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: $70,8311 per year
| 1 | Source: texaswages.com, Gulf Coast region, 2018 |
For more information, students may contact 281-998-6150, x3086.
Campus
South Campus
More Information
Program Offered: Every Fall Semester
Application Timeline: January 11th - April 2nd (2021)
Admissions
**The application period for fall 2020 admission is now closed**
Application period will open January 11, 2021 and close April 2, 2021 for Fall 2021 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.
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 |
Understanding of the OT Profession Assessment
Due to changes within healthcare institutions as well as world events, the OTA Program has chosen to remove the requirement of observation hours. In lieu of observation hours, appplicants are being asked to watch three videos and complete an Understanding of the OT Profession Assessment. The assessment is 10 questions long and will be graded as part of the admissions rubric. We encourage you to observe an OT practicioner in person if you are able to, however points will not be provided on rubric. You will still need to watch the videos and complete the mentioned assessment.
Steps for Understanding of the OT Profession Assessment points on rubric:
1) Upon interest in applying to the program, we request you watch three videos below to understand the OT profession.
2) Upon submission of your application, we will send a link for you to take the assessment based on the videos with directions and a specific due date. The grade will be applied toward your application rubric. (See application rubric section Understanding of the OT Profession Assessment.)
Links to videos:
Recommendation Forms
Three forms of recommendation are needed to apply to the OTA program. 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 August 25, 2020 6:00 p.m. CDT |
https://sanjac.zoom.us/j/91884358587?pwd=VE9COElOYmU0LzhsL3lhSTJodXppZz09 Password: 401103 |
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 at San Jacinto College has been granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Our graduates are 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) and can apply for state licensure in order to practice. 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 |
| 2020* | 12/8 | 67% |
| 2021* | 14/12 | TBD |
| 2022 | TBD |
TBD |
*Students withdrew from program due to personal reasons.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) data results are available at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx
Please click the following link, fill in the form and one of our representatives will get back to you with more information: