AOTA + NBCOT Launch Pad

11:00 am-12:00 pm ET

AOTA Town Hall
Wendy C. Hildenbrand, PhD, MPH, OTR/L. FAOTA, President, AOTA; Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP, President Elect, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD
Join this virtual Town Hall with Dr. Wendy Hildenbrand and Dr. Alyson Stover. This is a great opportunity for students and new practitioners to discuss your concerns and have your questions answered. There will be no presentations— only discussion. Have your questions ready.

12:15 pm-12:30 pm ET

The Insider’s Guide to Virtual Career Fair Success             
Aliza Ross, MEd, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD
Virtual career fairs are becoming more and more prevalent. How does a job seeker succeed in this new landscape? Join us to learn how to prepare for and navigate a virtual fair and connect with recruiters using AOTA’s Virtual Career Fair as a model. Attending this session will allow participants to be better positioned for AOTA’s next Virtual Career Fair.

1:00 pm-2:00 pm ET

Concurrent #1: The NBCOT® National Certification Exam: Information You Need to Know
Barbara Williams, DrOT, MS, OTR, NBCOT, Gaithersburg, MD
During this session, NBCOT staff will share valuable information about preparing and applying for the national OTR or COTA certification exams. Specific topics include exclusive details about the exams, study tool resources, test day information, data regarding exam questions, and advice from other students and recent certificants. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions, allowing you to be better informed about the various aspects of the national certification exam experience.

Concurrent #2: Delivering Value: OT’s Role in Medication Management
Carol Siebert, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The Home Remedy, PLLC/Occupational Therapy, Chapel Hill, NC
For an increasing number of Americans of all ages, managing medication is a critical part of daily routines. Team-based efforts to support medication management is a priority across health care settings. OT can make important contributions to these team. Not sure what that would look like in your setting? This session will describe what OT can contribute to medication management in different settings, how to communicate OT’s role, and why it matters for both patients and for practice settings. (Eligible for contact hours)

2:15 pm-3:15 pm ET

Concurrent #3: Strategies for OT/OTA Student Success in School
Molly Dunn, Kean University, Union, NJ; Rachel Kurtzman, New York University, New York, NY; Naomia Rivera, COTA/L, Mountain Valley Regional Hospital, Prescott, AZ; Drew Hill, OTR/L, ProMedica Total Rehab+, Denver, CO
OT/OTA students are often left feeling overwhelmed by the time and money needed to attend school. Join us for a panel discussion where current students and new practitioners will speak to practical, real-life strategies that they used to navigate the complex world of being an OT student, including techniques for financial and time management. 

Concurrent #4: Options for Providing OT to Adults in Their Homes
Carol Siebert, OTD, OT/L, FAOTA, The Home Remedy, PLLC/Occupational Therapy, Chapel Hill, NC
Not sure what your options are for providing OT services in your clients’ homes? Looking for options besides working for a home health agency? This session covers other viable service delivery models for providing OT to adults and older adults at home, including regulatory and payment factors that must be considered when delivering home-based OT services. (Eligible for contact hours)

3:30 pm–4:30 pm ET
Spend 15 minutes with an expert reviewing your current résumé and getting tips to improve for your job search. The sign up link will be emailed to all registered attendees in mid January, and slots will be first come, first served. Additional instructions will be included once registered attendees sign up. You must have a prepared résumé to participate and agree to be on camera with the reviewer.   
Sponsored by Mercer

11:00 am-12:00 pm ET

Achieve Certification and Get Your State License: Learn the Steps You Need to Take
Kristen Neville, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD; Shaun Conway, OTR, NBCOT, Gaithersburg, MD
The process to get certified and licensed can be overwhelming. This session will outline the steps you need to take, from becoming initially certified by NBCOT® to getting your first state license that allows you to legally practice occupational therapy. AOTA and NBCOT staff will walk you through the process and explain variations in state law that you need to know about. For example, some states allow you to practice on a temporary license or limited permit before you receive your exam score. Presenters will outline resources available from NBCOT and AOTA to navigate this seemingly complex process. You will also learn about a joint AOTA/NBCOT initiative to create a new licensure compact for the OT profession. The OT Compact is still being introduced and passed in state legislatures, but when it’s established, it will allow you to practice in multiple states. You will also learn about how you can advocate for legislation to enact the OT Compact in your state. (Eligible for contact hours)

1:00 pm-2:00 pm ET

Concurrent #5: Transitioning From Student to New Practitioner
Grayson Owen, OTD. OTR/L, Functional Independence Home Care, Memphis, TN; Naomia Rivera, COTA/L, Mountain Valley Regional Hospital, Prescott, AZ; Drew Hill, OTR/L, ProMedica Total Rehab+, Denver, CO
Feeling anxious about making the transition from being a student to a new practitioner? No worries! This session you will hear from 3 new graduates who have successfully made the transition to being an entry-level practitioner. Hear their stories and get tips on how to navigate starting your new career. Get your questions answered in real time. (Eligible for contact hours)
Sponsored by Mercer

Concurrent #6: Finding and Engaging in Mentorship in OT
Quinn Tyminksi, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Evidence demonstrates that participating in a mentoring relationship can be a predictor of future success within a given field. Within the field of occupational therapy, a mentor can serve as an important component of the transition from student to new practitioner, with many mentoring relationships lasting for the first several years of practice. This course will discuss the basics of and methods for finding and creating mentoring relationships, as well as provide some discussion of mentoring versus coaching and advising. (Eligible for contact hours)

2:15 pm-3:15 pm ET

Concurrent #7: Addressing your GAPS: Grassroots Advocacy, Policy, and Storytelling
Jill Tighe, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD
In this session, you will learn to utilize your voice in an effective way to protect and promote the distinct value of OT by using your grassroots advocacy to advocate Up and Out. Learn how to share your story to effectively advocate with stakeholders to make a difference for occupational therapy. And get an overview on what’s happening and what happened in the 117th Congress. (Eligible for contact hours)

Concurrent #8: Occupational Therapy Practitioner Well-Being: What is Resilience?
Varleisha D. Gibbs, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD              
This presentation connects the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain & Process, 4th Edition, to strategies for addressing practitioner well-being. Content connects to the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social needs to address self-care and resiliency. This includes mindfulness, sensory-based strategies, and contextual interventions and resources to support habits, routines, and rituals. (Eligible for contact hours)

3:30 pm–4:30 pm ET
Spend 15 minutes with an expert reviewing your current résumé and getting tips to improve for your job search. The sign up link will be emailed to all registered attendees in mid January, and slots will be first come, first served. Additional instructions will be included once registered attendees sign up. You must have a prepared résumé to participate and agree to be on camera with the reviewer.   
Sponsored by Mercer

11:00 am-12:00 pm ET

Concurrent #9: Your National OTR or COTA Credential: What it Means for You
Shaun Conway, OTR, NBCOT, Gaithersburg, MD
How much do you know about NBCOT® certification and how it can support you through your professional journey? See firsthand the resources NBCOT provides at no additional cost to you. Gain knowledge on the many ways you can earn professional development units for certification renewal and state licensure. Learn about the NBCOT Navigator®, our virtual competency assessment platform that supports you by offering feedback on current practice skills and providing evidence-based resources. Gain insight into current practice and workplace trends and learn about the value associated with the OTR and COTA credentials. (Eligible for contact hours)

Concurrent #10: RoOTed in Diversity: Applying the AOTA DEI Toolkit
Varleisha D. Gibbs, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD; Naomia Rivera, COTA/L, Mountain Valley Regional Hospital, Prescott, AZ
The Practice Engagement and Capacity Building team at AOTA developed a DEI toolkit following a series of listening sessions in 2020. This session will review the toolkit content and provide recommendations for application. We will discuss the various AOTA initiatives in activities supporting the development of and expansion of topics surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. (Eligible for contact hours)

1:00 pm-2:00 pm ET

Concurrent #11: Exploring the Role of a Non-Traditional OT
Quinn Tyminski, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
The majority of practitioners in the occupational therapy profession work in physical rehabilitation settings (acute hospital, inpatient rehab, etc.). Yet the role for occupational therapy in non-traditional settings continues to expand, creating the need for more occupational therapy practitioners to work in these settings. This course will discuss mechanisms to find and create non-traditional OT positions, as well as tips for practicing within non-traditional OT settings. (Eligible for contact hours)

Concurrent #12: Addressing Issues of Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Through Engagement With COTAD as an OT Student and New Practitioner
Alejandra Arroyo, OTD, OTR/L, COTAD Chapters Lead Ambassador Co-Chair; Emma Baldwin, OTD, OTR/L, COTAD Chapters Administrative Co-Chair; Antonia Trupio, MSOT, OTR/L, COTAD Chapter Office Hour Ambassador; Diarra Webb, MSOT, COTAD Chapter Pipeline Leader Ambassador. 
In this session, leaders from the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) will share the history, mission, and vision of the organization. Information about the benefit of establishing a COTAD chapter as an OT student will be presented, as well as ways to engage with the work going on at COTAD National. Participants will also be exposed to ideas to spur their own advocacy efforts as a way to contribute to the movement toward more equitable health outcomes as an OT student and a new OT practitioner. (Eligible for contact hours)

2:15 pm-3:15 pm ET

Authentic Leadership: Do You!
Wendy C. Hildenbrand, PhD, MPH, OTR/L. FAOTA, President, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD ; Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP, President Elect, AOTA, North Bethesda, MD
Engage with AOTA President Wendy Hildenbrand and AOTA President Elect Alyson Stover in this interactive session on your leadership potential and opportunities. Discuss how you - as future occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants - can further your career by stepping up, leaving your comfort zone, and leading where you are as you are. Come prepared to share. (Eligible for contact hours)

3:30 pm–4:30 pm ET
Spend 15 minutes with an expert reviewing your current résumé and getting tips to improve for your job search. The sign up link will be emailed to all registered attendees in mid January, and slots will be first come, first served. Additional instructions will be included once registered attendees sign up. You must have a prepared résumé to participate and agree to be on camera with the reviewer.   
Sponsored by Mercer