Occupational Therapy Assistant?

Question by Ashley J: Occupational Therapy Assistant?
So IM thinkinq about doing OTA. this is my freshman year in college second sememster. Ive been taking my prereqs to become a Rn But My heart has always been In occupational therapy.i love the field..Ive heard bad things about it and positive things. I stay in Arkansas. Its a very small town. So I really dont know how good the pay is but it is what i want to do. So if anybody knows anybody in this field or have experience in this field would you please give me some info about it? do you love your job, good pay, rewarding career?? thank you!

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
My cousin had gone to school for OTA back when and has said that the field may be both mentally and physically draining albeit rewarding. Before you take prerequisite courses, please job shadow/observe in the various departments that a patient may receive OT services such as a physical rehabilitation hospital for people with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), spinal cord injury/paralysis, stroke (“brain attack”) which is a type of brain injury, other neurological disorders, amputated limb, shoulder/hip/knee replacement, hip fracture or such – pediatric hospital – nursing home/long-term care facility. Most jobs for OTAs will probably be in a nursing home setting.

If you’re still interested in training after observing and even volunteering (and please realize that volunteering is NOTHING like having an actual patient caseload), please be aware that not all classes may transfer or county towards the degree program especially the sciences. For example, college “human anatomy” may NOT transfer or count but instead perhaps “general anatomy & physiology” so that it’s best to check with the school(s) Admissions department beforehand.

For general career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search.

Please only consider programs accredited by the “american occupational therapy association”: http://www.aota.org

With schooling, please forgo those private overly priced For-profit schools such as brown mackie, anthem, sanford brown, kaplan, pima institute, keiser, heald 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 of those private $ $ for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings:

– http://www.complaintsboard.com

– http://www.pissedconsumer.com

– http://www.ripoffreport.com and can search.

US colleges (including community colleges): http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

For possible local volunteer opportunities: http://www.volunteermatch.org

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