Health Careers in Alaska

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Occupational Therapist Assistant

Professional Activities

Occupational therapy assistants and professional occupational therapists are partners in enabling people to do the activities of daily life. Occupational therapist assistants help people with disabilities learn or regain the skills they need to live independent, productive, and satisfying lives.

Occupational therapy assistants teach and assist patients in developing skills in self care and in creative, recreational, and school or work related activities. They provide treatment and report patient progress and development to the occupational therapist. Occupational therapy assistants also perform tasks such as ordering supplies, preparing and laying out materials, helping to make splints and other corrective devices, and maintaining tools and equipment. Many work with particular age groups or with people who have certain types of disabilities.

Occupational therapy assistants work wherever occupational therapists are employed. Rural Alaska opportunities exist with schools, medical facilities, and with state, local, and federal agencies.

Educational Requirements

Occupational therapy assistants complete two years of training beyond high school.

Academic Programs

We are not aware of any occupational therapy assistant programs in Alaska. A list of programs in other states can be found on the American Occupational Therapy Association’s website below. (See Student-Schools.)

Contacts

State Contact:

Alaska Occupational Therapy Association
PMB 1616, 3705 Arctic Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99503
Email: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.akota.org

National Contact:

The American Occupational Therapy Association
4720 Montgomery Lane
P.O. Box 31220
Bethesda, Maryland 20824
Phone: (301) 652-2682
Fax: (301) 652-7711
Web site: http://www.aota.org

This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on June 20, 2009

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At A Glance: Occupational Therapist Assistant

Hourly Wage: $14.98-$31.33 (Mean $23.29)
(Source: based on national U.S. Dept. of Labor estimates)

Years in School: 2*
*after high school graduation

One Page Description:
Occupational_Therapist_Assist.pdf