An Occupational therapy assistants job description is to help the occupational therapist and they are directly involved in providing the therapy for the patients. An occupational therapy assistant is working under direct supervision and guidance of the occupational therapist. They are helping the patients to recover from injuries and overcome any disability; they are building healthy lifestyles that give the clients meaningful and independent days. While the occupational therapist can diagnose and evaluate the client’s condition, and can prescribe medications and treatment, the occupational therapy assistants are responsible for the direct work with the patients to fulfill their goals and responsibilities, and achieve the best outcome from the treatments.
There should be an important note that the OT aids are different from OT assistants and it should be noted that the aids are not involved with the treatment of patients or that they can practice any of the given exercises or goals from the OT. The OT aid work is mainly standing in transportation of the patients, preparing and cleaning, and it also includes the work behind the desk like billing, scheduling appointments and doing similar tasks.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs Education and training
For this occupation there is an accredited occupational therapy assistant program to gain the associate’s degree in the field. During high school, it is required to take courses in biology and health, and do volunteer work in some healthcare settings such as nursing homes, or any working environment that can hire an occupational therapist. The program usually takes up to two years full time to finish. It is also needed to finish fieldwork during the studies as part of the education to gain more experience. The supervised training is done separately from the studies and usually doesn’t last long. To gain a license, they must pass the examination, which verifies all of the OT assistant qualifications.
Working environment
They can be working in a public or a private practice. Their working hours depend on the working hours of the occupational therapist, and sometimes their schedules can include direct home care for some patients. Their work can include working in every time of the day, and it depends on the demands of the patients whether they will work during holidays, weekends or during the night. They have a full time job. Because their job is working with patients, it includes spending a lot of time on their feet, and sometimes even lifting patients or supplies and equipment.
Salary and wages outlook:
In 2024, the median annual wage for occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) in the U.S. was $68,340. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (.gov) (BLS) reported this figure, indicating that half of all OTAs earned more than that amount, and half earned less. This is further broken down to $32.78 per hour. Here’s a more detailed breakdown: - Median Wage: $68,340 per year, or $32.78 per hour.
- Low End: The lowest 10 percent of OTAs earned less than $49,070 annually.
- High End: The highest 10 percent of OTAs earned more than $86,930 annually.
The BLS also notes that the median wage for occupational therapy assistants and aides combined was $66,050.
