OTA. These three letters are short for occupational therapy assistants – those healthcare support professionals whose expertise helps people live life to the fullest. When people like you become an OTA, they become big contributors to the health and wellness of their communities.
Rather than looking primarily at medical conditions, occupational therapy professionals like OTAs take a whole-person perspective on health. OT treatment therapies encompass mental, emotional, developmental, cognitive, sensory, and physical challenges.
Those who become an OTA are enthusiastic about helping others reach their maximum potential. Just a few examples:
The pathway to a healthier community takes many forms. When someone becomes an OTA, their involvement in health and wellness activities can cover many different areas:
If you care about people, why not become an OTA? OTAs have a friendly demeanor, they’re naturally compassionate, and they are excellent, one-to-one communicators. OTAs also have a great work ethic, are good with details, and can help move patients to different therapy positions when needed.
OTA employers also say a talent for being creative is highly beneficial. Often, a technique or tool that works for one client may not work as well for another. OTAs who have a creative side can easily adjust therapies to the abilities of the individual.
Now that you know the type of work an OTA does to help a community, here are some examples of programs in which OTAs participate :
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in September 2022 puts the job growth for OTAs at 32% between 2019 and 2029. That’s a growth rate of about three times the average of all occupations.
OTA career growth is due to several factors:
As a result of these factors, OTAs are in the list of “best health care support jobs” published yearly by US News and World Report.
Starting salaries for newly graduated OTAs average $45,000, and can go higher in high-need states. The average OTA wage range is from $53,762 and $65,564, according to Salary.com.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university located in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of more than 190,000 people within the Kansas City metro area.
The accelerated (two-year) A.A.S. degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant at CUKC consists of 16 core courses and 4-5 months of supervised fieldwork education. The guided fieldwork involves you in client scenarios that will allow you to meet employer expectations.
Think of the accelerated occupational therapy assistant degree plan at CUKC as a way to go from student to healthcare professional in as little as two years. Please take a look at our coursework plan here.
To connect with an advisor about the CUKC occupational therapy assistant degree, go here. To learn more about the OTA profession, get this free eBook: Your Complete Guide to an Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.