Professional Development Units (PDUs) can be obtained from the NBCOT® (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy).

An occupational therapy practitioner may mentor a colleague or other professional and earn up to 18 PDUs in a 3-year cycle (10 clock hours of mentoring equals 2 PDUs). Similarly, an occupational therapy practitioner may receive the same number of PDUs for being a mentee who is mentored by another professional or another occupational therapy practitioner who has advanced certification.

Note: Obtainment of 36 PDUs are required during each three-year renewal cycle in order to retain the registration certification marks owned by NBCOT® (the “R” for registered occupational therapist, and the “C” for certified occupational therapy assistant).

Here is how it works:

Goals and objectives for the relationship must be established as well as an analysis of performance. NBCOT® provides a Mentoring Form (entitled “NBCOT® Mentoring Form”) that provides space to:

• document the objectives

• plan instruction, dates/times of activities

• evaluate mentee by mentor

• evaluate mentor by mentee

• review and improvement plan for future mentorship.

Be sure to consult the NBCOT® list of professional development activities that are acceptable, the mentoring guidelines established, and the mentoring forms available before initiating the relationship. To obtain these items go to NBCOT®’s website for the following:

List of the Acceptable Professional Development Activities in the NBCOT® Certification Renewal Handbook OTR® COTA® (2005) that includes items numbered 11, 12, 13, and 14 regarding mentoring and being mentored (go to www.nbcot.org, click on Certificants, click on Certification Renewal Handbook -or- click on picture below to go directly to the handbook, go to bottom of page 11 and top of 12).

The Guidelines for Mentoring in the NBCOT® OTR® Self-Assessment Resource Tool (2005) or the NBCOT® COTA® Self-Assessment Resource Tool (2005) that include the criteria for mentoring and being a mentee (go to www.nbcot.org, click on Site Map, scroll to Certification Forms, click on NBCOT®–OTR® Self-Assessment -or- click on picture below to go directly to the document, go to page 6

or click on the NBCOT®-COTA® Self-Assessment -or- click on picture below to go directly to the document, go to page 6

The NBCOT® Mentoring Form (go to www.nbcot.org, click on Forms, scroll to Professional Development, click on Mentoring Forms -or- click on picture below to go directly to the forms).

Also, contact hours may be obtained from the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (OT/PT/AT Board) for serving in an apprecticeship. An occupational therapy practitioner may serve in an apprenticeship (similar to mentoring under a practitioner who has demonstrated expertise) and obtain 5 contact hours for each forty hour week spent in the apprenticeship with no limit on the number of contact hours earned in this manner.

Note: Obtainment of 20 contact hours as granted by the OOT/PT/AT Board is required during each 2-year renewal cycle in order to maintain a license to practice as an occupational therapy practitioner in the state of Ohio.

Here is how it works:
A signed letter from the identified supervisor that details the length/type of experiences and an evaluation of performance must be completed. To track and monitor this activity, it is acceptable to use the mentoring form provided by NBCOT (see above). Be sure to consult apprenticeship criteria that are needed to satisfy the OOT/PT/AT licensure requirements before initiating the relationship. Go to the website of the licensure board for the following:

Criteria for Apprenticeships to meet the continuing education requirements as specified in Section 4755-91(A)(8) of the Laws and Rules Regulating the Practice of Occupational Therapy as of May 1, 2005 (go to www.otptat.ohio.gov, select Laws in scrolldown menu of occupational therapy -or- click on picture below to go directly to the Laws and Rules document, go to item number 8 at bottom of page 22).

Additionally, note that mentoring has also been identified as a learning style that may be used to reach a goal identified in the Professional Development Tool (Case-Smith, 2003) which was designed by the Commission on Continuing Competence and Professional Development (CCCPD) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to assess professional development needs and interests, develop a plan for growth, and document growth in a Portfolio. Go to www.aota.org, click on Professional Development Tool in the Members Only section, scroll to the AOTA Professional Development Tool (PDT), click on the Professional Development Tool (PDT), log on as a member, explore document and its uses.