BECOME AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT AT CBD COLLEGE!
Published - January 18, 2017
CBD’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Start Date is Monday, February 13th, 2017
CBD College is a leading career college in Los Angeles, offering a wide range of medical programs designed to train you efficiently towards a rewarding career. With that, we’re proud to announce the Occupational Therapy Assistant program was granted full Accreditation from ACOTE last year! OTA Program Director, Dr. Mary Kay Wolfe, and her team showcased their dynamic program and wowed the Accreditation committee. CBD College is now proud to have the only ACOTE Accredited OTA program in the Los Angeles area! In addition, students can earn an Associate’s Degree within our Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
Based on labor statistics, the demand for OTA’s is expected to grow 43% from 2012 to 2022. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for an occupational therapy assistant in southern California is $71,990 – between $34 and $35 per hour.
So you know that you work with well others, and you want to help patients, but what does an OTA do? You will be responsible for helping a patient develop, recover, and improve the skills that are necessary in daily living, in addition to those skills that the patient needs to use in her work environment.
The Role
Occupational therapy assistants work alongside occupational therapists as they help patients recover from injuries or illness to reclaim control over their lives. Occupational Therapists and their Assistants enable patients to re-learn necessary skills for daily life and work. Occupational Therapy Assistants are a dynamic and collaborative part of the healthcare team that works vigorously with patients to develop, recover and improve the skills of daily living after disease or injury.
The Responsibilities
Occupational therapy assistants help with patient recovery, rehabilitation exercises, instructing patients, and recording progress for the occupational therapist. Additionally, assistants may be responsible for some of the therapist’s administrative tasks. Assistants develop deep personal connections with the patients they assist and interpersonal skills are a big bonus.
What Will I Do?
What you do depends on where you work. Every healthcare institution will vary in regards to the types of tasks they ask you to perform, but there are a few that stay the same:
- Helping patients perform therapeutic activities (including exercises)
- Administrative tasks
- Keeping records of a patient’s progress
- Promoting and coordinating socialization with children who have developmental disabilities
- Instructing patients on how to use special equipment
- Providing assistance to an occupational therapist as needed
Most importantly, you help patients improve, develop, or recover the basic skills that are a part of daily living. This means aiding with:
- Computers
- Exercising
- Eating
- Cooking
- and more…
Ultimately, your job is to assist the occupational therapist that you work under.
OTA Work Environment
Your employer will generally inform you of the work schedule once you interview or once you are offered the position. You could work on a full or part-time basis; however, this will vary from job-to-job. It is the duty of the therapist and his or her assistant to accommodate the patient’s schedule. This is why some occupational therapy assistants are required to work during the evenings, as well as on weekends, depending on your employer.
The top five places that occupational therapy assistants work in include:
- Hospitals
- Home Healthcare Service Providers
- Offices of Occupational Therapists
- Nursing Home Facilities
- Educational Service Providers
CBD Loves Our Occupational Therapy Assistants!
“It is definitely nice to be able to speak to your program director whenever you need to” shared student Carissa Lancaster. “That is almost unheard of in other universities” she added.
Pictured above are 4 amazing students we had the chance to sit with; Dominique Pinto, Natasha George, Carissa Lancaster and Tami Shahoumian
When asked about their learning environment and what they most admired about their program, all 4 ladies quickly agreed that it is the relationships they have formed and the family atmosphere they have created amongst their classmates that is most appreciated. This “all for one and one for all” attitude allows students to push and help each other through difficult situations. Furthermore, students also shared that they have loved all of the hands on training they have received from their instructors. This hands-on training has helped our students solidify their goals and aspirations in their current career path. All four ladies are very much looking forward to graduating this January.
