Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational therapy is a challenging career field that can be extremely rewarding. If you would enjoy helping people overcome physical or developmental obstacles, you should consider a career as an occupational therapy assistant.
Occupational Therapy Career Outlook
Due to growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited function who require therapy services, employment for certified occupational therapy assistants is expected to increase nationally much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2020.* In the occupational therapy assistant program at Kaplan College in Jacksonville, FL, you will have the opportunity to learn how to help people with varying levels of disabilities to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. In addition, you will gain real-world experience through externships in the community.
Career Responsibilities
While on the job, occupational therapy assistants may be called upon to:
- Administer tests such as functional muscle and range of motion
- Adapt environments for people with disabilities
- Design, fabricate, and apply orthotic devices and equipment
- Help clients improve basic motor functions and reasoning abilities using specifically designed exercises
- Teach daily living skills to help clients lead more independent, productive, and satisfying lives
Programmatic Accreditation Candidacy
The occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449; Tel: 301.652.2682 (AOTA); Web: www.acoteonline.org.
Please note: Candidacy Status does not assure eventual accreditation or eligibility to sit for national certification. However, once ACOTE accreditation is obtained, program graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of this exam is a requirement to practice in the state of Florida. Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.