#1. OTA - Fastest growing occupation in healthcare Industry

2015 Median pay:          $57,870 per year ($27.82 per hour)

In May 2015, the median annual wages for occupational therapy assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows: 

Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)	$63,500
Home health care services	63,260
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists	58,840

Job Outlook:                 

Employment of occupational therapy assistants is projected to grow 43 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Demand for occupational therapy is likely to grow over the coming decade in response to the health needs of the aging baby-boom generation and a growing elderly population. Older adults are more prone than younger people to conditions and ailments such as arthritis and stroke. These conditions can affect one’s ability to perform a variety of everyday activities. Occupational therapy assistants and aides will be needed to help Occupational Therapist in caring for these patients. Occupational therapy will also continue to be used to treat children and young adults with developmental disabilities, such as autism.

Occupational therapy assistants typically do the following:

·        Help patients do therapeutic activities, such as stretches and other exercises

·        Lead children who have developmental disabilities in play activities that promote coordination and socialization

·        Encourage patients to complete activities and tasks

·        Teach patients how to use special equipment—for example, showing a patient with Parkinson’s disease how to use devices that make eating easier

·        Record patients’ progress, report to occupational therapists, and do other administrative tasks

How do I become an Occupational Therapist Assistant?

Occupational therapy assistants typically need an associate’s degree from an accredited program. Occupational therapy assistant programs are commonly found in community colleges and technical schools. In 2014, there were more than 200 occupational therapy assistant programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, a branch of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

These programs generally require 2 years of full-time study and include instruction in subjects such as psychology, biology, and pediatric health. In addition to taking coursework, occupational therapy assistants must complete at least 16 weeks of fieldwork to gain hands-on work experience.

People interested in becoming an occupational therapy assistant should take high school courses in biology and health education. They also can increase their chances of getting into a community college or technical school program by doing volunteer work in a healthcare setting, such as a nursing care facility, an occupational therapist’s office, or a physical therapist’s office.

Nearly all states require occupational therapy assistants to be licensed or registered. Licensure typically requires the completion of an accredited occupational therapy assistant education program, completion of all fieldwork requirements, and passing the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy(NBCOT) exam. Some states have additional requirements.

Occupational therapy assistants must pass the NBCOT exam to use the title “Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant” (COTA). They must also take continuing education classes to maintain their certification.

The American Occupational Therapy Association also offers a number of specialty certifications for occupational therapy assistants who want to demonstrate their specialized level of knowledge, skills, and abilities in specialized areas of practice such as low vision or feeding, eating and swallowing.

 Source: U.S bureau of Labor Statistics

https://www.bls.gov/