Running head : PREDICTIVE FACTORS 1 Predictive Factors of Successful Outcomes for Occupational Therapy Students

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which pre-admission factors and program grades predict FWII performance and first time pass status on the NBCOT exam for occupational therapy students at the University of Puget Sound. Method: The sample included 242 students from cohorts 2002 to 2011. Multiple regression was used to predict FWII performance. Logistical regression predicted first time (P1) or second time pass (P2) on the NBCOT. One-sample t-test mean comparisons were calculated between students who passed or failed FWII, and between P1 and P2 students. Results: Prediction of FWII scores was not statistically significant. In contrast, GRE and program grades may predict P1 students. Logistical regression identified 26% of P2 students and 99.1% of P1 students. Pre-admission factors and program grades yielded numerous statistically significant differences in means between P1 and P2 students. Conclusion: Identifying P2 students may be beneficial during the selection process, and for faculty members during the program so they may intervene to assist students at risk. PREDICTIVE FACTORS 3 The field of occupational therapy (OT) is expanding in breadth and scope and has experienced significant growth in numbers in recent years. Students interested in joining this client-centered health profession are finding the task of gaining admission to an educational program to be challenging. In fact, the number of applicants to Masters of OT (MOT) programs increased from 17,789 to 34,699 between 2010 and 2013 (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). This trend puts admission committees in the difficult position of having many more qualified applicants than places available in their programs. Consequently, admission committees are tasked with the responsibility of establishing reliable and valid selection criteria. Programs vary regarding the emphasis they place on specific admission variables. For example, many programs require Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, while others do not. It is clear that to date, there has not been a consensus on which selection variables best predict OT student success. Yet the ability to predict student success is becoming increasingly important as more potential students are drawn to the field. Over the years, many studies have examined admissions variables for OT programs. Best (1994) examined the relationship between OT program grades and Fieldwork II (FWII) outcomes for 257 students at the University of Puget Sound. Best (1994) found that OT program coursework was statistically significantly correlated to FWII outcomes, but acknowledged that the model was weak with only 10% of the variability in scores accounted for. Best (1994) recommended that subsequent research examine samples of students who fail either FWII or the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam in order to eliminate the statistical limitation he encountered. An examination of students who do not succeed makes sense in the current, competitive environment. A high value should be placed on every seat a program has to offer. Program admission committees should strive to fill each seat with the most PREDICTIVE FACTORS 4 qualified applicants possessing the necessary academic and interpersonal skills needed to succeed at the graduate level and in their future career as an occupational therapist. Identification of the most critical factors to consider has proven to be a challenging task.