Student Resources

Online Continuing Education

TNOTA is proud to partner with Aspire OT to offer our virtual continuing education course library. As a member benefit, most courses are free for TNOTA members. Members will also receive discounted access to Aspire OT's course content.

TNOTA members, click here for access to free and discounted CE courses (login required).

Non-members click here to access online CE courses. Most courses are priced at $20/hour!

OT/OTA Licensure

TNOTA and TN Board of Occupational Therapy FAQ

Resume & Interview Tips, Job Search, & Salary Guide

General Resume Tips

Resume Tips for 2020

Interview Tips

AOTA's OTJobLink (Click “Career Resources” and look under “The Interview Process”)

Occupational Therapist Resumes Tips

Occupational Therapist Resume Samples

AOTA Resume Sample

AOTA's Curriculum Vitae Glossary

Navigating the Job Search During COVID-19

How To Use Indeed to Job Search During COVID-19

AOTA's OTJobLink (Click "Job Seekers”)

T NOTA's Job Board

Salary Guide

Occupational Therapy Salary Guide

Telehealth

Advocacy

TNOTA Advocacy Resources

AOTA Advocacy & Policy

Diversity

TNOTA Diversity & Inclusion

TNOTA DEI Resources

Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD)

COTAD Minority Mentorship Program

COTAD Chapters

Implicit Bias

2020 has been an incredible year of change and awakening that is causing organizations, institutions, and individuals to examine their beliefs and systems. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is one of those organizations. In August 2020, AOTA released its “AOTA’s Guide to Acknowledging the Impact of Discrimination, Stigma, and Implicit Bias on Provision of Services”, which defines key terms and lists next steps which all occupational therapists and practices should take. The entire article can be found at the following link: https://www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Guide-Acknowledging-Impact-Discrimination-Stigma-Implicit-Bias.pdf

It is imperative to highlight one of the terms defined in this thoughtful document: implicit bias. “Implicit biases do not require one’s active awareness. Hence, they are also known as unconscious biases because of the underlying thread of behavior and actions (Blair, et al., 2011). Practitioners can form inaccurate views about various clients and fellow practitioners because of implicit biases. The AOTA document states, “Such views affect the therapist-client relationship beyond that of cultural competence (for example, unconsciously creating barriers to treatment, like overlooking necessary treatment interventions or providing appropriate referrals)” (AOTA, 2020).

As therapists and professionals dedicated to high standards, we must examine our individual implicit biases to ensure we are providing high levels of care to all our clients, cultivating strong relationships with our peers, and ensuring occupational justice for all. Accessing and reading the AOTA article referenced above and taking The Implicit Association Test (https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html) developed by Harvard University are excellent steps in the right direction.

References:

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). AOTA’s guide to acknowledging the impact of discrimination, stigma, and implicit bias on provision of services. Retrieved from: https://www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Guide-Acknowledging-Impact-Discrimination-Stigma-Implicit-Bias.pdf

Blair, I., Steiner, J. & Havranek, E. (2011). Unconscious (implicit) bias and health disparities: Where do we go from here? The Permanente Journal: 15(2): 71-78.