Derrick Said:

Occupational Therapy Assistant Admission Grades?

We Answered:

Your daughter may still need to take some college prerequisites, too, such as "general anatomy and physiology" or such anyway. Please be aware that the OT field may be physically and emotionally draining albeit rewarding :) It seems as though a lot of jobs are in a nursing home/long-term care facility type of setting.

Before your daughter takes the prerequisites for an ota program, it's best for her (and if you go with her) to job shadow/observe in the various departments that OT is offered such as a physical rehabilitation hospital for patients with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), spinal cord injury/paralysis, stroke ("brain attack") which is a type of brain injury, shoulder/hip/knee replacement, amputate limb, hip fracture, neurological disorders (of the nervous system or brain, spinal cord, nerves) - pediatric hospital - nursing home setting or such.

Most ota programs actually require a certain amount of volunteer work and observation before possibly getting accepted into a program. With college prerequisites, please be aware that not all science and other classes may transfer so that one should check with the school(s) in which she's interested in attending Before taking certain courses. For example, college "human anatomy" usually does NOT transfer to other schools or programs but instead perhaps college "general anatomy and physiology". Certain psychology classes at the college level may transfer and some may not so just to reiterate to check with the program director at the ota program for which you're daughter is considering.

Regarding schooling for ota, please forgo those private overly priced For-profit tech schools such as pima institute, brown mackie, keiser, anthem, sanford brown, kaplan and others as they are merely out to "make a profit" (** and course credits may NOT transfer to other schools). These consumer sites have negative posts by former students, and please heed the students' warnings:

- http://www.complaintsboard.com

- http://www.pissedconsumer.com

- http://www.ripoffreport.com and can type into search.


Please only consider ota programs accredited by the "american occupational therapy association": http://www.aota.org/Educate/Schools/Entr…

For U.S. colleges (including community colleges): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

This site may have local volunteer opportunities: http://www.volunteermatch.org

Brenda Said:

Am I degrading myself by becoming an Occupational Therapy Assistant?

We Answered:

Occupational Therapy is an important and fascinating field, and it is possible to do very good and important work for people as an OTA. Please don't think that it must be a good idea to be a doctor, for some people it is, but for others it's a life wrecking decision. And the lives wrecked are likely to belong to patients.
There are many areas of work for humane, nurturing people. Most of them don't actually have a lot of glamour, but for the right person, a caring profession is the most wonderful path to follow.
Good luck!

Alexander Said:

Occupational Therapy Assistant- I am a career changer looking to pursue an OTA position in NYC.?

We Answered:

These are the schools in NY that offer an OTA program:

NEW YORK

Erie Community College (Next visit: 2009/2010)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
North Campus
6205 Main Street
Williamsville, NY 14221-7095
(716) 851-1318
jones@ecc.edu
www.ecc.edu/

Genesee Community College (Next visit: 2016/2017)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
One College Road
Batavia, NY 14020-9704
(585) 343-0055 x6375 or (585) 345-6838
www.genesee.edu/

Jamestown Community College (Next visit: 2013/2014)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
525 Falconer Street, P.O. Box 20
Jamestown, NY 14702-0020
(716) 665-5220
heatherpanczykowski@mail.sunyjcc.edu
www.sunyjcc.edu/

LaGuardia Community College (Next visit: 2015/2016)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101-3083
(718) 482-5774
lfinz@lagcc.cuny.edu
(Evening program offered)
www.lagcc.cuny.edu/ota/

Maria College (Next visit: 2009/2010)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
700 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208-1798
(518) 489-7436 x257
admissions@mariacollege.edu
(Weekend program offered)
www.mariacollege.edu/academics/ota.htm

Mercy College (Next visit: 2009/2010)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522-1134
(914) 674-7833
otaprogram@mercy.edu
(Evening program offered)
www.mercy.edu/acadivisions/healthprofe…

Orange County Community College (Next visit: 2013/2014)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
115 South Street
Middletown, NY 10940-6404
(845) 341-4291
fhannes@sunyorange.edu
www.orange.cc.ny.us/OTA

Rockland Community College (Next visit: 2013/2014)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
145 College Road
Suffern, NY 10901-3699
(845) 574-4312
www.sunyrockland.edu/

State University of New York at Canton, College of Technology* (Next visit: Pending Reactivation)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Cornell Drive, Cook Hall 125
Canton, NY 13617-1096
(315) 379-3863
hammeckc@canton.edu
*Program is currently on Inactive Status.
www.canton.edu/

Suffolk County Community College-Michael J. Grant Campus (Next visit: 2008/2009)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Crooked Hill Road - MA 308
Brentwood, NY 11717-1092
(631) 851-6335
hubbsl@sunysuffolk.edu
www.sunysuffolk.edu/

Touro College (Next visit: 2010/2011)
(OTA - associate degree)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
27-33 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10010-4202
(212) 463-0400 x258
ota@touro.edu
(Evening program only)
http://www.touro.edu/

If you go to their websites, it will list any prerequisites and the course programs. The info was found on www.aota.org - go to "students."

I think the top four qualities of an OTA would be
1. a good problem solver
2. patience
3. someone with the ability to be empathetic, without becoming overly involved
4. someone with the ability to motivate and encourage a patient

The most challenging thing - probably working with patients who want to give up - trying to find the one thing that will make it "click" with them to make them actually want to and be willing to work to recover.

Craig Said:

What is the difference between occupational therapy assistant and physical therapy assistant? ?

We Answered:

Both of them are able to work with children. P.T's work more with muscles and helping people gain back their mobility. O.T's work with a variety of things. O.Ts focus on trying to get the person to manage daily tasks again whether returning to work after an injury, driving, working with learning disabilitys in children, regulating preemie schedules, and learning to live with an injury. O.T focuses on getting the client back into their lives so that they can live independently.

Jorge Said:

does this sound like a good idea? Occupational Therapy.?

We Answered:

you definately should...im going to do OT next year too :)

Gail Said:

How do I become an occupational therapy aide (not assistant)?

We Answered:

One may obtain a job as an ot aide at a nursing home facility or rehabilitation hospital that helps those with traumatic brain injury, stroke ("brain attack" -- a type of brain injury/acquired brain injury which is Not from outside blunt force) or such. There may be more jobs available for the physical therapy aide which are sometimes also needed at outpatient therapy offices.

Not sure if county vo-tech schools still offer pt aide but perhaps check that avenue. Perhaps a home health aide or cna program as the other postee mentioned would briefly talk about some of the tasks of an ot aide or pt aide. Please steer clear of those online, for-profit schools such as penn foster, stratford career, US career, university of phoenix, capella, kaplan and others: http://www.capellauniversitysucks.us

http://www.ripoffreport.com and can type into search.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search 'nursing, psychiatric and home health aides', 'occupational therapists' or such.