Early Admission Decision application deadline: June 8, 2012
Final application deadline: July 23, 2012
The semester begins: September 4, 2012

The goal of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is to address the public's need for high quality occupational therapy service by providing practicing clinicians with opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, and behaviors commensurate with evidence-based practice (EBP) and emerging educational standards. The primary purpose of the program is to raise the knowledge base of practicing occupational therapists to equal that of the new entry-level OTD degree. The program is open to all individuals having an entry-level degree in occupational therapy.

The program provides practicing clinicians with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to contribute to occupational therapy becoming a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs. The University developed the curriculum based on established educational standards. Upon successful completion of the curriculum, RMUoHP confers the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) to graduates.

The mission of the RMUoHP OTD program is to educate students to become highly qualified occupational therapy practice-scholars, educators, managers, consultants, leaders, and advocates who enable others to participate in meaningful and balanced occupations and who recognize the relationship of occupation to health and well-being.  The program emphasizes the understanding of human occupations across the lifespan and the need for multi-cultural awareness and international understanding as a prerequisite for occupational justice.

This elective track of the OTD program highlights aspects of healthcare administration and practice management.  Students are exposed to current and relevant theories in leadership, management of healthcare facilities and practices, strategy, financial analysis, planning and budgeting, and organizational development. An individually designed capstone project allows students to develop their administrative and practice management skills.

The OTD program is committed to the development of the occupational therapist who can:

• Apply the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to make independent judgments about the validity of research and implement evidence-based clinical practice.
• Influence local, regional, national, and international policy, practice, and education through advocacy, consultation, and practice of occupational therapy with individuals, populations and organizations.
• Exercise high-level curiosity, critical thinking, continuous learning, reflection, and analytical methodologies to seek and use resources and evidence to improve effectiveness of clinical interventions.
• Apply ethical theories and legal standards to decision-making regarding healthcare issues.
• Exchange and disseminate knowledge through consultation, peer-reviewed publication and presentation, collaboration, and collegial and interdisciplinary dialogue.
• Develop and implement theoretically and philosophically sound clinical interventions informed by scientific evidence, contextual influences and clinical knowledge.