Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (EOTD)
The Entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree program applied for accreditation and on December 2020, was granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
The program will complete an on-site evaluation October 28-30, 2024. It must be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
Read the letter from ACOTE to prospective students.
Program Accreditation Information
The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and it's web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Visit the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education for more information at www.acoteonline.org
Graduates of the EOTD programs will be able to take the national certification examination for occupational therapists administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR).
The EOTD program is primarily a “Face to Face” (F2F) program where students use the University’s Learning Management System, Canvas, to supplement the F2F learning experience. One core EOTD class, Functional Neuroscience, is a distance education (DE) class offered online through Canvas and incorporates best practices in DE, such as having substantial interaction between faculty and students, and incorporating active learning opportunities. The University has a Canvas tutorial in the student’s application registration portal with instructions on how to use the Learning Management System. While in the program students may take occasional hybrid classes taught by other departments.
Advisory Board
- Naomi Jaye Achondo, OTD, OTR/L, SWC NJA Therapy Services, Inc.
- Beth Aune, OTR/L, Desert Occupational Therapy for Kids - https://www.facebook.com/DesertOccupationalTherapyForKids
- Juan Carlos Belliard, PhD, Assistant Vice President Community Partnerships & Diversity, Associate Professor in Global Health | School of Public Health, Loma Linda University - https://llu.edu/education/faculty/belliard-juancarlos
- Diane Su-Erickson, OTR/L – Veteran’s Hospital, Loma Linda University - http://www.lomalinda.va.gov/
- Enjoli Filemu, MOT, OTD, OTR/L, Home Health Occupational Therapist Kaiser Permanente, Adjunct Instructor
- Craig Jackson, MSW, JD, Dean, School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University - https://llu.edu/education/faculty/jackson-craig/education
- David Jacaban, OTR/L, Kaiser Fontana, Lisa Love, OTR/L, Loma Linda University Medical Center
- Susanne Montgomery, MS, MPH, PhD, Associate Dean of Research, Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health and Director of Research, Behavioral Health Institute - https://llu.edu/education/faculty/montgomery-susanne/schedule
- Harold Neuendorff, OTR/L, CHT, Arrowhead Orthopedics - http://www.arrowheadortho.com/#!occupational-therapy/cd04
- Annmarie Roth, MOT, OTR/L – East Campus Medical Center, Loma Linda University - https://lluh.org/locations/loma-linda-university-medical-center-east-campus
- Eric Senosian, MOT, OTR/L – Director of Clinical Services, Ballard Rehabilitation Hospital
- Teresa Rosales, OTD, OTR/L, Riverside Country Hospital
- Christine M. Wietlisbach, OTD, OTR/L, MPA, CHT. Eisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, CA
NBCOT Exam Results
NBCOT board pass rates are not available as this is a new program. The first EOTD cohort is anticipated to graduate in June 2025 and will sit for their boards in Fall 2025. https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance
Graduation & Retention Rates
Data from first cohort, Class of 2025, will be available in Summer 2025.
Student Progression in Program
Students progress through the program when they have quarterly GPA's of 3.0 or higher, complete classes with the required grade noted in the Student Handbook, and demonstrate professional behaviors and values that align with Loma Linda University. Students register on block schedules progressing as a cohort. Students who do not meet this criteria are discussed at a faculty meeting and appropriate actions are then determined to support the student's success. Actions are documented in the student’s file.