Ang Therapist

When & Where
June 3 – 6, 2009
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Welcome from the Host Committee

The Host Committee is thrilled to welcome you to Ottawa for the 2009 Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists National Conference. The Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists has joined with CAOT to co-host this great event in our nation’s capital.

The national conference is always an exciting moment where one can meet like-minded colleagues. It is a time to catch up with old acquaintances and meet new friends. It is a place to learn and share, to discuss and debate, to feel rejuvenated and have fun.

The theme of the Conference, “Engaging in healthy occupation”, speaks of partnership and occupation for all. The Conference Scientific Program Committee has put together a variety of interesting presentations, including several presentations from occupational therapy consumers. The Canadian Society of Occupational Science will also be hosting a one day stream of occupational science papers, a new addition to our conference this year.

A central location was selected for this Conference to allow you to relax after a day of learning—whether it is along the Ottawa River, on Parliament Hill or at the LeBreton flats. You are even within walking distance a number of shops and cafes nearby.

Two events have been organized that should enliven your stay: a classy evening by the Rideau Canal at the National Arts Centre and a pre-Canada day party in a downtown pub! Join us! You’ll love it!

We sincerely hope that this few days spent in our Nation’s Capital will be an experience you’ll remember for a long time!

A few last words to thank everyone involved in the planning of such a large event:

• A special thanks to members of the Host Committee: Lara Haddad (Social Committee), Diana Bissett & Crystal Morris (Volunteer Committee), Sandy Alexander (Registration Committee), Cathie Kissick (PR Committee), Catherine Lanoix (Student Social Committee), Roselle Adler, Anne Barrington, Melissa Belcher, Carolyn Bradley, Donna Campbell, Una Choi, Nathalie Cléroux, Joanie Conrad, Chris Desrochers, Jocelyn Gervais, Diane Graham, Laura Grunder, Amy Hanes, Melissa Lemieux, Mireille Marquis, Tara Previl, Linda Porszt-Morin, Josée Séguin, Fiona Smith Bradley, Moira Toomey, Adeena Wisenthal
• Volunteers, whether they are occupational therapists from the area, students from the University of Ottawa, family members or friends
• Colleagues at CAOT and at OSOT

Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication in planning such a significant moment for occupational therapists.

Cathie Cassick and Jean-Pascal Beaudoin
Host Committee Co-Convenors

For more information, visit the CAOT website.

If ceiling fans can’t beat the heat, refresh your minds instead with information you can gain at this exciting event for those in the Special Education sector.

The Philippine Women’s University (PWU), JASMS, Quezon City will hold a 2-day National Conference on Special Children with Developmental Disabilities with “Contemporary Special Education: Directing the Future” as its theme.

When & Where
21-22 May 2009
Quezon City Sports Club
E. Rodriguez Avenue,
Quezon City, Philippines

Conference Objectives

• To share the best practices of the different SPED centers/institution s and to present the services offered by various SPED organizations
• To aid teachers/parents in diagnosing and assessing children with special needs and to introduce teaching strategies that will be helpful to SPED teachers
• To serve as venue for the presentation of researches on disability studies.
• To strengthen professional collaboration among SPED centers/ institutions

Deadline for early registration is on 7 May 2009. For more information, contact Dr. Eden O. Kelemen, Over-all Chairman, Dean, School of Education, PWU at telephone number (632) 9206309 or click here.

There have been a lot of discussions regarding denials of H-1B petitions by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Such denials are based on the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2008-09 Edition which states that:

Occupational Therapist
Individuals pursing a career as an occupational therapist usually need to earn a master’s degree in occupational therapy from an accredited college or university, which includes 6 months of supervised fieldwork.

Education and training. A master’s degree or higher in occupational therapy is the minimum requirement for entry into the field.

Physical Therapist
Individuals pursuing a career as a physical therapist usually need a master’s degree from an accredited physical therapy program and a State license, requiring passing scores on national and State examinations.

Education and training. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there were 209 accredited physical therapist education programs in 2007. Of the accredited programs, 43 offered master’s degrees and 166 offered doctoral degrees. Only master’s degree and doctoral degree programs are accredited, in accordance with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. In the future, a doctoral degree might be the required entry-level degree. Master’s degree programs typically last 2 years, and doctoral degree programs last 3 years.

The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc (NBCOT) have written the following letters to USCIS. We hope this matter has been settled.

• FCCPT letter re language in final PT report
• NBCOT Letter No. 1
• NBCOT Letter No. 2