Occupational Therapy

Offered in partnership with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is one of the top medical schools in the nation, and it is home to the No. 3 occupational therapy program in the country as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Students at University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis benefit from having preferred admission to the program and the ability to integrate the final year of their undergraduate degree with the first year of the Master of Science (M.S.) or Clinical Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD).

To see the program at a glance, download the Occupational Therapy program profile.

About the Program

The mission of the occupational therapy program at the School of Medicine is to advance human health by enhancing people’s participation in everyday life activities through evidence-based practice, innovative research and the education of tomorrow’s leaders in occupational therapy and rehabilitation.

Integrated Options

Students have the option of completing one of two options:

"3+2" Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
"3+3" Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Admission Requirements

Students will apply at the beginning of their junior year and must meet the School of Medicine’s admission requirements for the occupational therapy program. Students must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA. Students at UHSP are not required to take the GRE for admission into the OT program.

Prerequisite Courses

Physiology
Upper-level science course
Abnormal Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Social Science course
Statistics

Observation Hours

Once in the program, students will be required to complete 30 hours of observation. The hours are meant to observe what it would be like to work with patients requiring occupational therapy. Students may complete them in a variety of locations where occupational therapists commonly practice such as:

Hospitals or clinics
School districts
Summer camps for children with disabilities
YMCA
United Cerebral Palsy Association
Special Olympics
Ronald McDonald House
Nursing homes
Homeless shelters
Independent living centers

Research Opportunities

At both the University and the School of Medicine, students have opportunities to develop their research portfolios.

Faculty at the School of Medicine are performing world-class research to develop new and better methods to understand and address disabilities. Research areas include:

Rehabilitation science
Low vision
Human performance
Occupational therapy neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

The University is actively working on research combating the opioid epidemic and improving patient care through the Center for Clinical Pharmacology and Center for Health Outcomes Research and Education. Faculty at the University are also conducting science- and humanities-based research.

Take the Next Step

To learn more about the occupational therapy (OT) program or to schedule a visit, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@uhsp.edu or 314.446.8328.