Occupational Therapy Assistant (9355)

Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of qualified occupational therapists.  They collaborate in the formulation of a treatment plan, deliver therapeutic interventions to address various disabilities, advocate for the rehabilitation needs of their patients and clients, educate patients and families on effective therapy participation, and accurately document occupational therapy services for reimbursement.  They work with people of all ages in a variety of work settings which include hospitals, nursing homes, school systems, outpatient centers, specialized rehabilitation facilities, and mental health programs.

Lakeland's Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program prepares students to be competent entry-level therapy assistants.  Upon satisfactory completion of the program requirements, graduates are eligible to apply for certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and licensure through the appropriate state agency.  Students convicted of any felony or misdemeanor may be prohibited from applying for the certification examination.

Students must be admitted to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program to enroll in OTAS courses.  Other courses may be taken prior to admission to the program.

All students enrolled in a nursing or allied health program/certificate must complete a criminal background check.  In accordance with clinical site requirements, students with a criminal record may be ineligible to participate in a clinical fieldwork rotation.  Delays, for any reason, in obtaining background results may cause an interruption in the clinical rotation sequence or inability to complete program requirements.  Additional background screening may be required by individual facilities.

Drug testing may be requested in accordance with clinical affiliation requirements and/or for patient/ student health and safety.

A minimum GPA of 2.0 and a "C" grade or higher is required in all occupational therapy assistant and general education courses as listed in the curriculum guide for the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Occupational Therapy Assisting. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades may not be used to fulfill health program requirements.

OTA PROGRAM ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Admission Procedures

Students must meet specific admission requirements for this program. Listed below are requirements for admission to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program:

Option 1: High School Option

This option is for current high school seniors or high school graduates who apply to the program within two years of high school graduation.

• Complete college application(s).
• Composite score of 21 or higher on the American College Test (ACT) or combined score of 940 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
• Place into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or higher or pass MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra.
• Complete high school algebra, chemistry, and biology with a "C" grade or higher.
• An overall high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
• Meet with a counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.

Upon successful completion of the above criteria, the applicant will be admitted into the program. Students must complete HLTH 1215 Medical Terminology for Health Professions with a "C" grade or higher prior to enrolling in their first health technology course.

Option 2: College Option

This option is for students who do not qualify for admission under Option 1.

• Complete college application(s).
• Submit high school transcript as well as any college transcript(s).
• Complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) with a minimum combined score of 55. Two attempts are permitted.
• Meet with a counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.
• The following courses, or equivalent courses from other regionally accredited colleges, must be completed with a “C” grade or higher and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher:
  • HLTH 1215 Medical Terminology for Health Professions 
  • BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I

NOTE:  Students must meet one of these requirements to take BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I with a "C" or higher:

1. High school biology within last five years and high school chemistry.
2. High school biology within last five years and CHEM 1100 Elementary Chemistry I: Intro to Inorganic Chemistry.
3. BIOL 1200 Fundamentals of Biology for the Health Technologies 

Students are required to take the Math Placement Test and be placed into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or higher or complete MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra with a "C" grade or higher.

Option 3: Advanced Education Option

Students pursuing this option must have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing or Allied Health, an Associate of Science degree, or a bachelor's degree to be waived from the pre-admission testing. All other Option 2 requirements apply.

OTA PROGRAM ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

OTA PROGRAM ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.