OTA Bachelor’s Degree Holder Makes History with Board Certification

HUNTINGTON, Ind. — Huntington University graduate Bailey Funkhouser, Class of 2020, was part of the inaugural class of the first accredited occupational therapy assistant (OTA) bachelor’s degree program in the nation. Now, she is making history again as the first OTA bachelor’s degree graduate to pass her National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examinations.

Passing the NBCOT exams is required to practice OT, and you can only sit for the 200-question exam if you graduate from an accredited program.

“As a student, Bailey was conscientious, accountable, humble and undeniably a hard worker,” said Dr. Nicole Scheiman, OTA program director at Huntington University. “She put the time and effort in to do her very best, each and every time!”

The five-year accreditation for HU’s occupational therapy assistant program was granted by ACOTE, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, earlier this year. 

“Providing the occupational therapy degree at the bachelor’s level impacts the future of occupational therapy in that it gives students unique options,” said Scheiman. “Many of our students will continue on and practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, some are continuing on to our doctoral program and some are considering pairing their degree with degrees in speech and physical therapy to become a dual-credential/licensed healthcare practitioner.”

Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest, and Forbes.com has listed the university as one of America’s Best Colleges. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington University is located on a contemporary lakeside campus in northeast Indiana. The nonprofit university is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).