Program Information
For more information on program accreditation, please see the San Jacinto College website: www.sanjac.edu/program/occupational-therapy-assistant.
Showing compassion and patience are strengths of those who choose occupational therapy for a career. You will assist patients to develop, recover and improve skills for daily living.
As an occupational therapy assistant (OTA), you will work under the direction and supervision of an occupational therapist in a variety of settings and situations from adults recovering from a stroke, to children and young adults with developmental disabilities. Patients and their needs are widely varied and each day holds new, rewarding challenges.
The San Jacinto College occupational therapy assistant program:
- Includes three Level I fieldwork experiences over the span of three semesters in the areas of pediatrics, mental health, and physical disabilities. In the final semester, students complete Level II fieldwork, which consists of two 8-week rotations in pediatrics or physical disability areas;
- Consists of 60 credit hours; 23 credit hours are prerequisites and 37 credit hours of core courses; and
- Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to test for the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA).
OTAs work in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: hospitals, pediatric clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and school systems.
Career Opportunities
Employment of occupational therapy assistants is expected to increase 43 percent over the next seven years, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. This adds 14,100 OTA professionals to the field.
According to the 2017 US News Rankings, Occupational Therapy Assistants are ranked No. 1 in Best Health Care Support Jobs and No. 12 in the 100 Best Jobs.
Earning Potential
Occupational Therapist Assistant Median Salary: $66,5881 per year
| 1 | Source: texaswages.com, Gulf Coast region, 2017 |
For more information contact 281-998-6150, x3086
Campus
South Campus
More Information
Program Offered: Every Fall Semester
Application Timeline: January 13th - May 1st (2020)
Admissions
**Important information for applicants as of March 24, 2020**
The deadline for OTA Program applications has been extended to May 1, 2020.
At this time we are not able to receive applications in person. Please scan and email your application and all supporting documentation to otaprogram@sjcd.edu. If you are unable to submit your application electronically, please contact us at the same email address for further instructions.
Please review the information session power point below. To receive credit you must complete the Information Session Acknowledgement Quiz. Some handouts with helpful information are also below.
Information Session Power Point
Information Session Acknowledgement Quiz
Application period will open January 13, 2020 and close May 1, 2020 for Fall 2020 enrollment. The OTA program will accept 12 - 14 students. Applicants must meet the College’s general admission requirements. This does not guarantee admission to the program. Attend an information session for further details.
Click Here for Occupational Therapy Assistant Catalog Program Information
Prerequisites
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 credit hours |
| MATH 1314 | College Algebra | 3 credit hours |
| BIOL 2301 | Anatomy & Physiology I (lecture) | 3 credit hours |
| BIOL 2101 | Anatomy & Physiology I (lab) | 1 credit hour |
| BIOL2302 | Anatomy & Physiology II (lecture) | 3 credit hours |
| BIOL 2102 | Anatomy & Physiology II (lab) | 1 credit hour |
| PYSC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 credit hours |
| PHIL 2306 | Ethics | 3 credit hours |
| PSYC 2314 | Lifespan Growth and Development | 3 credit hours |
| Total Credit Hours | 23 credit hours |
Observation Hours
Completion of a total of 20 hours in a minimum of two settings: inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, acute care, pediatrics, mental health, or home health (these are sample settings). These must have been completed within 2 years of applying to the OTA program. It is recommended that observation hours be completed in more than one setting to obtain a full understanding of the profession (10 points for 2 settings and 5 points if all hours completed at one setting).
The OTA program does not assist in finding sites for completion of the observation hours. However, we highly recommend that these be started early upon interest in applying to the OTA program. To locate facilities for observation, it is suggested you contact local hospitals (volunteer or rehabilitation departments), skilled nursing facilities, pediatric outpatient clinics, or search Google for occupational therapy clinics.
Recommendation Forms
Three forms of recommendation are needed to apply to the OTA program. One of those recommendation forms needs to be completed by an occupational therapist (OT) or an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). The forms are located on the website. Letters of recommendation are not accepted, only the forms. Points are awarded based on each form of recommendation. The max points allocated from each form is 40 points. We will take the sum of the three recommendation forms to identify your score for the admissions rubric.
All information sessions will be held as a Zoom webinar. See details below.
These sessions are not mandatory but highly recommended. You do not have to reserve a spot to attend.
| Date/Time | Webinar Join Link |
|
Tuesday April 7, 2020 6:00pm CDT |
https://sanjac.zoom.us/j/836590878?pwd=KzlUd2d5Y0gvL1V5WFRKZkdkSzFHUT09 |
Licensure is based on successful completion of the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT examination or attain state licensure. Any form of conviction results on a criminal background check may be cause for exclusion from admission to the program. Applicants have the right to request a criminal history evaluation from the applicable licensing agency
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator: Christine Joseph, OTR (281) 998-6150 X3949
FW Educator Self Assessment Tool
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
www.acoteonline.org
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
www.aota.org
National Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (NBCOT)
www.nbcot.org
Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA)
https://www.tota.org/
Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE)
www.ptot.texas.gov/page/occupationaltherapy
The occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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 telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states 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 must complete Level II fieldwork within 18 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) data results are available at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Pass Rates
| Graduation Year | Students Entering/Graduating | Graduation Rate | Pass Rate |
| 2020 | 12/8 | TBD | |
| 2021 | 14/12 | TBD | |
| 2022 | TBD | TBD |