Your Information Resource for Education, Training, and Schools in the Medical and Allied Healthcare Fields
HEALTH CARE CAREERS: |
Occupational Therapist Assistant Careers
Find OTA Schools Near You
Click here for a list of schools with Occupational Therapist Assistant 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 therapist assistant (OTA). Working side-by-side with an occupational therapist, you will assist 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 or other day-to-day activities. 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 the billing.
An occupational therapist aide differs slightly in that they handle more clerical tasks such as scheduling appointments, answering the phone, preparing materials, and assembling equipment.
Training for most positions requires an associate’s degree for OTA jobs. As of 2005, there were over 135 accredited OTA programs from which to choose. OTA programs introduce basic anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. Most programs require at least 16 weeks of supervised field work prior to graduation. Most states require successful completion of a national certification examination prior to certification.
Occupational Therapy Assistants: Working Conditions
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 somewhat strong due to the physical exertion necessary to assist patients.
About 30% of OTAs work in hospitals, 23% work in private offices for occupational therapy, and 18% work in nursing care facilities. The remaining 29% work in homes for the elderly, home health care, state government agencies, or with individual and family services.
Next: Educational Requirements and Job Outlook for Occupational Therapist Assistants