Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs
If you like to help other people who cannot currently help themselves, but you don’t want to spend more than two years in school, you may wish to investigate occupational therapy assistant programs. A career as an occupational therapy assistant can be both long and fulfilling.
Obtaining the proper education is necessary to get a good job. Getting your associate’s degree from one of the many occupational therapy assistant programs (also known as an OTA), requires that you take two years of classes, either on campus or through an online distance learning program. Whether you opt for a college campus setting or an online degree will depends solely on your individual circumstances and the flexibility of your schedule. Also, knowing the requirements of an occupational therapy assistant program are is crucial to making your decision.
Educational Career
Students in their first semester of occupational therapy assistant programs take courses that teach medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, basic occupational therapy, math and statistics, health communications, and psychology. General education courses, such as study skills and basic computer skills may also be required. In your second semester, you can expect to receive more instruction in anatomy and physiology, occupational analysis, occupational therapy, growth and development, and principles of occupational therapy in mental health.
As a second year OTA student, you will be required to take courses such as kinesiology, documentation for the OTA, human occupations, principles of occupational therapy in physical health, perform fieldwork, administrative procedures, pediatric practice for the occupational therapist’s assistant, specific populations for the occupational therapist’s assistant, and an occupational therapist’s assistant seminar. Extensive fieldwork will likely be required, the length depending on which school you take your courses through. The classes mentioned are the courses recommended by the PIMA Medical Institute.
The National Certification Exam
After graduating from an accredited occupational therapy assistant program, you will be eligible to take the national certification exam. This exam is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Please take note that no matter how well you do in your courses, you must pass the exam to become certified.
An associate’s degree from one of the occupational therapy assistant programs is a great thing to have. Not only will you be proud of yourself and your accomplishments once you have graduated college and passed your certification test, but you will also be helping those people, both young and old, who cannot help themselves for one reason or another. Completing a two year program either online or in a classroom setting is a fairly simple way to improve the quality of life for so many, including yourself. If this interest you, go back to school, enter an occupational therapy assistant program and start down the right path today!
