The focus of the Occupational Therapy Examination and Practice Preparation (OTepp) Project is to assist internationally educated occupational therapists (IEOTs) as they seek to transition into practice in Canada. The project is led by the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University in partnership with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). This pilot project is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program and by the Government of Ontario.

The project includes an intake interview process that will assist IEOTs and the OTepp team to determine the needs of the participants. With the help of an advisor, participants may then choose to participate in the academic curriculum or in the additional modules. Click here to see an overview of the Program.

The academic curriculum includes gaining knowledge of theoretical practice frameworks, ethics and evidence in practice, and core information as outlined in the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) Resource Manual. Participants will need to achieve an average of 60% on all assignments in order to pass the course. Successful completion is recognized by some regulatory bodies towards the completion of currency hours. There is no cost to participate in this pilot project. Click here to see an outline of the academic curriculum.

To date, the core curriculum has been offered in Hamilton, Ontario and in Vancouver, British Columbia. McMaster University will continue to provide oversight to the project in partnership with the Universities of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ottawa. Distance participants may join OTepp online.

Results of the national certification examination, registration with provincial regulatory bodies and employment status will be tracked to establish the success rate of OTepp participants. Participants will also be asked to participate in individual baseline and exit interviews. All participants will sign a consent form that outlines the requirements of participation in the project. Partners, collaborators and advisory committee members will be asked to provide their insights regarding their role and the project itself via interviews.

This project will provide a benefit to Canada by addressing an existing or projected skills shortage and labour market need by building on existing abilities of foreign-trained OTs. Canada is experiencing increasing numbers of individuals living with chronic disability who will benefit from OT services. Developing sound models for enabling new Canadians to enter the profession and pass the national certification exam is a clear priority. Strategies are being explored that will enable the project to be sustainable after project funding is concluded.