Occupational Therapy Assistant (Associate of Applied Science) - Memphis

Program offered at: Memphis, Tennessee

Occupational Therapy Assistant (Associate of Applied Science) Mission Statement

The program provides students theoretical knowledge, technical skills, and professional attributes that provide graduates with the expertise needed to practice as entry-level occupational therapy assistants in settings where occupational therapy is currently established and where it is emerging as a service. Occupational Therapy Assistant graduates from an educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) are eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) OTA Certification Examination.

Learning Objectives / Instructional Outcomes

The program includes general education courses covering mathematics, written, verbal, and nonverbal communications; interpersonal skills; critical thinking; the sciences; and the humanities. Learning objectives include performing holistic therapeutic interventions to address the physical and mental rehabilitation of the whole person; completing selected components of data collection and assessment of the patients’/clients’ daily occupations as well as their safety and response to the intervention; participating with the Occupational Therapist in providing physical and psychosocial support for patients/clients and their families and caregivers with recognition of individual, cultural, and economic differences; and communicating, educating and interacting cooperatively with other healthcare providers.

Career Overview

Occupational Therapy Assistants work with clients of all ages and diagnoses. They provide quality occupational therapy services to assigned individuals under the supervision of a registered Occupational Therapist and work in hospitals, clinics, schools, client homes, community settings, even prisons. Licensure is required within the state where the COTA will practice. In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT (OTA) Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT (OTA) Certification Examination or to attain state licensure.

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE): 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929; ACOTE c/o AOTA: 301-652-AOTA; www.acoteonline.org; email:accred@aota.org

In order to graduate from the Occupational Therapy Assistant (Associate of Applied Science) program, students must successfully complete the following curriculum: