Occupational Therapy Assistant

Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

Young or old, we all have a job to do-the job of living. Learning, growing, playing, working, managing our homes, and caring for our families are among the "occupations" of life. Unfortunately, physical, emotional, or other challenges often prevent people from fully participating in the job of living. Disease, injury, depression, or developmental problems can make it difficult for people to do everyday tasks or be active and independent.

Occupational therapy-a vibrant, growing profession-makes it possible for people to achieve independence and to enjoy life to its fullest. By choosing a career in occupational therapy, you will make a difference! You will be able to improve the lives of people, from newborns to the elderly. 

Graduates of the program will be eligible to take the national certification examination of the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states also require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Students today can look forward to dynamic careers working in multiple settings with people of all ages. And the employment outlook for occupational therapy assistants is bright! Recent information published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that the job outlook for occupational therapy assistants will improve substantially in the next several years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Specifically, it states that "employment of occupational therapy assistants is expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014," meaning that employment is expected to increase by 27% or more. 

One of the greatest advantages of a career in occupational therapy is the wide variety of opportunities available to occupational therapy graduates. Many practitioners choose to help children thrive in the "occupations" of childhood, which include learning, playing, and growing. Therapists work in schools with students who have learning disabilities or behavioral problems. Others work with premature newborns at pediatric hospitals or children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other disabilities. 

Occupational therapy assistants also work with individuals in their homes, community centers, rehabilitation hospitals, businesses, and nursing homes. In these settings, occupational therapy assistants help people with traumatic injuries, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, or mental health problems, learn to live productive lives through the use of meaningful occupations. 

Those who join the field today may choose other areas of practice that are increasingly important. These new specialties include training workers to use proper ergonomics on the job, helping people with low vision maintain their independence, making buildings and homes more accessible, older driver evaluation and training, and promoting health and wellness. 

Occupational Therapy is a career for individuals who care about people and have a desire to learn, achieve, and contribute their best to society and the profession!

Program Philosophy & Mission

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program is to prepare assistants in the field of occupational therapy with the skill base, fund of knowledge, and understanding and demonstration of professional behaviors necessary to succeed in their chosen vocational pathway. This is congruent with the mission of Lake Washington Institute of Technology which is focused on successful workforce education of individuals from diverse backgrounds, giving them the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to successfully compete for jobs and to cope with ever-changing work force requirements; and to provide education that encourages lifelong learning and growth, both on the job and in the home.

The primary objective of this training is to produce clinicians in the field of occupational therapy to plan and implement, in collaboration with occupational therapists, the use of occupation-based, meaningful activities to achieve the desired functional, cognitive and psychosocial patient and client outcomes. 

The OTA Program at LWTech seeks to fulfill the need for qualified Occupational Therapy Assistants in the North Puget Sound, as well as other Pacific Northwest areas. In addition, the program mission includes:

• Preparing students for successful completion of Levels I and II Fieldwork
• Preparing graduates to pass the national certification examination and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)
• Developing entry-level skills through effective didactic and laboratory learning experiences
• Developing professional behaviors including communication skills, good work habits, and an understanding of health care and community work arenas
• Preparing students for their profession in accordance with the Standards outlined by The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and by the Ethics policy documents published by The American Occupational Therapy Association
• Developing an appreciation and respect for the inherent worthiness and uniqueness of each student and all future patients or clients, regardless of differences in age, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual preference, or race.
• Instilling a desire and pursuit of life-long learning to comply with licensure continuing education requirements and to enhance both professional and personal growth
• Encouraging the active engagement in professional associations, nationally and locally
• Enabling students to articulate, with simplicity and enthusiasm, the benefits of occupational therapy services and the uniqueness of the profession
• Integrating campus wide learning outcomes into curriculum requirements 

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology is guided by the philosophy that individuals, through the lifespan, are shaped and influenced by meaningful occupation, by physical and social environments, and the development of skills and patterns of behavior.

Purposeful activity, or occupation, is the means for persons to engage in meaningful behavior and valued life roles. This view maintains that occupation is an essential aspect of human life and health, and that activity patterns, roles, and environments are definitive, unique, and can be used for healing, maintaining wellness, and establishing a satisfying life. Individuals form and act out their unique roles through occupation. 

When a person's health and activity patterns are changed due to illness, injury, or an environmental threat, he or she can use occupation as the goal directed use of time, energy, interest, and attention to reclaim the desired function. Occupational Therapy clinicians use purposeful, goal-directed activities to promote the maximum performance to which the individual is capable and to which the individual is intent upon. Occupational therapy practitioners also enable clients to adapt to their environment and unique situations, or to change them in order to reach the maximum desired functional performance in their daily routines. The intrinsic value of daily activities and purposeful occupation cannot be overemphasized. All human occupations have emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, and contextual dimensions. People may be independent and functional in a variety of ways and have the right to choose their activities and the context in which they are performed.

The OTA Program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology will use occupation and purposeful activity as a main tool for the education of students. OTA students will be introduced to models of occupation at the onset of the curriculum, and will apply the tenets to their own lives as they progress. This, the application of the very concepts and foundations of occupational therapy, will allow them to graduate with a firm understanding of occupation as the foundation of their chosen profession. The education will follow a developmental sequence with an emphasis on volition, habituation and skill development, which occurs in a specific environment. The individual student will receive input, processes it cognitively, neurologically, emotionally, and physically, and then act on the environment in a dynamic open system. The Program is guided by the belief that Occupational Therapy is a true synergy of art and science.

The very essence of everyday life is the elegant and humble focus of occupational therapy. Through the "doing" of activities of daily living, valued projects, desired engagements, and goal-directed behavior, determined by values, interests, and beliefs, held together by habits, roles and personal style, executed with skills and knowledge, our students and their future clients and patients will lead satisfying and meaningful lives.

• Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Admission Dates
  • Fall
• Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Format
  • On-campus

Entry into the Occupational Therapy program requires completion of LWTech's general online application.

Program Prerequisites

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is filled on a first-register, first-in system. In order to enroll in the first quarter of the OTA Program, you must have all pre-requisite courses completed or be in progress at LWTech to be eligible. If you receive a grade of less than 3.0 at completion of your in-progress classes, you will be removed automatically from the OTA classes before Fall quarter begins.

Below is a detailed list of all the requirements to enter the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at LWTech. Occupational Therapy Assistant program admissions course prerequisites are listed in the College Catalog and below:

1. Students must have completed the following classes with a 3.0 GPA or higher, or be in progress with in these classes at LWTech, in order to register for OTA classes:
   • BIOL&241 Anatomy & Physiology - 6 credits
   • ENGL&101 English Composition I - 5 credits
   • MATH&146 Introduction to Statistics - 5 credits
   • PSYC200 Lifespan Psychology - 5 credits 
   • OTA 100 Introduction to OTA - 4 credits

2. Co-requisite communications course is recommended to be completed prior to the admission into the OTA program. However it can be taken as a corequisite while in the program if necessary:

   • CMST& 220  or CMST&230
               or CMST&280 - 5 credits

Applying to Occupational Therapy Assistant

Space is limited, we recommend registering as soon as possible. Only 20 spots available in the program.

Steps to Apply to the OTA Program

1. Complete general college application to LWTech
2. Send transcripts of all completed pre-requisite courses to LWTech
3. If any pre-requisite courses are incomplete, register for those courses in summer quarter
4. Once all pre-requisites are completed (or you are enrolled in the final pre-requisite courses), register for fall quarter OTA courses (OTA 101, OTA 110, OTA 112)

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Additional Admission Considerations

• International Students Apply via Office of International Programs & Global Education
• Adult Education: Basic Education for Adults (BEdA)
• New to Washington State: Learn more about determining residency status
• Justice Involved: Re-Entry Support for Students Who Have Been Justice Involved
• Undocumented citizens: See the residency affidavit and visit the undocumented students page for more information.

Not Sure Where to Start?

Talk to An Admission Coach Today!

Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not offer every course each quarter. It is the student's responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out an individual schedule with an advisor or counselor. Any developmental coursework a student might be required to complete may increase the program length.

Students interested in learning more about the OTA program and pre-requisites are encouraged to attend an online information session via Microsoft Teams. 

Click the below date to access the information sessions. All below meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and are one hour long.

Microsoft Teams Meeting Information and Dates

• Please email Jenny Rogoff for the Teams Link.

Every 3rd Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m.

Microsoft Teams Help

• Teams can be used on a computer, tablet, or smartphone or you can call in.
• Teams does not require registering for an account.
• Visit MS Teams Support for more information and help videos.