Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA): Welcome

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

The Practice of Occupational Therapy is the therapeutic use of everyday life activities, referred to as occupations.  Occupational Therapist work with individuals of all ages who, because of illness, injury, or development or psychological impairment, need specialized assistance in learning the skills to enable them to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives.  Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and contextual aspects of performance through interventions that support meaningful patterns of engagement in the occupations and daily life activities. 

MISSION AND VISION

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program is to provide progressive and innovative educational experiences to develop exemplary Occupational Therapy Assistants.  The vision is to be a premier leader of innovation OTA education.  

Program Outcomes

Students who graduate with an associate degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant will become:

• Highly skilled entry-level generalist clinicians
• Ethical servant leaders
• Effective communicators
• Professional lifelong learners
• Dedicated advocates for clients and the profession.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT PROGRAM

2020 - 2021 Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with an associate degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant will be able to:

• Apply foundational knowledge and clinical competencies as a highly skilled entry-level generalist in current and emerging practice areas.
• Deliver effective evidence-based and culturally sensitive services that emphasize participation in occupation across the life span.
• Utilize effective communication and collaboration with clients, families, teammates, regulatory bodies, third party payers, and other professional customers.
• Demonstrate professional behavior and ethics that uphold the AOTA’s Code of Ethics and professional standards.
• Articulate the value of lifelong learning and professional development.
• Demonstrate confidence and capability in the roles of servant leader and advocate.

The conceptual framework for the organization and progression of the curriculum consists of the following themes:

• Critical thinking and clinical reasoning
• Promoting participation in occupation as it supports quality of life and well-being
• Communication and collaboration
• Ethics and professional behaviors
• Professional lifelong learning
• Servant leadership and advocacy

The concepts listed above are interwoven throughout the curriculum design in a progressive nature through which students gain new knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote and encourage professional behaviors and develop clinical reasoning skills.

CABARRUS COLLEGE QUICK LINKS

ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Cabarrus College is accredited by:

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
4720 Montgomery Ln., Ste 200
Bethesda, MD, 20814-3449
AOTA phone number: 301-652-AOTA

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be credentialed as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice. State licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination, as well as character references and criminal record checks. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.