The differences between the Missions of AOTA, OOTA, and NBCOT lie in their scope of activities and perceptions of the profession of occupational therapy.
While AOTA is a countrywide organization rendering the cause of OT through “advancing the quality, availability, use, and support of occupational therapy through standard-setting, advocacy, education, and research on behalf of its members and the public.” On the other hand, the OOTA is “concerned with the health of citizens of Ohio,” and also interalia needing to” regulate the profession of occupational therapy.”
Again, the NMBCOT is concerned with providing” certification of the occupational therapy profession.”
Thus the three associations have different perspectives of occupational therapies according to their scope of activities and defined goals and objectives.
Coming to the memberships, it could be said that AOTA is a country body throughout the USA, while OOTA is a state body and NMBOT is a certifying body that confers certification, according to achievements of standards. Thus, their scope of perspectives is different, just as their objectives are different.
Coming to the matter of membership, it could be said that memberships confer both privileges and challenges.
Its privileges could be seen in terms of the fact that it is holding membership in an elite body with a large number of fellow members whose associations could be beneficial for its members in terms of expanding vistas of knowledge and gaining mastery over the business of occupational therapy.
Its liabilities or challenges could be in terms of adhering to robust and stiff challenges over a period of time, in terms of memberships in such associations. In the event of inability to adhere to standards, it is possible that members may be debarred from holding memberships in the future, and there is also a high risk of permanent cancellation of membership rights.
Thus, a member has to be very circumspect in his professional conduct as OT and needs to strictly conform to the rules and bylaw of regulating Body, whether AOTA, OOTA, or NBCOT.