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Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools and Training Programs
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Programs:
- Occupational Therapy Aide
- Physical Therapy Aide
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- More
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 Information for Individuals Seeking to Enroll in OTA Schools Found on Health-Care-Careers.org
Physical Therapy Degrees
Occupational Therapy Assistant Career Information
Additional Resources for Occupational Therapy Assistant Professionals:
American Occupational Therapy Association
Bureau of Labor Statistics Data for Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides
Campus and Online Occupational Therapy Schools
- Scranton
- Occupational Therapy Aide
- Physical Therapy Aide
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- More
- BS in Psychology
- B.S. in Psychology
- MS in Psychology
- More
- Diploma: Therapeutic Health Technician
- Diploma: Healthcare and Rehab Therapy Technician
- Associate of Occupational Studies: Respiratory Therapy
- More
- Minneapolis
- Grad Cert Play Therapy
- PhD - General Psychology
- BS - General Psychology
- More
Achieve your potential with an online degree from Capella University.
- Fort Lauderdale
- BS in Health Science
- BS in Heath and Wellness
- MS in Psychology - General Psychology
- More
- Medical General
- Diploma - Medical Assistant
- Diploma - Medical Administrative Assistant
- Fort Lauderdale
- Psychology, BA (Online)
- Medical Assisting, AS
- Health Services Administration, AA (Online)
- Tarzana
- Hypnotherapist Certification
- Bellevue
- BA in Health Science
- MS in Clinical Counseling
- MHA Healthcare Administration
- More
Bellevue University makes it possible for you to earn a high-quality college degree.
- Garden Grove
- San Diego
- San Bernardino
- Physical Therapist Assistant - (AS)
- Respiratory Therapy - (AS)
- Medical Assistant
- More
At Concorde, you’ll find that a “learn by doing” approach to healthcare training will get you the skills you need to succeed-- and get you into the workforce quickly.
- Waterbury
- B.A. in Psychology
- B.S. in Human Services / Psychology
- B.S. in Human Services / Counseling
- National City
- San Marcos
- San Diego
- Associate of Occupational Studies in Medical Specialties
- Bachelor of Science Completion in Health Science (Online)
- Bachelor Science in Respiratory Therapy
- More
- M.S. in Mental Health Counseling (CACREP-Accredited)
- B.S. in Health Studies - Health Management
- B.S. in Health Studies - Health Communication
- More
- MA in Psychology, Mental Health Administration
- Doctor of Psychology, Mental Health Administration
- Doctor of Psychology, Criminology and Justice Studies
- More
Join the community of thought leaders at University of the Rockies.
- Savannah
- Health Sciences (BS)
- Psychology (BA)
- Healthcare Management (BS)
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