Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program in St. Louis, Associate of Applied Science

Students of our Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program train to render effective treatment and care for individuals of all ages whose quality of life has been impacted by disease or disability. Students will develop creative and adaptive therapeutic approaches to help patients remediate, rehabilitate, or compensate for emotional, physical, cognitive, and social impairment. As an OTA, you will work under the supervision of Occupational Therapists to perform select assessments and to implement holistic treatment plans focused on meaningful activities that promote a healthier balance of self-care, work, and leisure activities.

Graduate Opportunities

Graduates of the SLCHC Occupational Therapy Assistant program often work directly one on one with patients/clients under the supervision of Occupational Therapists. This can be within several types of health care and community settings including hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, rehab centers, homes, school based settings, community health centers, prison systems, government systems, and private business.

Graduation & Certification

SLCHC OTA program graduates who successfully complete all program requirements including all coursework and all fieldwork (clinical) experiences according to program progression and completion policies, will earn an Associates of Applied Science (AAS) degree and will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant which is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this national board exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states now require licensure to legally practice, and state license boards usually require proof of passing the NBCOT OTA board exam in order to obtain licensure. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s eligibility for certification and/or licensure.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides, on the Internet at Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)

 

Semester 1

Course # Course Hours Credits
MTH202 Algebra & Mathematical Functions 45 3
ENG101 English Composition I 45 3
HB300 Medical Terminology Basics 30 1
AH100 Professional Development 45 3
BL121 Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology Theory 45 3
BL121L Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology Lab 30 1

Semester 2

Course # Course Hours Credits
BL302 Kinesiology & Functional Biomechanics 45 3
BL302L Kinesiology & Functional Biomechanics Lab 30 1
PS203 Human Growth & Development 30 2
EN150 Communications 45 3
PS101 Psychology 45 3
OTA101 Introduction to Occupational Therapy 45 3

Semester 3

Course # Course Hours Credits
OTA102 Foundations of Occupational Therapy 45 3
OTA110L Therapeutic Activities for Occupational Performance Lab 30 1
OTA130 Human Dysfunctions on Occupational Performance 60 4
OTA140 Documentation in Occupational Therapy 30 2
OTA160L OTA Fundamentals 1 Lab 60 2

Semester 4

Course # Course Hours Credits
OTA201 Fieldwork Level IA 45 1
OTA210 OTA Applications in Psychosocial Practice 45 3
OTA230 Therapeutic Communication 30 2
OTA245 OTA Applications in Pediatric  Practice 45 3
OTA245L OTA Applications in Pediatric  Practice Lab 45 1
OTA250L Group Dynamics Lab 30 1
OTA260L OTA Fundamentals 2 Lab 45 1

Semester 5

Course # Course Hours Credits
OTA301 Fieldwork Level IB 45 1
OTA315 OTA Applications in Physical Dysfunction 45 3
OTA315L OTA Applications in Physical Dysfunction Lab 45 1
OTA325 Therapeutic Adaptations 30 2
OTA325L Therapeutic Adaptations Lab 45 1
OTA340 OTA Applications in Geriatric Practice 45 3
OTA350 OTA Professional Seminar 30 2
OTA360L OTA Fundamentals 3 Lab 45 1

Semester 6

Course # Course Hours Credits
OTA405 Fieldwork Level II, Practicum 1 270 6
OTA406 Fieldwork Level II, Practicum 2 270 6
OTA410 OTA Applications in Clinical Reasoning 30 2

Program Accreditations

Effective April 22, 2023, the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at SLCHC has been granted a status of Accreditation-Inactive 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. This inactive status indicates that the program is not currently enrolling new students and does not plan to enroll new students in the future until granted re-activation approval by ACOTE. While the program is on Accreditation-Inactive status, any graduates of the program will still 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.

ACOTE
c/o AOTA

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
www.acoteonline.org

(301) 652-AOTA

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