Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.A.A.S. | Grand Rapids Community College

Work as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) under the supervision of registered occupational therapists. You will help rehabilitate patients who are physically or mentally disabled by developing and implementing programs of educational, vocational and recreational activities.

Those programs will help a patient strengthen muscle power, increase motion and coordination and develop self sufficiency in overcoming disabilities.

Throughout your course work, you will learn to handle the emotional demands of your future work environment and to interact effectively with a variety of people. Successful occupational therapy assistants are able to set aside personal feelings and deal with patients who will depend on them for emotional and psychological support during therapy.

Plan to take prep courses in biological and behavioral sciences — such as anatomy, physiology, and psychology — before you begin courses required for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.A.A.S. Degree. The GRCC OTA program is delivered in a combination of on campus, online and hybrid courses each semester with students being required to come to campus 1-2 days each week of the term before completing full time fieldwork in the final semester.

National certification exam

Graduates of the program will be able 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 you will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).

The OTA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814. The phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. www.acoteonline.org. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or state registration. For further information on limitations, you can contact NBCOT at 12 South Summit Ave, Gaitherburg, MD 20877; (301) 990-7979.