Program Overview / Is Occupational Therapy Assistant Right for You? / Types of Employment / Admission & Graduation Requirements / Health Admissions Procedures / Student Characteristics & Abilities / Program Facilities / Learning Outside of the Classroom / American Occupational Therapy Association
Occupational Therapy Assistant
(Students should initially enroll in Code 328)
Associate in Applied Arts and SciencesAcademic Department: Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Information on enrolling in GRCC's health programs
Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of registered occupational therapists to help rehabilitate patients who are physically or mentally disabled. They help develop and implement programs of educational, vocational and recreational activities that strengthen patients' muscle power, increase motion and coordination, and develop self-sufficiency in overcoming disabilities.
They must be able to speak and write clearly and correctly in order to effectively serve physically and emotionally disabled clients.
Employment opportunities for occupational therapy assistants are diverse. Area include: rehabilitation, hospitals, schools, psychiatric settings, home health care, industrial rehabilitation, schools, long term care centers and community agencies.
Students interested in the program are advised to take preparatory courses in biological and behavioral sciences such as anatomy, physiology, and psychology. All applicants will be asked to take an English placement test since good writing skills are essential for success as an occupational therapy assistant.
Occupational Therapy is a profession in which members are required to give care to others, therefore it is necessary that the learner be able to reach a minimum level of competency.
The occupational therapy assistant student will need to develop the skills necessary to relate to others and to demonstrate the characteristics of self-awareness, self-acceptance, awareness of others and the ability to communicate that awareness. Therapists need to cope effectively with the emotional demands of the environment and to interact effectively with a variety of people. A therapist must be capable of subordinating personal feelings and possess sufficient emotional stamina to deal with patients who will depend on them for emotional and psychological support during therapy.
Students will be required to perform certain physical functions in order to successfully complete the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. These functions will be performed throughout the coursework and/or clinical experience. These functions are not conditions for admission to the program; they are listed to alert the prospective student to the physical and emotional functions required as an occupational therapy assistant. If a student requires accommodations, it is their responsibility to contact Disability Support Services at 234-4140.
The physical functions include:
- Physical Strength - A therapist will assist in transferring patients to or from wheelchairs, floors, mats, toilets, cars, beds, bathtubs, and showers. Other transfers may be required. These patients may be paralyzed or have some degree of incapacity such as poor balance, strength, coordination and endurance. The therapist may also have to move equipment, patients in wheelchairs, woodworking tools and craft equipment.
- Mobility - In the course of performing duties in occupational therapy, a therapist will be expected to stand, lift, reach, bend, stretch, provide support and stability, and perform activities on a floor mat. Sufficient independent mobility within the architectural environment is necessary. A therapist must move quickly in an emergency, may have to quickly move patients, and may also perform treatment in a standing position over a long period of time.
- Hearing - A therapist should have the ability to hear faint sounds from a distance of 4 feet -approximately the distance between a patient seated in a wheelchair and a person in a standing position next to the wheelchair. A therapist may be required to hear sounds such as those emitted by an electric hand saw, electric drill, motorized wheelchair, and blood pressure (using a stethoscope).
- Visual Discrimination - A therapist should have sufficient vision to be able to differentiate movements, to read markings on instruments and measuring devices, and to read newspaper small print.
- Coordination - Sufficient motor skills, eye-hand coordination skills, manipulative skills and sensory function in one upper extremity may be needed by a therapist to assist with therapeutic activities. Many other therapeutic activities require dexterity, manipulation, strength, and body flexibility to perform.
- Manual Dexterity - A therapist should have sufficient fine motor skills to manipulate objects and people safely. Manual dexterity to fabricate splints, to assist a patient in the completion of therapeutic projects/activities, and to demonstrate fine motor movements is also required.
- Communication Skills - A therapist should be able to communicate orally and in writing. For example, a therapist should be able to read and give directions and instructions and to record health data regarding patients/clients.
Students are admitted to the program once a year for the Fall semester.
Program Requirements
In order to be eligible for admission into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, students must:
- Be high school graduates or have passed the high school equivalency GED (General Educational Development) Test. (Students interested in taking the GED Test should consult with the College?s Director of Career Resources, telephone: 234-3890.)
- Have a high school GPA of at least 2.0
- Have completed a one-year course in high school biology with a grade of at least "C." (Suitable equivalent courses are available at GRCC for college credit.)
- Score at least 80% on the GRCC mathematics assessment test.
- Score at least at the 12th grade level on the GRCC English reading comprehension test.
- Have completed one semester course of high school computers focusing on computer literacy, Internet skills, retrieval and management of information with a grade of at least ?C?.
In order to be eligible for graduation, OTA students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the prescribed OTA curriculum.
The OTA program prepares assistants for entry level into the profession and meets the educational standards for program accreditation. The OTA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Ln, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). When you apply to write the certification examination with the NBCOT, you will be asked to answer questions related to the topic of felonies. For further information on limitations, you can contact NBCOT at 800 S. Frederick Ave, Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150, (301) 990-7979. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).
Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. The State of Michigan requires registration for therapists to practice.
Those graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree and the credential of Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR) may apply for entry into the Occupational Therapy programs at Western Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University or Wayne State University. Presently, there are several professional-level education programs directed toward providing specific career advancement for certified occupational therapy assistants. Assistants may apply to other professional programs, but their previous training does not automatically include a transfer of credits or eligibility.
Students in the OTA program should be prepared to pay for their own textbooks, liability insurance, uniforms and insignia, OTA examination fee and some supplies and membership dues, as well as transportation and parking. These costs can add about $1,000 a year to the usual tuition and fees.
The following scheme is presented as a guide only. Courses may be taken in any order, as long as all requirements (including prerequisites) are met.
Suggested sequence
First Year
First Semester Credits
CH*
BI 121 Human Anatomy & Physiology 1** 4
5
CD 118 Human Growth & Development 1 ** 4
5
GH 120 Therapeutic Relationships ** 3
3
OT 102 Intro to Occupational Therapy ** 3
3
OT 104 OT Concepts & Terms 1
1
OT 108 Therapeutic Interventions I 3
5
PY 201 General Psychology ** 3
3
First Semester Earned Credits:
21
Second Semester Credits
CH*
BI 122 Human Anatomy & Physiology 2 ** 4
5
CD 120 Adult Development ** 3
3
EN 100 College Writing OR EN 101 English Composition 1** 3
3
OT 109 Therapeutic Interventions II 3
5
OT 110 Disabling Conditions 4
4
PY 231 Abnormal Psychology ** 3
3
Second Semester Earned Credits:
20
Summer Session (Required) Credits
CH*
PS 110 Survey of American Government ** 3
3
WE 156 First Aid ** 1
4
Summer Session Earned Credits:
4
Second Year
Third Semester Credits
CH*
EN 102 English Composition 2 ** 3
3
OT 208 Therapeutic Interventions III 3
5
OT 214 Kinesiology in Occupational Therapy 3
3
OT 220 Fieldwork I 1
15
OT 224 Fieldwork Seminar I 1
1
GH 141 Spanish for Health Care ** 3
3
Third Semester Credits Earned
14
Fourth Semester Credits
CH*
OT 230 Fieldwork II (16 wks) *** 10
40
OT 235 Fieldwork Seminar II 2
2
Fourth Semester Credits Earned
12
Total Credits 71
* CR or Credit Hours
CH or Contact Hours: The number of class hours of attendance required per week.
** Only these courses may be taken prior to formal admission into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. There is a time limit of eight years on BI 121 and BI 122.*** Students are encouraged to complete all non-OT classes before Fieldwork 2, OT 230/235.
*** OT 230 requires 16 weeks of full-time (40 hrs/week) fieldwork. Level 2 Fieldwork must be completed within 20 months of the didactic coursework for an OTA program.
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