If you are considering Pitt’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program, you will need to complete your online application through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service, or OTCAS. After reviewing applications for more than a decade, I am happy to offer some expert tips to creating a stellar application!
- Keep the focus on you. Many applicants focus on explaining occupational therapy, rather than providing information about themselves. Remember that the admissions committee and occupational therapy faculty will already know about occupational therapy…but they won’t know about you! Make sure you provide information about your exposure to occupational therapy, why you are interested in this profession and what your professional goals are. Include how your skills and strengths will support you as you move forward in graduate school and even as an entry-level therapist.
- Start early and work section-by-section. As you enter your information into each of the application’s four core sections (Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information and Program Materials), carefully consider what information is needed and make sure the information you enter is accurate and complete. Think about what you would like for others to know about you — what has contributed to your interest and enthusiasm for occupational therapy? Consider where in your OTCAS application you will document your experiences and achievements.
- Ask the right people (at the right time) for references. To be considered for admission, you will need to identify three people who can serve as references for you: an occupational therapist who knows you from volunteering/observing/shadowing/working in the clinic, a professor who knows you from being in class and someone who knows you in a professional capacity (maybe a supervisor or manager?). It is best to think ahead about who you will ask to be a reference because you will need their support to complete your application. All reference materials are submitted electronically and directly to OTCAS. Connect with your references early, be clear about the deadline for their submissions and ensure that they can commit to this deadline. As the time gets closer, keep the process moving – send a friendly email or text to check-in to make sure they are on track with your materials and remind them to be on the lookout for a link to OTCAS (so it doesn’t go to spam!).
- Watch for speedbumps. Some sections in OTCAS, such as your academic history, require multiple steps. You will enter all your coursework from every U.S. college and university you have attended and arrange to have your official transcripts sent directly from the registrar to OTCAS. In many instances this can be done electronically, through a vendor. Sometimes, however, you may need to do this the old-fashioned way, so be prepared with envelopes and stamps. Be patient – even if your verification is electronic, it doesn’t happen instantly, and if errors are noted, your application won’t be verified. In this case, you will need to correct any discrepancies and resubmit.
- Ask the experts. We would love to connect with you – register for an information session to hear from faculty and current students or send us an email.
We are honored that you are considering Pitt...and can’t wait to review your application!
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Written by:
Joanne Baird
Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
Director of Admissions, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program
Published October 2, 2023
Updated October 5, 2023
Updated March 7, 2024