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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Occupational Therapy awarded ten years of accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy

The University of New England’s Occupational Therapy (OT) program was awarded ten years of accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

ACOTE representatives were generous with commendations for OT administrators, recognizing them for “visionary leadership and support,” particularly for the rich opportunities they provide for students through the interprofessional education program.

Jane Clifford O’Brien, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, program director, was lauded for her leadership and dedication to strengthening the OT curriculum. The ACOTE attributed the marked improvement in students’ national certification pass rates to her efforts.

ACOTE representatives also commended Scott McNeil, OTD, M.S., OTR/L, academic fieldwork coordinator, for his commitment to strengthening community relationships with fieldwork sites and educators. In particular, his dedication and support were recognized as necessary to the program’s success.

The ACOTE on-site report praised OT faculty members as a collective team for their innovative teaching methods, commenting, “The use of these innovative experiences has contributed to the development of confident and competent fieldwork students and high-caliber graduates… This student-centered approach has resulted in students who feel supported and connected to their institution.”

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.