Graduate Results

Are you a fully credentialed OTR?

If no, please explain current status:

• currently awaiting to take my exam.
• Took OTR Exam 1st attempted, failed. Scheduled to retake it sometime next month. Working as an OT aid
• Preparing to take exam.
• I am currently employed with Central Michigan Community Hospital of Mt. Pleasant, MI. I have not passed the NBCOT exam yet, but will be retaking in within the next 2 months.
• I am retaking NBCOT exam soon.

Current employment status:

If not employed in the field of OT, please explain reason(s):

• I am currently working PRN at two different facilities however still looking for something more permanent
• In TN if somebody fail the NBCOT exam then board does not issue limited permit. Now I have moved to AL, one month back, and I can get limited permit if other OTR is ready to cosign notes.

Are you currently employed in the field of occupational therapy?

Did you work with Career Services to obtain your current position?

The program at Baker College was academically challenging:

Comments:

• It was an excellent program and the mentors were extremely thorough and approachable.
• The program is challenging but the faculty have a goal for the students to succeed.
• Challenging & supportive program!
• Although it was a challenging curriculum, I believe at this time that I was provided an excellent education, specifically in physical disabilites and pediatrics that has assisted me in my career.

I believe that I obtained an adequate level of knowledge in the area of general sciences.

Comments:

• I feel I gained knowledge and working skills for all areas of OT required to work in any setting.

The content of the core occupational therapy courses in this program (both Pre-OT and MOT) are appropriate preparation for clinical placements:

Comments:

• Gives you a full perspective of what an OT services include and requires from a student.
• The aspects of the Pre-OT portion that encourage application of theory and facts to practice is especially helpful, especially the more "hands-on" portions.

Comments:

• Really prepares you to work both as a clinician and in any administrative position. Also opens up wide areas of OT that are available. Prepares you as a more confident clinician.
• Especially the pediatrics treatment class and the case-based clinical reasoning course.
• Greatly diverse, covered a lot of subject matter in OT. Alloyed us great hands on/clinical experience
• I am fully satisified with the classes in both categories and feel that all have assisted in my knowledge base as a recent graduate. Many of the classes that required "hands on" learning and case studies really prepared me for my boards and for my first job.
• Outstanding knowledge of Baker professors.

The content of the core occupational therapy courses in the program are appropriate preparation for the registration exam:

• I had personal reasons for not clearing my exam. The course is very well developed and we are very well trained through our school and clinical s to be able to clear the exam.
• I think taking time in class to work on registration exam questions helped us to prepare for the exam.
• I think that the core content is appropriate for employment but not completely for the registration exam. I think that needs to be studied over time on own. Also it is hard to study for exam and do your clinicals, depending on the amount of homework you have during clinicals. Making your own study plan for test was a good idea.
• At then end of the program. Instructors did go over what the Exam will be like including the changes. This helped.
• I felt very well rounded with my education that I was prepared in all areas, i.e. pediatrics, geriatrics, physical disabilities and mental health

Opportunities for exposure to and interaction with professionals in the occupational therapy field are incorporated into this program:

• Yes, but I feel that there should be more opportunity for students to observe/etc in different settings in order to get a better feel for where they want to work after graduation and/or a mentoring program with alumni.
• Assignments that were completed in the MOT program was beneficial. Going out into the field and meeting with individuals in clinical practice was beneficial due to possible connections made.
• Although I agree, I feel that there should have been more exposure available. During my level 1 pediatric fieldwork some students had the opportunity to be with therapists while others were just in classrooms and had no contact with a therapist at all. I would have loved to be one of the ones who had the oppotunity to shadow a pediatrics therapist.

The content of the program was current and reflected the latest developments in the field:

• Instructors are very educated and experienced and continue to work in the field which is very helpful to students. The course materials (i.e. books) were up to date and relevant.
• Difficult unless instructors are out working in the field.
• more hands on with modalities is necessary
• I have heard MULTIPLE employees at my current job state disappointment with their education and that they did not receive a well rounded experience in school (many were at 2 specific different universities and both universities only focused on mental health). Many of my colleagues were frustrated with their education and I can only continue to state how happy I am with my education, the classes were all relevant to the latest field developments and I am so happy that I chose Baker College

I have been able to utilize resources obtained in the program in my place of employment:

• I am starting my job next week, but I have already compiled information that I received during my schooling that I think will be very helpful with my new job.
• I still refer back to text books and notes from school to assist with any information I am unsure about. Very beneficial. I recommend to any future student to not sell important books, such as Pedretti. I used these main books to study for my boards and assist in treatment planning.
• Individual instructors provided excellent resources both to study from & utilize as an OT in the job
• I use my notebooks just about everyday!
• Would have like to have more opportunities to practice with various modalities.

The program provided me with ample opportunities to develop problem-solving and decision-making skills:

• I don't know if there would be enough time in the world. I would have liked to see this incorporated more but I do feel they didd a good job with the time they had.
• Case study classes in specific really assisted with this.

I believe that I obtained adequate preparation to assess and set goals in the occupational therapy process:

• Same as above comment
• I think I got a good head start on goal writing, but wish there would have been more focusing on goal writing throughout the program.

I believe that I obtained an adequate preparation to plan and implement treatment in the occupational therapy process:

• I agree, but still feel that this could be emphasized more throughout the program in order to prepare students further.
• Hands on experiences in the class room helped with this
• I can only state that the evaluation/assessment class and the intervention class really prepared me for my Level II fieldwork.

I believe that I obtained information on professional behaviors that are expected of an occupational therapist:

• Definitetly

The faculty's professional experience was up to date and relevant to the current practice of occupational therapy:

• Instructors are very educated and experienced and continue to work in the field which is very helpful to students.
• Some more than others, however most all professors had experience that was beneficial in understanding OT and scope of practice.

The faculty was available for advising and support:

• Very much so

Based on your work experience to date, what training/courses/topics do you feel should be added to the Baker College occupational therapy program? If none, please type "None".

• To me the program was complete. One can pick and choose the area of practice and explore further. Adding a course of PAM would be really helpful in the clinical s and in the work.
• Pediatrics, both in the outpatient setting and school settings (esp. the sensory aspect); some emphasis on developing "tools" (i.e. what types of things to buy or keep with you as a new occupational therapist).
• I don't feel that three months of work experience gives me enough back ground to say what should be added.
• More information regarding the FIMs. In my current job, FIM scores are very highly used and I wish both my academics and fieldwork experience provided more information. I think students would benefit from more than a few days of lecturing on FIMs. Possibly several weeks with in depth information would be beneficial, at least to understand the scoring and why the scoring is taken place. During class, it seemed like an hour or two was spent on FIMs and we had one assignment to correlate with it, I was confused and didn't quite grasp what the FIMs represented. More time on the topic may have prepared me better.
• I have literally only worked 2 days, so it is hard for me to say at this time;
• Crucial Conversations (how to communicate effectively when problems with co-workers/supervisors arise), how to handle unethical situations
• Can't think of any right now
• I currently have no work experience
• modalities
• I have had to cover sexual expression with some of my adult clients. This was a topic that was not really touched upon during the program, but I feel would be a great asset to student's learning.
• Well, my first day is tomorrow. I'll be better equipped to answer that question at another time.
• More information in regards to hand therapy (conditions, tx, etc.). Would have like to have had more exposure to modalities (u/s, e-stim, ionto).
• w/c manuveuring skills would be nice
• Neuro re-ed
• None. Possibly update Assessment Class.
• one comprehensive exit exam, which will have similar test items as NBCOT have. This will help in NBCOT exam preparation.
• Because I have focused in the pediatric world, my only suggestion is that I wish there was more training on pediatric intervention and more books on pediatrics. This was a struggle for me on my fieldwork because I did not feel that I had appropriate books to help me through my fieldwork so I relied on other therapists in the hospital for their material.
• Hands on experience on Physical Agent Modalities

What training/courses/topics do you feel should be deleted from the Baker College occupational therapy program? If none, please type "None".

• none.
• Research classes
• None. I think Baker College has the best program with such a well rounded education in all areas. A quick example, I went to a colleagues presentation this week on Myofascial Release & many OT's listening to the presentation had never heard of it and they have been practicing for over a year. I told them I learned about it in Baker's program and they were floored. Another example is the splinting course. Other therapists that I have spoken with cannot beleive I had an entire quarter on splinting and they only had 1 class for a few short hours.

Overall, how satisfied were you with the education you received at Baker College?

• I thank all my mentors for sharing their knowledge and trained us to be excellent clinicians. Even though I was not able to clear my exam yet secondary to personal reasons and personally I know I have lot of working knowledge and hands on experience to make my mentors proud and feel good about myself. I know I am an excellent clinician.
• I think that I received an excellent education in the Baker OT program. I feel prepared to start my career in OT.
• I recommned people to Baker regularly.
• Baker has a wonderful program and I have been an advocate for numerous potential students who were looking for information on OT programs. I feel that the small class sizes was beneficial and provided me with opportunity for success. I was happy I completed the program at Baker.
• I would have liked to slow the whole process down a little. The 10 week sessions were really tough to keep up with at times. I felt like I was learning for the moment. I went year round through the summers the whole time (under grad and grad). Maybe we could have less time on breaks and stretch it out the learning a little more for increased application of that course.
• Experienced good instructors & classes that were outside the OT program, minor classes. At all campuses I attended
• I had a great learning experience @ Baker and would highly recommend it to anyone!
• Many of the therapists I have spoken to about their programs at different schools and compared with Baker's, have been very different, focused only on mental health, and all the therapists felt unprepared entering the real job world. I can only say that I am truly honest when I say that I am exceptionally satisified with the education I received. Keep up the great work. So many people have complimented me on my skills and I believe my education put me where I am.