Health Careers
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.
- Graduation from high school. Basic courses in English, science, and math are helpful.
- Completion of a two-year Associate degree program from a university or community college. All occupational therapy assistant programs include at least two months of supervised practical experience.
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
