Job Description of a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the demand for occupational therapist assistants will increase by 30 percent from 2008 to 2018. Spurred by an increasingly large elderly population, this growth may create as many as 7,900 new jobs in the field.

Function

Working under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist, certified assistants help patients complete activities and exercises designed to help them develop regain the ability to perform every day tasks like dressing, grooming and eating. Assistants follow treatment plans developed by therapists and record patients' progress for therapists to review.

Types

Some certified occupational therapist assistants specialize in one working with particular type of patient, such as children or the elderly. Assistants may work in general surgical or rehabilitation hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics or even in patients' homes.

Education

Employers require occupational therapist assistants to have a minimum of a two-year associate degree in occupational therapist assisting. Completion of an education program is also necessary to receive certification.

Certification

After graduating from a training program, occupational therapist assistants make take a written examination offered through the National Board for Certifying Occupational. This certification is voluntary, but often makes assistants more desirable to employers.

Licensure

Forty states require certified occupational therapists to receive a state-issued license before working in the field, reports the BLS. Requirements vary, but often include passing an examination.

Compensation

As of May 2008, occupational therapist assistants averaged annual salaries of $48,440, according to the BLS.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Therapist Assistants and Aides
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Therapist Assistants