Education Requirements

• The board requires occupational therapy assistants to have completed an occupational therapy assistant program approved by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The length of the program varies depending on the school, but typically is at least 18 months. Course content includes, but is not limited, to anatomy, physiology, rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise, medical terminology and ethics.
  
  

Experience

• In addition to completing the educational requirements, the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice requires applicants to obtain at least four months of full-time supervised experience. The school the applicant attended, or another approved educational institution, must have provided the training, or the program the applicant attended must approve the training.
  
  

Competency Exam

• In order to obtain a license from the board, applicants must pass a competency exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) or another national credentialing agency approved by the board.
  
  

Jurisprudence Exam

• Before receiving an occupational therapy assistant license, all candidates must pass a jurisprudence exam to test the applicant’s knowledge regarding the legal aspects of the occupational therapy profession outlined in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Section 10.38.01 to 10.38.11. Examples of required knowledge include permissible and prohibited actions, code of ethics, penalties for violating any section of the law and requirements for patient records. Candidates for licensure do not need to study beforehand. The board has set it up as an open-book exam; candidates can find information on the board website.
  
  

General Application Information

• In addition to submitting verification of the aforementioned requirements, applicants must submit other information to the board along with their application. If a certain amount of time has lapsed between completing the academic program and the submission of the application, candidates must submit proof of continuing education. If two or more years has passed, applicants must provide proof of completing at least 24 hours of continuing education. If it is less than two years but more than one, applicants must complete 12 hours. Anyone applying less than one year after completing the program do not require any hours.
  
  As of July 2010, the board charges a $200 fee for a license. It also requires a notarized photograph of the applicant. Additionally, two people must complete a form attesting to the moral character of the applicant. The application package contains the forms. They must come directly from the people filling them out.