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Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools and Training Programs
Improve the quality of life of your patients as you help rehabilitate those with physical, mental, or developmental impairments by pursuing a job as an occupational therapy assistant, or occupational therapist assistant (OTA).
Occupational Therapy Assistant Careers
Working side-by-side with an occupational therapist, the assistant helps clients with rehabilitation exercises and other therapy in accordance with a treatment plan. These may include stretches or re-teaching normal body movements such as walking. Occupational therapy assistants help develop treatment plans for patients and help to monitor their patients' activities to ensure they are performed correctly. They keep track of the client's progress and document billing.
An occupational therapist aide differs slightly in that an aide handles more clerical tasks such as scheduling appointments, answering the phone, preparing materials, and assembling equipment.
An OTA's working conditions can vary depending on whether they work full- or part-time, and the type of institution in which they work. They will often have to work evenings and weekends to accommodate their patients' schedules. In addition, they need to be relatively strong in order to physically assist patients.
Training to Become an Occupational Therapist Assistant
Training for most occupational therapy assistant positions requires an associate degree. There were 135 accredited OTA programs in 2009. Such programs introduce basic anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology, and most require at least 16 weeks of supervised field work prior to graduation. Most states also require that OTAs be licensed, registered or certified.
OTA Certification
Certification is voluntary in most states, and carried out by the National Board for Certifying Occupational Therapy. Those who pass its national certifying exam are awarded the title Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. This meets the requirement for regulation in some states; other states have their own licensing exam.
Occupational therapist aides usually receive most of their training on the job. They tend to make less money than assistants.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Job Outlook
Jobs for occupational therapist assistants are expected to grow much faster than the national average: 30 percent from 2008 to 2018. The reasons for this growth include a growing elderly population that requires therapeutic services; advances in medicine that allow a greater number of trauma patients to survive, who then need therapy; and, overall, greater demand for occupational therapy services that results in spillover to assistants and aides.
Salary for Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides
Occupational therapy assistants made an average of $51,300 per year in 2010, and occupational therapy aides made an average of $31,090 a year. With occupational therapy training and a helping personality, you could be on your way to a good career in the vibrant healthcare industry.
Additional Resources:
Keiser University Campus
- Occupational Therapy Assistant, AS
- Respiratory Therapy, AS
- Physical Therapy Assistant, AS
- More
Kaplan Career Institute
- Associate in Specialized Technology: Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Associate in Specialized Technology: Medical Assistant
- Occupational Associate in Specialized Technology: Medical Assisting
- More
Brown Mackie College
- Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assistant
- Diploma in Medical Assistant
- More
St. Louis College of Health Careers
- Fenton
- Saint Louis
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Respiratory Therapy
- Medical Assistant
Herzing University
- AAS in Occupational Therapy Assisting
- AAS in Clinical Medical Assisting
- AS in Medical Assisting
- More
New England Institute of Technology
- Warwick
- Associate in Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
- Associate in Science Degree in Respiratory Care Technology
- More
New England Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit, co-educational technical college offering over 30 Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree programs.
Penn Foster Schools
- Scranton
- Occupational Therapy Aide
- Physical Therapy Aide
Concorde
- Occupational Therapy Assistant - (AAS)
- Respiratory Therapy - (AS)
- Respiratory Therapy - (AAS)
- More
Southern California Health Institute
- North Hollywood
- Chiropractic Assistant/Manual Therapist Program
- Physical Therapy Aide/Sports Rehab Program
American Career College
- Anaheim
- Los Angeles
- Ontario
- Associate of Occupational Science in Respiratory Therapy
- Medical Assistant
American Career College (ACC) offers hands-on training that will prepare students for careers in the healthcare industry at three campuses in Los Angeles, Ontario, and Orange County, California.
Medical Career Institute
- Physical Therapist Assisting - Associate
- Medical Assisting - Associate
Kaplan College - KHE
- Associate of Occupational Studies: Respiratory Therapy
- Associate of Occupational Studies: Respiratory Care
- Diploma: Healthcare and Rehab Therapy Technician
- More
Remington College
- AAS in Clinical Medical Assisting
- Diploma in Medical Assisting
Carrington College
- Respiratory Care
- Physical Therapy Technology
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- More
Ready for a rewarding career in healthcare? Carrington College™ can help.
Sanford-Brown Institute
- Respiratory Therapy
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Assistant Specialist
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