Brief Report
Issue Date: July/August 2020
Published Online: May 29, 2020
Updated: June 22, 2020
Predicting Student Success on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® Examination
Amy L. Kurowski-Burt; SueAnn Woods; Shay M. Daily; Christa L. Lilly; Brian Scaife; Diana Davis
Author Affiliations
  • Amy L. Kurowski-Burt, EdD, MOT, OTR/L, is Associate Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown; alburt@hsc.wvu.edu
  • SueAnn Woods, CHT, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown
  • Shay M. Daily, PhD, MPH, MCHES, is Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise, Health, and Sport Sciences, University of Southern Maine, Portland
  • Christa L. Lilly, BS, MS, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown
  • Brian Scaife, OTD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown
  • Diana Davis, MA, PhD, OTR/L, is Associate Professor, Vice Chairperson, and Program Director, OTD Program, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown
Article Information
Education of OTs and OTAs / Columns: Brief Report
Brief Report   |   May 29, 2020
Predicting Student Success on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® Examination
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, May 2020, Vol. 74, 7404345020. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.037622
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, May 2020, Vol. 74, 7404345020. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.037622
Abstract

Importance: A predictive tool to support academic and practice outcomes for occupational therapy students is needed for use in advising students.

Objective: To determine whether characteristics of academic and professional behavior across cohorts could indicate the likelihood of student success in passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® examination.

Design: Causal–comparative research.

Participants: Master of occupational therapy students (N = 315; eight cohorts).

Measures: Demographics, college entrance exams, grade point average, program benchmarks (i.e., specific course grades, fieldwork grades, Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam scores), licensure exam.

Results: Baseline and in-program characteristics were used to determine success; for each unit increase in the success score, the odds of passing the exam were 4.11 (95% confidence interval [2.23, 7.60]).

Conclusions and Relevance: Case studies that have used this success score suggest that additional resources and targeted interventions could be allocated to help students at highest risk of not passing the licensure exam.

What This Article Adds: Using a predictive tool to support student success can enable more effective academic advising throughout an occupational therapy program and result in positive outcomes on the licensure exam.