Advance Your Career in an Accelerated OTA Program

UPDATED MARCH 31, 2020

Sometimes it takes a while to figure out how we’re going to make our mark on the world. You might be having that feeling right now. Maybe you’ve been thinking seriously about trading your job for a career. And if your ideal career involves helping people each day, then you shouldn’t delay. In an accelerated Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) degree program, you can make it happen in as little as two years!

Finding an Accelerated OTA Program

Typically, college semesters are offered in the fall and spring, are about 15 weeks long, and you are required to take several different courses at the same time.

In an accelerated OTA program, the learning formula is somewhat different. You focus on only one or two courses during an 8-week session. That allows you to devote all of your time and energy to mastering those courses before moving on to others. In an OTA program, classroom learning is accentuated with hands-on learning in an on-campus simulated living quarters lab.

After the completion of the initial academic schedule, the 8-week cycle repeats with new classes. Ultimately, it’s the same amount of learning that takes place in a traditional college program; it just progresses much more quickly.

3 Ways an Accelerated OTA Program Helps You

The value of the accelerated OTA program cannot be overstated because it is helpful to so many.

• If you desire to leave a job and get to a career, the accelerated OTA program is ideal because you can become immersed in your field of study quickly. In approximately two years, you’ll be preparing to start work as an OTA while others you know are still bouncing from job to job. The courses are sequential and build upon the curriculum from prior courses. The rapid progression through the curriculum also leaves no room for boredom with your studies.
• You can quickly become a professional in a growing healthcare field. The yearly U.S. News and World Report jobs survey ranks the OTA profession at#14 on the list of “Best Health Care Support Jobs.” Obviously, many others are enjoying this career and an accelerated program will allow you to join them more quickly.
• And finally, it can’t be stated enough, people pursue a career in healthcare because they like to help people. If that’s what drives you, if that’s what warms your heart, then this may be the degree for you. It is a move toward a career that could brighten every day of your life.

An OTA Degree Leads You Into a Career

The goal of an occupational therapy assistant school is preparing students for certification as an OTA professional and entry into the workforce. By the time you’ve completed the associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree in OTA, you can sit for the necessary exams, including the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).

An Accelerated OTA Program in the Middle of the Midwest U.S.

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) offers an accelerated A.A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program that is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Begin when you’re ready – CUKC has a new class starting in spring, summer, and fall every year.

To learn more about the OTA program, download a copy of this free ebook: Your Complete Guide to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.