Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapy Assistant - Associate in Applied Science Degree

Program Requirements:

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Admission Type:

Health
OTA Application Process

Locations:

Grand Strand

Contact:

Admissions
(843) 347-3186

Occupational therapy is a health care profession that specializes in helping people develop, master or regain the everyday skills necessary to live independent, productive and meaningful lives. Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of an occupational therapist to implement treatment interventions and meet the goals of each individual client’s needs. Occupational therapy assistants perform treatment with clients of various diagnoses across the lifespan.

The program curriculum will expose the student to a wide variety of traditional and emerging occupational therapy practices and settings. Fieldwork will provide the student with the opportunity to develop, implement and assess interventions based on the client’s plan of care.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program prepares graduates to attain the essential skills and competencies needed to sit for the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.

For more information about Health Science Admissions visit: www.hgtc.edu/healthscience.

For more information, contact:
Gina Brown - 843-839-1092

Accreditation Status

The associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status 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. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will 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.

For more information about HGTC's accreditations, click here.

Program Disclosure Statement

Applicants to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program should be aware a current, unrestricted license or certification may be required to practice in the state in which you intend to reside/practice. Each state is unique in its licensure requirements. Students are encouraged to reach out to the program chair for more information and assistance with understanding professional licensure.

Career Outlook

On a typical day, an occupational therapy assistant will perform components of a variety of treatment procedures, including:

self-care: bathing, dressing, showering, cooking, etc.
home & community management
energy conservation

wheelchair measurement and positioning
splinting
therapeutic exercise

Employment opportunities can be found in the following settings:

Hospitals
Nursing homes
Rehabilitation centers

Outpatient offices
Home health agencies

For more information about careers, visit O*Net Online for an overview of South Carolina and National earnings statistics, and Career Services for more employment resources.

Program Information
Specific Admission Requirements for Program The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is a limited-access program. All applicants must meet weighted Admission requirements by May 15 to advance to the next phase of consideration for admission to the program. However, meeting admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the OTA program. An applicant who receives notification that she/he was not admitted to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program must resubmit the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application by the published application deadline in order to be considered for admission to the next available class. These applicants should check with Admissions to determine if HGTC Admission information requires updating. A waiting list of applicants is not maintained. Criminal Background Check 30 days prior to starting clinical each semester beginning in the second semester; felony or misdemeanor convictions could result in applicants being ineligible to complete the program. Urine Drug Screening 30 days prior to starting clinical each semester beginning in the second semester. Submit a Health Sciences Division Student Health Record Form indicating the candidate can perform the physical tasks required in the program prior to second semester. Attendance at OTA Mandatory Information Session. Proof of CPR certification for Health Care Providers prior to second semester. Experience Documentation form submitted to Office of Admissions reflecting a minimum of 20 hours with a certified occupational therapist or certified occupational therapy assistant. The applicant is responsible for arranging the observation experience at any site that provides occupational therapy services. GPA of 2.5 or higher on all required General Education and support courses, with "C" or higher in each course. These courses include: BIO 210 and BIO 211 (5 year time limit), ENG 101, MAT 120 or MAT 110, PSY 201 and Humanities. Minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA must be maintained with no academic or disciplinary suspension at time of admission or program entry. Note: The OTA program does not accept experiential credit for courses with an OTA prefix. To be licensed as a Occupational Therapy Assistant in the state of South Carolina the graduate must pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination and apply for Occupational Therapy Assistant licensure with the Labor and Licensing Regulation Board of South Carolina. The cost of completing the NBCOT examination and application for licensure is not included in the cost of tuition for the program. Course Sequence and Progression Requirements A minimum grade of "C" or better is required for all OTA-prefixed courses for progression and graduation.
Curriculum Sequence
General Education Requirements	Course Title	Semester Credit Hours
BIO 210	Anatomy Physiology I	4
BIO 211	Anatomy Physiology II	4
ENG 101	English Composition I	3
MAT 110	College Algebra	3
OR
MAT 120	Probability and Statistics (preferred)
PSY 201	General Psychology	3
	Humanities	3
	TOTAL	20
First Semester - Fall
OTA 101	Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy	3
OTA 105	Therapeutic Analysis in Occupational Therapy	3
OTA 142	OTA Clinical Introduction I	1
OTA 162	Psychosocial Dysfunction	3
OTA 200	Introduction to Kinesiology	3
	TOTAL	13
Second Semester - Spring
OTA 144	OTA Clinical Introduction II	1
OTA 176	Pediatric Development and Dysfunction	4
OTA 203	Kinesiology for Occupational Therapy	3
OTA 220	Adult Physical Performance I	4
	TOTAL	12
Third Semester - Summer
OTA 155	Gerontology	2
OTA 221	Adult Performance II	4
OTA 245	Occupational Therapy Departmental Management	2
	TOTAL	8
Fourth Semester - Fall
OTA 108	Professional Development	1
OTA 262	OTA Clinical Application I	7
OTA 264	OTA Clinial Application II	7
	TOTAL	15
	Total Credit Hours	68

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