The Occupational Therapy Department was established in the year 1972 under the Department of Orthopedics in Kasturba Hospital as a small clinical unit. It only provided clinical services to the patients and it was in September 1994, Occupational Therapy Education Programme was established under Kasturba Medical College and from 1999 the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) Programme is conducted in Department of Occupational Therapy of MCOAHS. It is a 4-½ year full time course affiliated to Manipal University.

The department also conducts Masters of Occupational Therapy Programme (Two year full time course) in different specialty, which started in September 2002. The integrated education and clinical practice is the hallmark of this institute. The academic programme is designed in such a way that the students can pursue their clinical practice and academic know-how in context with the social fabric both nationally and internationally.

The academic programme is accredited by the All India Occupational Therapist’s Association (AIOTA) the national governing body of the profession and by World Federation of Occupational Therapist in 1998, the apex professional body worldwide. The Occupational Therapy Centre is now one of the premier training centres of the country.