Are you considering attending a physical therapist assistant school? You may want to consider pursuing a career as an occupational therapy assistant instead!

Like any healthcare profession, occupational therapy assistant jobs are on the rise. But according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of occupational therapy assistants is expected to grow even faster than other occupations – 43 percent by 2024! If you are considering becoming an OTA, now is the time.

But what’s the difference between a physical therapist assistant and an occupational therapist assistant?

In general, physical therapist assistants are responsible for aiding patients in their recovery process following injuries, serious illnesses, and surgeries. They use a variety of specific medical techniques–massage, stretching, and hydrotherapy, amongst others–to help their patients recover. They’re also responsible for educating patients, building recovery plans, and aiding the physical therapist.

Occupational therapy assistants focus primarily on getting a patient back into their daily life, as opposed to working on pain management or surgery recovery. They provide instruction on the proper use of equipment or on ways to make life easier with an injury or illness.

Occupational therapy assistants need to obtain an associate’s degree from an accredited occupational therapy assistant school. Typically, associate OTA programs require two years of full-time study, 16 weeks of hands-on fieldwork, and include courses in psychology, biology, and pediatric health. They care for clients who are limited by a physical illness or injury, an emotional disorder, a developmental disability, or the aging process. As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, you will work under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist and will apply functional activities and therapeutic modalities as methods of treatment. Therapy focuses on assisting clients in restoring or maintaining independence in everyday life skills.

As a leading career college in Connecticut, Goodwin’s OTA program focuses on credibility and flexibility. If you enroll in our full-time OTA program, you can complete your Associate’s degree in 18 months. If you are working, you can complete our program part-time in 36 months. All of our OTA classes are offered during the evenings and on weekends for added convenience.

Goodwin’s accredited OTA programs prepare students to sit for national certification upon graduation. After successful completion of this exam, they become Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants.

Learn more about the difference between an occupational therapist and physical therapist assistant school by contacting Goodwin College at 800-889-3282 or visit us online today.