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Occupational Therapy: Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Doctorate
Overview
Application Requirements
Faculty
Related Programs
Apply Request Info
Application Deadlines
Fall: n/a
Spring: n/a
Summer: Oct 15
School/Department
Occupational Therapy
Program Director
Jessica Harney
Contact
gradadmissions@tufts.edu
Location
Medford/Somerville
Format
On-campus
Commitment Options
Full-time
Average Duration
9 Semesters
Credits
106
Tuition per Credit
$1270
Eligible for Aid/Scholarship
Yes

Overview

The Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (ELOTD) is for students entering with a degree in a field other than OT. As a student, you will experience an exciting program combining a diverse curriculum, research, service learning, and fieldwork.

Program Outcomes

Tufts Department of Occupational Therapy (also known as the historic Boston School of Occupational Therapy‚ founded in 1918) has one of the country's top-ranked programs. Through education, research, and practice, we promote participation in meaningful activity of individuals, communities and populations with diverse needs and experiences.

As a student in the ELOTD program, you'll develop into an occupational therapist with a passion for civic engagement who is able to address the current and future occupational needs of individuals, populations, communities and health care systems.

As a graduate of the ELOTD program, you are eligible to sit for the NBCOT exam. 

Application Requirements

  • ELOTD applicants use the OT Common Application (OTCAS) to apply
  • Application Fee
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement: Please use the OTCAS prompt
  • Kira Assessment: Starting in 2023, all applicants will complete virtual asynchronous interviews using the Kira Assessment platform. This will be linked directly from your application.
  • GRE General Test scores are not required for applicants who have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution by time of enrollment. GRE scores are required for applicants who received a degree from an institution outside of the U.S.
  • Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test, if applicable
  • Transcripts
  • Three Letters of Recommendation. Preference is to include at least one academic reference. Note: Only 2 letters of reference are required for current Tufts University undergraduate and certificate students.
  • Certificate of Hepatitis B Vaccination will be required upon acceptance/enrollment

Prerequisites

All prerequisites must be passed with a grade of B- or better and taken at an accredited college. We do not accept online or hybrid credit for any of our prerequisite course work unless a course was moved to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • One course in abnormal psychology or psychopathology
  • One course in human/lifespan development (will accept a course in the area of child development or developmental psych)
  • One general course in the area of psychology, sociology, anthropology
  • One course in human cell based biology or human anatomy. At least one of your science prerequisites must contain a lab
  • One course in human physiology. When anatomy and physiology are taken as a combined course, (A&P I and II) you must be take both courses to fulfill our physiology prerequisites.
  • One course in introductory statistics

Note: Entry-level OTD applicants apply through OTCAS.

Please contact Jill Rocca, Occupational Therapy Admissions Coordinator, if you have any questions about the application process. 

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information for GSAS Programs. Note: This program is eligible for federal loans and Tufts tuition scholarships.

Student Spotlights

Justine Ramos

Combining Creativity and Care

Published author and student in the Entry-Level Occupational Therapy program Justine Ramos has found community and inspiration at Tufts.
Kaitlyn Irwin

Tufts really supported me in undertaking projects that aligned with my interests and goals. I’m a pretty confident person, but when you’re entering a new profession it’s easy to get intimidated. Having the opportunity to engage in a doctoral experiential component, fieldwork placements, and present at conferences gave me the confidence and knowledge base to start my career off strong and provide the highest level of care I can to children and their families.

Kaitlyn Irwin, OTD ‘22

Faculty

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Nancy Baker

Professor
Occupational Therapy
Chronic Pain, Virtual Reality, Musculoskeletal Health, Ergonomics Nancy Baker's research focuses on ways to mitigate musculoskeletal pain, so people with chronic pain can increase their participation in everyday life. She focuses on three pain mitigation pathways: 1) workstation ergonomics to address work environment properties that propagate pain; 2) improving care delivery in CTS; and 3) virtual reality (VR) as a therapeutic medium for pain. Baker's research is eclectic and uses a variety of tools and techniques to answer her research questions. A new area for her, her current research examines how to implement VR into clinical practice. Here pilot work has looked at what types and dosages of VR are most effective, how different diagnoses, such as chronic back pain or osteoarthritis, respond to VR, and she has partnered with rehabilitation centers to trial different implementation practices. So far, her research consistently demonstrates that VR has a significant effect on pain and that it can be feasibly done by practicing therapists. Some results found a carryover of effect past the immediate VR session. Baker is also working with colleagues to examine new paradigms in carpal tunnel treatment and is completing a trial looking at dosage for standing desk use.
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Mary Barnes

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
Group Theory & Practice; Functional Group Model; Occupational Therapy Fieldwork, Mentoring My scholarship has focussed on development of an instrument to measure outcomes of group leader training related to common leader skills and functions and occupational therapy fieldwork. I currently participate in research projects regarding professional development, occupational therapy education, and community based program evaluation.
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Janet Brooks

Distinguished Senior Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
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Jennifer Buxton

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
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Meredith Grinnell

Senior Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
Current research interests include the use of tele-health technologies and patient participation in healthcare outcomes. Other interests include the use of social media to enhance engagement and communication within the profession as well as with patients.
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Jessica Harney

Senior Lecturer and Department Chair of Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Rehabilitation Management, Evaluation and Treatment of physical dysfunctions, Evaluation and Treatment of Orthopedic Dysfunctions in the Athlete, Concussion Management and Education, Adaptive Sports as a Rehabilitation Tool Adaptive Sports, Concussion Management of the Athlete and Student, Professional development of the Health-Care Manager
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Margaret Morris

Senior Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
Board Certification in Pediatrics (BCP) 2012-2022, American Occupational Therapy Association Occupational therapy evaluation and intervention in pediatrics, particularly contextual and strengths-based services Pediatrics Evaluation, including strengths-based evaluation, occupation-based evaluation, context & environment Intervention, including models of occupation-based service provision, contextual services, collaboration, strengths-based, least restrictive environment Program development, including systems approaches, strengths-based, mindfulness, social-emotional regulation, physical literacy Teaching and Learning Models of professional development, andragogy, self-regulated learning Project-based learning, technology in teaching and learning, using visual analog scales in course evaluation, concept mapping Online teaching and learning, course design (F2F, hybrid, online)
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Monica Pessina

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
Design and analysis of outcome based studies in the acute care setting, and the quantitative analysis of hand function after injury.
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Sarah Skeels

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
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Brynn Speroni

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
Brain Injury, Neurological Disorders, Substance-Use Community Programming, Occupational Therapy in Post-Secondary Education, Evaluation and Treatment of Physical & Cognitive Dysfunction, Rehabilitation in Inpatient Settings, Rehabilitation Management, Fieldwork
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Elizabeth Whitney

Lecturer
Occupational Therapy
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Ryan Whitney

Lecturer and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
Occupational Therapy
Professional communication, fieldwork education, professional development of emerging occupational therapists, interprofessional collaboration, complex medical pediatric occupational therapy, community-based practice

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