Occupational Therapy Assistant

Important Information

Semester Sequence

This is a suggested full-time schedule for a student who has completed any developmental course work and has no transfer credits. Refer to the College catalog for specific requirements in selecting General Education Courses . Prerequisites and required General Education courses must be completed prior to entering the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program.

Courses Needed for This Program*

Total Credits Required for Degree: 69*

Notes

*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

**BIOL 110  is a required General Education course and is a pre-requisite for BIOL 220  and BIOL 230 .

Program Description

This program is designed to prepare students to work as occupational therapy assistants. Occupational therapy assistants work with patients of all ages whose lives have been affected by impairment or disease. Occupational therapy assistants under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist assist people in overcoming, adapting to, and/or preventing physical and psychosocial problems caused by disease, substance abuse, mental illness, amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke, arthritis and birth defects, to name a few. Occupational therapy assistants help people obtain or regain skills in the areas of self-care, school, work, play and leisure. Jobs may be found in a variety of places such as hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, home health, and community based centers.

Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program should demonstrate entry-level skills of an occupational therapy assistant; critical thinking skills; practice skills within the standards and ethics established by this profession; are responsible for lifelong learning, and will obtain a general education background sufficient to transfer to a four-year college.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s phone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program has been granted re-accreditation through the year 2023/2024. 

Graduates of this program 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 graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). The pass rates for graduates attempting the national certification exam within twelve (12) months of graduation from this program (irrespective of the number of attempts) can be found at https://www.nbcot.org/en/Educators/Home#SchoolPerformance. Most states such as Maryland require licensure in order to practice. This licensure is based upon the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Students enrolled in the OTA program should be aware that a prior felony conviction may affect the graduate’s ability to sit for the National Certification Examination and/or attain state licensure. For further clarification, contact NBCOT at 301-990-7979 or the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice at 410-402-8560.

School of Health Professions Policies

Students in the School of Health Professions are expected to conduct themselves according to an honor code; exhibit professional behavior; communicate effectively in English; provide proof of health insurance, immunizations, and a tuberculosis (TB) test; and submit to a criminal background check and drug testing. Students are expected to pay the costs associated with these requirements.

Admission

Applications for all School of Health Professions programs, except Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant, are processed in a Central Application Service called CCBC CAS. The link to the CAS and the application instructions are located in the program admissions packet at the School of Health Professions website. You will need a CCBC student ID number and a CCBC student account password to complete the application. If you have questions about the CCBC CAS process, contact the School of Health Professions Admissions Office at (443) 840-1989 or read the FAQ selections at the bottom of each page inside the CAS application.

• Completion of General Education Requirements, General Education Electives, and Program Prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better. Students must have completed these courses by the application deadline of June 1 with a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5.
• Proof of health insurance coverage which must be maintained during enrollment in program
• Essay which can be found in the occupational therapy assistant application packet and on CAS

In order for the OTA selection committee to identify eligible OTA students, all candidates must complete an application and forward official college transcripts for review.  Students must also show proof of health insurance coverage on the day of orientation and must maintain this coverage throughout enrollment in the program. For specific information regarding admission into the OTA program, please call 443-840-1195 or visit the School of Health Professions website.

This program is designed to prepare students to work as occupational therapy assistants upon graduation and certification. Students wishing to transfer to the professional level occupational therapy program may not receive credit for OTA courses.

The OTA courses are offered in a specific sequence and must be completed as such. There is a readmission policy for students who interrupt this sequence. There is a policy regarding transfer students from other OTA programs. Please call 443-840-1195.

NOTE: Students must complete Level II fieldwork within eighteen (18) months of completion of the academic portion of this program.

Program Outcomes/Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM:

• Conform to behaviors consistent with AOTA Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics and Maryland licensure
• Demonstrate respect for client and right to self determination
• Aware of issues/trends affecting the profession
• Understand importance of identifying professional abilities and competencies related to job responsibilities
• Initiate advocating for client rights
• Demonstrate a commitment to the profession via participation in AOTA, MOTA, etc.
• Responsible/proactive in advocating for the profession and for his/her own need for supervision
• Demonstrate professionalism in written, email and verbal interactions with supervisor 
• Demonstrate emerging interprofessional competencies

TERMINOLOGY:

• Demonstrate working knowledge of psychiatric, pediatric, and physical dysfunction diagnoses and medications
• Demonstrate ability to use medical terms and abbreviations appropriately
• Demonstrate working knowledge of Practice Framework
• Demonstrate working knowledge of terminology found in health promotion and wellness programs
• Recognize variation in terminology and documentation standards based on the setting

COMMUNICATION:

• Document accurate treatment information in oral, written, and electronic format
• Document adequately to comply with standards for reimbursement required by state and federal agencies
• Communicate effectively to client, family and healthcare team rationale for therapy and progress, taking into consideration the nonverbal cues and culture of patient/family
• Advocate for own role and role of caregiver

ASSESSMENTS:

1. Administer selected assessments within the practice guidelines established by AOTA and the Maryland Practice Board
2. Assist with data collection for screening/evaluation
3. Recognize needs for reassessment of client

TREATMENT:

• Contribute to development of an occupational-based treatment program
• Demonstrate strong observational skills
• Prioritize treatment goals
• Describe to client/others reasoning behind treatment program
• Demonstrate use of the activity analysis for development of treatment program
• Demonstrate skills to read/understand scholarly journals
• Select, adapt, and sequences treatment activities to maximize participation and independence in client
• Implement a planned treatment program which promotes independence in areas of occupation
• Use modalities and assistive technology when indicated to promote functional independence in living skills
• Use self therapeutically in the treatment process
• Collaborate with other team members/caregivers when implementing treatment program
• Knowledgeable about local resources to refer client and/or family members
• Demonstrate group leadership and implement group intervention
• Awareness of and adherence to safety regulations
• Possess skills necessary to anticipate safety issues with clients
• Use professional literature to make EBP decisions in collaboration with OTR
• Able to address coping skills with caregiver
• Demonstrate client/family centered care