Discover The Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs Available To You
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Occupational Therapy Schools
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Job Description
An occupation therapy assistant works under the close supervision of an occupational therapist in order to perform exercises and treatments with patients suffering from injuries, illnesses or debilitating diseases. To be skilled in working with patients on a variety of things, you need to follow occupational therapy assistant programs.
They will prepare you for your job tasks like teaching patients the proper stretching and exercises they must do, helping them function in every day life, supervising them to ensure their exercise regimes are followed and charting their improvement to be inspected by the occupational therapist.
An occupational therapist aide on the other had, works at preparing the equipment that will be needed during a patient's treatment. They also generally have clerical duties, like taking calls, making appointments and ordering supplies.
What Degree Programs can you Take?
You have options in your occupational therapy assistant programs; from taking a 1 year certificate program to a 2 year associate's degree at a school that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). There are about 135 accredited programs to choose from, so look into your different options.
The 2 year program is recommended and will provide a curriculum including psychology, anatomy, physiology, medical vocabulary, gerontology, pediatrics and theory of rehabilitation. In your second year, you will also have to undergo 16 weeks of a supervised internship to gain field experience.
Once you are finished your course, you will need to look into your state requirements to become certified, since most states enforce passing a national certification exam offered by The National Board for Certifying Occupational Therapy before you can work.
How to Become an Occupational Therapist Aide
An occupational therapist aide is not required to have a specific degree, since the position is mostly clerical and there is little to no interaction with the patients. You simply need to have completed high school and possess strong people skills and the desire to help people.
If you have any volunteering background, it will help your chances at getting hired since it shows dedication. You could always start out as an aide to get a feel for the environment and simply take occupational therapy assistant programs later on to further your career.
It's a smart thing to do if you're not too sure about the career path you want to take, and you don't want to waste years of training before you are certain it's what you want to do. As an assistant, if you then want to become an occupational therapist, you will need to return to school once again and obtain a minimum of a master's degree.
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Occupational Therapy Board Exam |
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