As an occupational therapy practitioner (OTP), expanding your expertise can open new career opportunities, enhance your impact on clients, and strengthen your professional recognition. AOTA offers structured pathways—through Professional Certificates, Micro Credentials, and Advanced Certification—to help you achieve your goals.
With a variety of options available, choosing the right path can be overwhelming. This guide breaks down each option to help you decide which is best for your career goals.
The Power of Specialization in OT
Specializing in a niche area of OT practice comes with several benefits, including
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Professional Recognition – Stand out in the field with credentials that validate your expertise.
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Career Advancement – Open doors to leadership roles, higher earning potential, and specialized job opportunities.
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Stronger Client Outcomes – Develop advanced skills that allow you to provide more effective, evidence-based interventions.
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Commitment to Excellence – Demonstrate to employers, clients, and peers that you are dedicated to ongoing professional development.
Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge through micro credentials, complete a professional certificate, or obtain advanced certification, AOTA provides structured pathways to support your growth.
Options for Growth: Certificates, Micro Credentials, and Advanced Certification
There are many opportunities for OTPs to earn credentials that can support career development and advancement. The most common pathways for AOTA members are
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Professional certificates are programs for OTs and OTAs that build skills in specific practice areas such as acute care, school-based practice, and home and community safety and driving.
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Micro credentials are short, targeted learning experiences designed for OTs and OTAs who want to develop specific skills. Micro credentials can stand alone or be completed as a step to the professional certificates.
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Advanced Certification is AOTA’s highest level of professional recognition, available for OTs with at least three years of experience. We currently offer advanced certification in gerontology, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.
Professional Certificates
Professional certificates help OTs and OTAs gain traction in their careers by demonstrating knowledge and skills in a specific area of practice. They receive a digital badge that is recognized by employers, payers, and clients. Certificates indicate that OTPs are trusted providers who can deliver improved outcomes for clients.
Unlike advanced certification, professional certificates do not require an exam or documented experience, making them an ideal choice for practitioners looking to build expertise in a new area.
You can earn a certificate by completing three micro credentials specifically chosen for the certificate, the associated essentials courses, and a final integration course.
AOTA currently offers three Professional Certificates:
Acute Care Professional Certificate
The Acute Care Professional Certificate is designed for practitioners working in hospital-based settings. It helps OTs and OTAs gain specialized knowledge in working with clients in acute care to help them engage in meaningful activities involving mobility, cognition, and psychosocial well-being.
The 3 required Essentials Courses are
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Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation: How to Engage and Motivate Your Clients
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Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention in Mental Health
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Introduction to Functional Cognition
The 3 sets of required micro credential courses for the Acute Care Professional Certificate are
School-Based Practice Professional Certificate
The School-Based Practice Professional Certificate helps OTs and OTAs support academic achievement, educational transitions, and social and emotional well-being from K-12 to adulthood.
The 3 sets of required Essentials Courses are
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Public Policy Supporting Occupational Therapy in Schools
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The Role of Occupational Therapy in Public School Systems of Support
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Occupational Therapy Contributions to the Individualized Education Program Under IDEA
The 3 sets of required micro credential courses for the School-Based Practice Professional Certificate are
Home and Community Safety and Driving Professional Certificate
The Home & Community Safety and Driving certificate enables practitioners working with community-dwelling adults to support their clients in a variety of areas, including driving, home modification, fall prevention, mindfulness, and lifestyle modifications. OTs and OTAs with this certificate can better approach clients holistically when their functional status changes because of age or injury.
The 3 required Essentials courses are
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Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention in Mental Health
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Introduction to Functional Cognition
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Population Health: Discovering New Opportunities
The 3 required micro credential courses are
Micro Credentials
Micro credentials are short, targeted learning experiences designed for practitioners or students who want to develop specific skills. These programs can either stand alone or be completed as a step to the professional certificates. AOTA micro credentials are stacked toward specific professional certificates, allowing practitioners immediate recognition as they progress to the certificate over time.
AOTA Micro Credentials
AOTA offers a variety of micro credentials including:
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First Response for Low Vision Rehabilitation
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Supporting Academic Achievement in School-Based Practice
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Supporting Social and Emotional Wellbeing in K-12
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Supporting Educational Transitions from K-12 to Adulthood
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Driving and Community Mobility
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Participation, Resilience, and Wellness
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Home Modifications and Falls Prevention
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Performing a Home Health Start of Care
Micro credentials are a great option for practitioners looking to expand their skills without the time commitment of a full certification.
Advanced Certification
Advanced Certification is AOTA’s highest level of professional recognition and credentialing, demonstrating a practitioner’s expertise through documented experience, continuing education, and a competency assessment.
An AOTA Advanced Certification program provides OTs opportunities to advance their careers and expand their recognition in the field. AOTA currently offers 3 advanced certifications:
The Process
Each advanced certification program involves an application, approval, an exam that needs to be taken within 90 days, a certification cycle that lasts for 5 years, and certification maintenance.
Eligibility
Before applying for one of the advanced certification programs, you’ll need to prove your eligibility. To apply, OTs must:
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Have at least 3 years of experience as an OT (or 2 years if completed an AOTA-approved Fellowship Program).
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Verify 3,000+ hours of experience in the certification area within the last 5 years (including direct intervention, supervision, teaching, consultation, administration, research, etc.).
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Document at least 500 hours of client-facing OT services in the certification area within the past 5 years.
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Submit a signed attestation form confirming that all application details are accurate.
Resources for Advancement
Occupational therapy practitioners are members of a dynamic profession, and AOTA offers myriad resources and programs that can help you learn, grow, and advance in your profession.
Are you looking to specialize or move into a leadership role? What credentials do you need to best serve your current or desired clients? How can you enhance your practice and plan for the future?
As you consider your options for specialization, this chart helps you compare micro credentials, professional certificates, and advanced certification.
Don’t forget that AOTA members get discounts on micro credentials, professional certificates, and exam fees for advanced certifications.
Explore AOTA’s credentialing programs and take the next step in your OT career.
