Qualified students who have entered the bachelor of science in biology program at Viterbo University and are applying to one of three programs in the School of Health Professions at Concordia University: the Occupational Therapy Program (MOT, OTDe); the Physical Therapy Program (DPT); or the Physician Assistant Program (PA) can earn priority admission status as part of a Priority Admission Pathway.

Occupational Therapy Priority Admission Pathway

Viterbo University is proud to partner with Concordia University, Wisconsin to offer a priority admission into the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTDe) giving Viterbo students a clear pathway through the PT application and admission process and early, priority consideration in the interview process.

Occupational Therapy Priority Admission Pathway Requirements
Viterbo students who are on the Priority Admission Pathway must meet the following requirements:

• Earn a B or better in all science pre-requisite coursework taken at Viterbo
• Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Take the GRE before applying for early decision
• 40 hours of OT job shadowing in a variety of OT settings
• Submission of applications for early decision via OTCAS. The early decision deadline is Jan. 15
• Satisfy all remaining requirements outlined by the Viterbo pre-health committee and Concordia University admissions

About Occupatioal Therapy

From the Viterbo University Pre-Health Advising handbook:
Occupational therapists (OTs) help patients improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments. They work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling condition and usually have a strong educational background in the social and behavioral sciences. This provides the skills and knowledge for 9 them to help patients physically, emotionally and psychologically deal with injury and recovery. A master's degree or higher in occupational therapy is the typical minimum requirement for entry into the field. There are many areas of specialization for occupational therapists to choose from and a wide variety of clinical settings to practice. Typical admissions averages for OT schools range greater by school than others and several target schools’ admissions averages should be researched. However, typical admissions averages for high-quality programs in the Midwest include a mean overall GPA: ~3.5–3.7. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that the profession will grow by 24% from 2016–2026. Updated job outlook data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) provides information on application requirements, descriptions of careers, and programs in the U.S.