Accelerated OTA Program: It’s How to Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

UPDATED APRIL 28, 2020

You know you want to be an OTA, but figuring out how to become an occupational therapy assistant as quickly as possible may have your head spinning. So, while some places tell you how attractive their OTA program is, they may not be saying how long their OTA program is. Truth is, you can be working as an occupational therapy assistant in just two years. You just need to find a university offering an accelerated OTA program.

Accelerated OTA Program: 2 years to your OTA career

What’s an accelerated OTA program? It simply means coursework, experience in labs and time working in the field are concentrated into an integrated two-year curriculum instead of spreading it out with non-health care subjects over four years. Why would you spend four years in school to get a two-year OTA degree, especially when the need for OTAs is so high?

Right now, the healthcare industry is expanding rapidly, and OTAs are right in the center of this growth.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 31% increase for OTAs through 2028. Demand for OTAs is due to the aging baby-boom and millennial generations, who increasingly want to stay active and continue to live at home.

Learning how to become an occupational therapy assistant also means helping people recover faster from injuries, re-learn daily activities because of stroke or heart attack, or adapt to developmental challenges.

How to Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant: Choose Wisely

The benchmarks of a strong, accelerated OTA program:

• Leads students to the successful completion of the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
• Features multiple start dates during the year, typically Spring, Summer, and Fall
• Teaches the soft skills needed for productive patient-provider relationships
• Prepares students for patient interaction as early as possible
• Provides dedicated teaching areas with mock home or apartment setups for demonstrating therapy techniques
• Places advanced OTA program students into a “feeder” network of hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and medical offices.

Getting out of school faster through an accelerated OTA program also means a faster start in a career US News & World Report names a top-25 “best health care support job” in the nation. Need another reason to learn how to become an occupational therapy assistant quickly? It’s a well-paid career – the median salary for experienced OTAs is $53,298 annually, according to Salary.com.

Discover the Accelerated OTA Program at CUKC

There’s never been a better time to learn how to become an occupational therapy assistant. The accelerated A.A.S. in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) consists of 16 core courses that include 4 to 5 weeks of guided fieldwork education. Concentrated eight-week courses immerse you into your subjects and allow for completion of the degree 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.

To learn more, request more information today and get your free eBook now: Your Complete Guide to an  Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.