March is here! The snow is melting as spring approaches, and on March 9 we should all be ready to reset our clocks and spring forward! It is also time for many of us to renew our NBCOT® certification. Maintaining our professional credentials is important because it highlights the unique knowledge and skills that go along with the occupational therapist title. Renewing our certification also validates the immeasurable time and effort we have dedicated to school, clinical fieldwork, and studying for the certification exam. An immense amount of hard work was required to earn the privilege to identify ourselves as either an “OTR” or a “COTA” and we should continue to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment even years after successfully passing the certification exam.
Keeping our credentials up-to-date is also crucial to maintaining the strength of our profession as a whole. By participating in ongoing professional development and continuing education, we demonstrate to policymakers, reimbursement and referral sources, and to our clients that we are highly educated professionals with specialized knowledge and skills that cannot be provided by others outside of the field. This is particularly important in our current economy when administrators face budget cuts and may consider using less skilled personnel instead of OT’s or COTA’s.
Here at OccupationalTherapy.com, it is our goal to make it convenient, easy and affordable to maintain your professional credentials, such as your NBCOT® certification. Whether your primary practice area is in pediatrics or geriatrics, and even if you specialize in hand therapy, we have an extensive library of courses that will keep both your knowledge and your credentials up to date!
Best wishes for a beautiful Spring season!
Your colleague,
Christa Tober, MS, OTR
Managing Editor, OccupationalTherapy.com
