region, students can implement a scholarly project that will allow them to experience the role of being culturally fluent, reflective, and transformative leaders.
Research / Scholarly Agenda
The program has a history of sharing research conducted by faculty and students at the Texas Occupational Therapy Association conference, American Occupational Therapy conference, the AOTA Education summit, the Texas Society of Allied Health Professions (TSAHP), and local/regional venues. Student-faculty collaborative research projects that have resulted in presentations at OT professional state and national conferences have ranged from:
- Sleep patterns among Mexican American College students
- The Use of Spirituality Through Hardship Among Hispanics
- Use of Public Restrooms by Individuals with Physical Disabilities: ADA years later
- Hispanic Homeless Veterans in the Rio Grande Valley
- Changes in the Moral Values of Hispanic Veterans
- Caring for A Family Member with Borderline Personality Disorder in Mexican American Families
- Health Care Decision-Making Among Middle Age Men
- Transphobia in the Workplace: An OT Perspective
- Accessibility and Inclusion: The Perspective of Young Adults with Physical Disabilities in Health and Fitness Clubs
- Homelessness among the LGBT population in the Rio Grande Valley
Graduate Student Research Assistantship
A GRA appointment is provided to a student in good standing in the OTD graduate degree program who will assist OT faculty in conducting research relevant to their academic or department goals. This position will provide intensive training in all aspects of research, under direct supervision by a faculty member. Appointments to the GRA program are made for one or two years which are contingent upon the recommendation of the OT academic faculty and the approval of the OTD Coordinator and Chair of the Department.
The application cycle will be open on January 1st. Any student who is accepted into the OTD program may apply for the GRA.
Research Assistantship Qualifications:
Student for an assistantship
- Must be accepted to the Graduate College at UTRGV
- Must be accepted for admission to the OTD program at UTRGV.
- Have an overall GPA ≥ 3.5.
- Must maintain full-time enrollment in the OTD program.
- Must maintain a GPA of 3.50 while in the OTD program.
- Must be in good academic standing while in the OTD program.
Applications will be submitted to the OT Scholarship Committee for review and selection. The final decision will be made by March 15th, with the funds being distributed for the summer term (semester 1 in the OTD program). Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. The committee will submit selection recommendations to the OTD program coordinator and or Chair for the final selection and award.
Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA)
The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is a social and service organization for students. SOTA was officially recognized as a UTRGV student organization in April 1997.
As a nonprofit organization, SOTA’s mission is to generate service, interest, and awareness in the community of the Rio Grande Valley about occupational therapy. SOTA strives to promote unity within the Occupational Therapy field at a local, state, and national level, while providing services to groups and organizations in the community. Through active participation members will experience leadership opportunities and learn the importance of giving and its rewards.
The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) offers members and people interested in the field of occupational therapy opportunities to engage in community and on-campus activities. SOTA provides its members with current information on occupational therapy and its professional organizations. We also present speakers in or related to the field of occupational therapy.
Membership in SOTA is mandatory while in the OT program.