4 Reasons You’ll Love Becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)

Communications Staff

There’s nothing wrong with looking for a career with good pay, the opportunity to help others live a better life, and has a substantial role in the expanding health care economy. Delivering all three advantages may sound impossible, but those who’ve learned about becoming an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) have found it’s true.

In becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant, keep these four concepts in mind:

1. It uses your teamwork talents

For OTAs, it’s all about getting clients back to doing everyday activities. OTAs are on the front line of figuring out exercises, techniques, and approaches and methods that will achieve success.

Becoming an occupational therapy assistant means you’re deeply involved in working one-on-one with the patient to achieve therapy goals, but also being part of a team figuring out a therapy plan. Working smoothly with therapy teams and clients will make you more successful in your career. As you study to become an OTA, remember to take time each day to work as a team with your classmates on problem-solving approaches from different perspectives.

2. School support services will ensure you’ll succeed

OTA students aren’t expected to know everything upon arrival, but they can take charge of their education by reading the study materials and being active in class discussions. Studying the human body and knowing how its systems work best is essential to an OTA education, so keeping up to date and asking for help when needed is important. Most successful OTA students have also had previous success in subjects like biology, anatomy, and physiology.

Occupational therapy assistant schools will require completion of at least 24 hours of general education coursework before admission to the primary OTA coursework. In these challenging OTA courses, you’ll tackle subjects like analysis of performance, rehabilitation and disability issues, and therapeutic interventions.

Then it’s on to extensive Level I and Level II OTA Fieldwork where all accumulated knowledge and skills are applied in real-world situations.

3. Every day is different

Many OTAs like the idea that no single day is like the other, and that OTAs get to work with people of all ages and backgrounds. On an average day, an OTA might:

• Show someone how to do stretches or another exercise
• Demonstrate a beneficial play activity for a child with a developmental disability
• Set up adaptive exercise equipment
• Assess client situations and make recommendations
• Document patient progress and discuss options with the supervising OT
• Provide guidance and encouragement to the client, family members, or caregiver.

4. It’s a top-10 Ranked Healthcare Job

When choosing from occupational therapy schools, remember this: an accelerated OTA degree program also means a faster start in a career. For 2019, US News & World Report named OTA as one of the top 25 “best health care support jobs” in the nation. Even better, the “Best Jobs” report noted that becoming an occupational therapy assistant offered “above average” career advancement.

Need another reason to learn why becoming an occupational therapy assistant makes sense? It’s a well-paid career – the average OTA salary is $60,220 annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The demand for OTAs is over 20% through 2026 – much higher than for most occupations.

CUKC: The Smart Choice Among Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools

Ready to start your journey to becoming an occupational therapy assistant? The accelerated A.A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) consists of 16 core courses that include 16 weeks of fieldwork education. Concentrated eight-week courses immerse you into your subjects and get you out in the workforce in as little as two years.

Cleveland University-Kansas City is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university located in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of more than 190,000 within the Kansas City metro area. Other degree options in our College of Health Sciences are an M.S. in Health Education and Promotion, the A.A. in Biological Sciences, and the A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology. The Doctor of Chiropractic(D.C.) remains a CUKC cornerstone program.

Classes start three times per year, so request more information today!

Find out why becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant at CUKC is a smart career choice. Dwnload our free OTA ebook: Your Complete Guide to an Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.