Becoming an Occupational Therapist Assistant can be a rewarding career, but it takes some time and effort to get there. If you’re looking to get into this field, here are some tips on how to become an occupational therapist assistant.
- Earn Your Associate’s Degree
Most states require occupational therapist assistants to have at least an associate degree in order for them to practice legally. In order for programs to meet this requirement, they must offer at least 60 credits of coursework that covers clinical training, professional education, and supervised clinical experience. This includes courses on anatomy and physiology, psychology, social sciences, English composition, and math. You may also need to take classes in ethics and law as well as health care management skills.
- Gain Work Experience
After graduating from college with your associate’s degree, you’ll need experience working under the supervision of an occupational therapist (OT). This will help prepare you for what working as an OT assistant entails before moving up into that role yourself. It will also show employers that you are committed to being successful in this field and want to learn more about it before jumping right into it full-time after graduation day!
- Take Additional Courses And Classes
How To Become An Occupational Therapist Assistant
If you have a passion for helping people and learning how to heal them, a career as an occupational therapy assistant could benefit you. Occupational therapy assistants work to ensure that patients experiencing physical or mental conditions receive proper care to improve their health. It takes both education and hands-on training to become a qualified professional occupational therapist assistant.
In this article, we discuss what an occupational therapy assistant does as well as what you can do to become a certified OTA.
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What does an occupational therapy assistant do?
An occupational therapy assistant is a healthcare professional who assists an occupational therapist in healing and enhancing the health of patients. The patients they work with are often in the rehabilitation stage and need the assistance of occupational therapists to help them recover. Occupational therapy assistants will work with patients who are experiencing either mental or physical problems. They assist patients regularly to strengthen their bodies and minds using various exercises and activities.
National Average Salary: $29.21 per hour
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How to become an occupational therapy assistant
Follow the steps below to become an occupational therapy assistant:
1. Research the responsibilities of an occupational therapy assistant
Before you study occupational therapy and pursue it as a career, research the role and duties the job may entail. Make sure the position contains tasks that you believe you may enjoy completing. You can search different job postings to learn more about what a typical occupational therapy assistant job may consist of as well as what skills employers prefer candidates have.
Consider the skills you currently possess and determine if any of these align with the skills needed for an occupational therapy assistant.
2. Enroll in a two-year occupational therapy assistant program
Once you’ve determined if this is a career you’d like to pursue, you can research various occupational therapy assistant programs. These programs are usually offered at community colleges or universities. If you have already received your high school diploma or GED, you can enroll in an accredited occupational therapy program. Most of these programs last approximately two years and will cover the following subjects:
- Anatomy
- Psychology
- Physiology
- Basic understanding of medical terms
- Physical and rehabilitation therapy
Once you’ve finished your time in this program and have completed the coursework, you should graduate with your Associate Degree in Occupational Therapy.
3. Participate in hands-on level I fieldwork experience
Throughout your time in school, you will be required to receive hands-on training and experience. This is known as your level 1 fieldwork experience and will often occur during the second semester of your first year in the program. Level 1 fieldwork participation often involves shadowing a professional occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant to experience their daily routine.
The number of hours you dedicate to level 1 fieldwork will vary on your program. It can range from a few months of experience to a year.
4. Complete hands-on level II fieldwork experience
The second year of the occupational therapy assistant program will consist of more hands-on training and experience. Most programs require students to complete 16 weeks of supervised work as an occupational therapy assistant. Students will often participate in a full-time or part-time internship where they will perform the basic tasks and duties of an occupational therapy assistant.
Once they have completed their 16 weeks of work, their supervisor will sign a document stating they have successfully finished their program.
5. Take the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy
Once you’ve successfully finished your occupational therapy assistant program, you can take the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy exam. You must first prove your eligibility for the exam by submitting your official transcripts and proof that you’ve earned your Associate Degree in Occupational Therapy. You can then pay a fee and wait for the approval of your application.
Once approved, you can take the five-hour exam at a local testing center. The exam will cover subjects such as developing an intervention plan that is client-centered, implementation of evidence-based interventions and a section covering how to maintain high professional standards as an occupational therapy assistant. Scores will range from 300 to 600, with a passing score being 450. You will be emailed with the results a few weeks after the exam.
6. Earn your license
After passing your exam, you can apply for an occupational therapy assistant license in your state. Each state requires you pass the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy exam along with other requirements. These requirements will vary depending on the state you hope to practice in. Contact the licensure board in your state to learn what else you need to earn your license.
7. Build your occupational therapy assistant resume
When you’ve met all the qualifications and requirements, you can start building your occupational therapy assistant resume. Your resume should feature your relevant work experience, education, certifications and skills. You can include your fieldwork and internships in your work experience section since these opportunities show hands-on experience within your field.
Make sure your resume is well structured with consistent formatting. Explain your work experience in brief bullet points with detailed explanations of each work experience.
8. Learn which environment you’d like to work in
Before you conduct a job search, start researching possible areas to work. If there are cities with a higher demand for occupational therapy assistants, you can consider moving to a new area. There are also opportunities for occupational therapy assistants who regularly travel to different areas to work with numerous patients. You can consider this option when searching for job opportunities.
Occupational therapy assistants also have the opportunity to work in different environments. You can choose to work in a hospital, a nursing care facility or in a physician’s office. The work you complete may vary depending on the environment you choose to work in.
9. Conduct your job search and apply to occupational therapy assistant jobs
You can begin searching for a job using online listings and job boards. Carefully read through each job description to learn which jobs you qualify for as well as which you believe you may enjoy working in. As you search for jobs, you can contact your previous employers who supervised you during your fieldwork. You may have impressed them with the work you previously completed, which may motivate them to offer you a full-time position.
Once you’ve spent time working as an occupational therapy assistant, you can consider receiving more education. If you’re interested in moving into a higher role, you can return to school and earn a master’s degree to pursue a position as an occupational therapist.
