OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
Program Description
There have been dramatic shifts in U.S. population as a result of an increased average life span. This phenomenon, along with advances in science, technology and medicine has brought occupational therapy into the forefront of the health care field.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum prepares entry-level occupational therapy assistants to work in community and institutional health care programs, providing direct service to individuals.
In this program, students receive instruction in theory and develop skills relating to occupational therapy in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings. During the second year, students participate in clinical practice settings to include general physical medicine and psychiatric centers, developmental disabilities, schools, nursing homes and community agencies. Through these experiences, students gain experience in teaching patients/clients methods for engagement in self-care, work, play/leisure, education, social skills and home/community living skills.
Accreditation
The occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Degree: Associate in Applied Science
Hegis: 5210
Curriculum Code: 0665
Campus Location: North
Health Sciences Division