St. Bonaventure Occupational Therapy students practice functional transfers during a skills lab.
Photo: St. Bonaventure University
BY CHRIS DOODY, STAFF WRITER
An Oct. 17 agreement with St. Bonaventure University and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford introduced new opportunities for graduate students pursuing Bonaventure’s occupational therapy program.
“This new partnership with UPB is exciting because we are able to keep students local who are interested in continuing their education in a healthcare-related profession,” said Suzanne Marasco, chairperson of occupational therapy program. “Our areas in New York and Pennsylvania are in desperate need of healthcare providers, including occupational therapists, to provide much-needed services in the local areas.”
The occupational therapy program at Bonaventure has room for up to 30 students, said Marasco.
“We are currently reserving roughly 16% of seats for UPB undergraduates,” said Marasco. “20 seats are reserved for SBU Early Assurance Pathway (EAP) students.”
The remaining seats are open to students applying to Bonaventure’s occupational therapy program, according to Marasco.
“This agreement will allow UPB undergraduate students to more easily transition to graduate school,” said Marasco. “[And help them] eventually become healthcare providers.”
The master’s program is two years long, with students taking 73 credits.
“[With our program] students complete classroom work to gain the ‘fundamentals’ of theory, anatomy, neurology and the underpinnings of occupational science,” said Marasco. “The students also complete fieldwork experiences in practice areas including schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities, community-based centers, outpatient care centers and nursing facilities to name a few.”
The program also prepares students to become board-certified.
“Our program ends with students completing six months of full-time clinical rotations with an occupational therapist before they take their national board certification exam to become an occupational therapist,” said Marasco.
Bonaventure staff members said they are looking forward to this new collaboration with UPB. “This partnership is a great beginning for us,” said Marasco. “We are eager and excited to continue to grow our local and community connections.”
doodycd24@bonaventure.edu
