What Is Actually On The NBCOT® Exam
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy is, more often than not, the governmental certification body in the United States for professionals in the field of occupational therapy. The main purpose or motive of the NBCOT® examinations is, for the most part, protect and keep the public interest from harm by certifying only the people who possess the imperative knowledge of occupational therapy to practice.
The examinations are designed and crafted to measure or gauge entry-level expertise of candidates who have, more often than not, fulfill eligibility requirements for occupational therapist certification. So, if you want to become an occupational therapist someday, it is ideal to be prepared for the exams.
But what is actually on the NBCOT® Exam? The content for the examinations is, for the most part, based on the results of practice analysis studies and created to gauge the knowledge required for practicing as an entry-level COTA or OTR. For a little help, here’s the content outline for the NBCOT® Exam. Read on!
OTR Domain Descriptions
There will be 25 percent of evaluation and assessment in the exam. Acquiring or obtaining information with regards to the factors and elements that affect the occupational performance on, for the most part, an ongoing basis during the occupational therapy process. Next, there will be analysis and interpretation (23 percent).
In this area, you need to formulate and create conclusions with regards to the priorities and needs of the client to monitor and develop an intervention strategy all over the occupational therapy process. Third, there will be 37 percent of intervention management, wherein you choose interventions for monitoring a client-centered strategy during the occupational therapy process.
Lastly, there will be 15 percent of competency and practice management in the exam. In this section, you need to deal with professional activities of relevant others and self as guided by standards of practice, evidence, and regulatory compliance to foster quality care.
COTA Domain Descriptions
There will be 28 percent of gathering and collaborating information in the exam. You need to assist the occupational therapist registered (OTR) to gather information with regards to the factors affecting the ability to perceive, desire, recall, plan and carry out roles on, for the most part, a developing basis during the client-centered delivery of occupational therapy services.
Next, there will be 55 percent of choosing and executing interventions in the exam. In this area, you need to execute interventions under the guidance of the occupational therapist registered in obedience with the study plan and service competence level to bolster client participation in domains of occupation during the client-centered delivery of occupational therapy services.
Lastly, there will be 17 percent of sustaining professional responsibilities and standards in the exam. Endorse professional responsibilities and standards by attaining customer service competence and implementing evidence-centered interventions to foster merit in practice.
The Computer-based Examinations
For the OTR, there will be three clinical simulation test items. Additionally, it has 170 four-option and three-option single response multiple choice items. On the other hand, for COTA, there will be 200 items consisting of four-option and three-option single response multiple choice items. Plus, 6 option multi-select items.
Four- and Three-Option Single Response Multiple-Choice Items
Each item begins with a premise or a stem. It comes in the form of a written question or statement, and either 3 or 4 feasible response options are, for the most part, listed under the stem. From the listed options, there’s only one right answer.
Examinees need to choose the best response base on the info shown in the stem. Strike out, and highlight features are, more often than not, available on the computer to help the individual throughout their decision-making process.
Six-Option Multi-Select Items
Each item comprises a question premise followed by 6 response options. Of the 6 responses given, there are 3 right answers. Hence, the other 3 responses are incorrect. Again, strikeout and highlight features are, more often than not, available on the computer to help the individual throughout their decision-making process. The person taking the exam must choose 3 best responses to proceed or go to the next question on the exam.
Clinical Simulation Test (CST) Items
As we have said, OTR examinations include Clinical Simulation Test (CST) items. Each item comprises of an opening statement, information, or question, and there will be four section headers, as well as a list of action or decision statements.
Takeaway
What happens after the exam? You can get your result online after the examination has been, for the most part, scored. For those who passed, you will receive an email stating that your result is posted online. Also, you’ll get a congratulatory letter, nbcot® certificate, and wallet card verifying that you are a certified OTR.
On the other hand, for those who failed, you will receive an email when the result is posted online. Also, you will get a feedback report, outlining your overall score with performance per domain-level.
