For OTA Programs, the “Open House” Visit is the Secret Ingredient

UPDATED MARCH 31, 2020

A combination of high pay and high demand for occupational therapy assistants is presenting a terrific career opportunity for those considering OTA programs. The key to choosing well is to use a university’s “open house” event to evaluate the quality of the occupational therapy assistant education and the ability of staff and faculty to deliver the skills expected by today’s employers.

Think of an “open house” as a wide-open invitation to be 100 percent sure a specific OTA program will fulfill your dream of a healthcare career. The timing for an OTA career couldn’t be better: the long-term outlook calls for a 33% growth through 2028. The average salary for someone with an occupational therapy assistant education who is certified is well over $51,000 per year. An OTA with experience can average more than $57,000, according to the data site Salary.com.

The popularity of OTA programs is due to more people living longer, new techniques and methods for injury recovery, a strong desire by senior adults to remain in their homes as they age, and increased use of occupational therapies to help children overcome developmental challenges.

Benefits of attending an “OTA” Open House 

1. You can evaluate the campus

OTA programs seem the same, but it’s how the academic coursework is integrated with the profession’s required fieldwork experiences that reveal true program quality. Prospective students often find that going on campus and talking in-depth with the program leaders is an effective way to evaluate the campus. Attend the open house, experts say, and you’ll have time to gage answers to some important questions:

• • How are the skills learned in one course applied in the next one?
  • Does the OTA program span the different therapy options needed for young children, senior adults, and those with a disability?
  • Does the school’s occupational therapy assistant education emphasize the development of soft skills: empathetic listening, problem-solving and critical thinking?

2.  You can feel how welcome you are

When you spend the time to come to an open house, you should feel like you’re the most important student that OTA program’s ever seen.

How an open house says you’ve found a great fit:

• • You’re officially welcomed to the college campus by someone at the top …. maybe even the university president.
  • You’re getting thoughtful, personalized responses to your questions.
  • You’re shown how the “gen ed” and “OTA” coursework fit together to achieve a two-year occupational therapy assistant education.
  • You get the sense that of all OTA programs available, students and faculty are as passionate about leading others to healthier lives as you are.

3. You’ll know you can be at your best

Being focused on becoming an OTA is a good plan. Just remember that not all your time at school will be spent in classrooms or labs.

Where you live while in school will contribute to your state of mind, and an open house event gives you enough time to scope out area living options. Find out how close to campus they are, if they’re safe, and if other students would be part of the neighborhood mix. A good way to test out the “livability” factor is to find out where other students shop, eat and relax.

Here’s The point: Choosing from different OTA programs gets easier with some dedicated time to an open house – no other event tells you as much about campus fit. In fact, some 70%t of those who attend an open house say it made them more confident than ever about their university choice.

CUKC Occupational Therapy Assistant: Education That Delivers

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university located in Overland Park, Kansas, within the Kansas City metro area. CUKC offers an accelerated, two-year Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) degree.

Focused, eight-week courses immerse you in your class subjects, provide hands-on instruction, and allow for completion of the OTA degree program in as little as two years. The CUKC program accepts new students in spring, summer, and fall and offers multiple tours and open house events throughout the year.

Go to the CUKC open house page for our current schedule. Plus, get the FREE ebook about OTA careers right now: Your Complete Guide to an Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.