Cox College is launching its first doctorate program. The field? Occupational therapy.
Starting in May, Cox College will offer its first doctorate program in the school's 116-year history, according to the press release. The program is in occupational therapy, a field the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to experience "much faster than average" growth by 2031.
“We are excited to bring this program to southwest Missouri,” said Dr. Amy DeMelo, president of Cox College. “Offering a doctorate degree in occupational therapy will provide additional options for students, and help ensure a pipeline of highly trained occupational therapists to serve patients across the region.”
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As of 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found there were 133,900 occupational therapists in the United States. Occupational therapy is a field that focuses on helping people do the things they want and need to do in their daily life, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapists work with a range of clients, from children with developmental disabilities to those recovering from injuries to older adults who want to stay in their home as they age.
According to the United States Census Bureau, 16.8% of the United States population was age 65 and older in 2021. In Missouri, that older population accounted for 17.6% of the state's 6.17 million in 2021.
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Dr. Amy Stark, the Occupational Therapy Department chair, will lead both the doctorate program and Cox College’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, which has trained occupational therapists since its launch in 2015.
"I think there is a need in southwest Missouri and the rest of the nation and beyond for occupational therapists. We're very happy to be meeting that need," Stark said.
Stark explained that occupational therapists look at cognition as well as motor skills, and the way those come together for quality of everyday life, and that is part of why the health care industry is seeing an increased demand for people in that field.
"It makes the scope of practice one that is very practical, and very helpful for an individual or family who has encountered a life event that has completely changed or shattered their world," Stark said. "When that happens, an OT is one of the best people to bring alongside an individual or family to help them recover and kind of set a new normal that ensures quality of life for them going forward. That never goes out of style — it's not something based on the economy, based on a fad or a whim. It is based on quality of life, which is always valuable to people."
According to the press release, the doctorate program differs from the masters program in that it "incorporates advanced training in leadership and research, as well as a student self-directed research project with intensive faculty mentorship," according to Cox College. The nine-semester-long program features hands-on, skill-based practice as well as online coursework to prepare students for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam and life as an occupational therapist. Students will also participate in six months of fieldwork with direct supervision from an occupational therapist.
Applications are now open for the program’s inaugural class. For more information, email admissions@coxcollege.edu or visit CoxCollege.edu.
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Occupational therapy doctorate program set to be Cox College's first
