People living in British Columbia (BC) will experience enhanced health care if there is consistent delivery of occupational therapy services across the province. Occupational therapists in BC fulfill their promise to provide safe, ethical and effective care by maintaining and improving their professional competence to meet or exceed established provincial standards. COTBC is responsible for delivering a Quality Assurance Program* that supports and monitors continued competence. Monitoring competence is one way in which the College honours the privilege of self-regulation and meets its mandate to protect the public’s interest.

The program includes three elements:
1. Competence Maintenance.
2. Competence Assessment.
3. Competence Improvement.

Competence Maintenance is an ongoing process in which occupational therapists engage in activities to maintain and/or enhance their competence and expertise. The College supports this process through the Annual Continuing Competence Review (ACCR).

Requirement: To meet the continuing competence requirements for registration renewal, all occupational therapists in the practising and provisional registrant categories must complete the ACCR each year. Optional learning modules and webinars will be available to assist occupational therapists to maintain their competence.

Competence Assessment provides occupational therapists an opportunity to demonstrate their competence by passing an objective test called the Continuing Competence Exam (CCE). The exam also helps to identify occupational therapists who need assistance to improve their competence to meet the profession’s standards of practice and professional conduct.

Requirement: Occupational therapists are required to take the Continuing Competence Exam every 6 years. The first administration of the CCE was held in January 2016. Occupational therapists who become registrants of the College after September 30, 2015 will write in the next exam administration which is currently scheduled for 2022.

Competence Improvement is designed to assist occupational therapists to meet those standards and/or competencies that were identified in the Continuing Competence Exam as needing improvement. A customized, personalized, and confidential plan is developed to assist the occupational therapist in improving his/her competence.

Requirement: Only for those occupational therapists who do not meet the required pass score on the exam, after two attempts, will participate in this element of the program.