Occupational Therapy Assistant (Associate of Applied Science)

Memphis, TN

Prepare for a new career sooner than you think

Wouldn't it be great to make a real difference in the lives of others through your career? Occupational Therapy Assistants, collaborating with an occupational therapist help patients with mental, physical and emotional disabilities to maximize their daily lives through therapeutic intervention.

Help People Learn to Become More Independent

  • Gain skills to help patients with disabilities perform daily functions at home and at work.
  • Learn how to support patients using a variety of techniques in this Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)-accredited program.
  • Complete your degree in as few as 81.5-months of study.
  • Available at our Memphis campus location.

Memphis Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree Program Overview

In Concorde’s ACOTE-accredited^ occupational therapy assistant program, you can gain the skills you need to work under the supervision of an OT and support patients. The program includes hands-on training and externships; teaching therapeutic exercises, kinesiology, principles for supporting special populations, and more. After graduation, you will be prepared to pursue licensure as an OTA in Tennessee.

  • Monitoring patient progress and reporting it to the occupational therapist
  • Helping patients perform therapeutic exercises such as stretching
  • Teaching patients to use adaptive equipment, such as devices that make eating or dressing easier
  • Modeling social skills for young patients with developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder
  • Provide encouragement and guidance during therapy sessions

As an OTA, you can find career and personal fulfilment helping a patient who has lost a limb to learn how to dress and eat again, or support children with neurological disorders succeed in school, or assist a stroke survivor regain independence at home. 

If you're ready to learn more, schedule a tour of the Concorde Memphis campus today.

  1. The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Ste 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611. Their website is https://acoteonline.org/. ACOTE’s email is accred@aota.org

  2. **Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected national growth in job openings for occupational therapy assistants and aides 2023-2033 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapy-assistants-and-aides.htm Projections are national. Local job market demand may vary.

20

Months

21%

National Employment Demand (2023-2033)

81.5

Credit Hours

360

Lab Hours

760

Clinical Hours

Get Started

Curriculum

 

Memphis Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Objective

Our associate degree program equips you to pursue a career as an occupational therapy assistant in as few as 20-months. When you graduate, you’ll be able to serve effectively in a variety of settings including schools, clinics, hospitals, home health care, correctional facilities and more.

81.5

Semester Credits

Coursework Includes:

  • Occupational Analysis & Therapeutic Media
  • Applied Kinesiology for OTAs
  • Psychosocial Occupational Therapy
  • Human Growth & Development
  • Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics

21.0

Block Credits

Available to Transfer Students with Degrees in:

  • Kinesiology
  • Athletic Training
  • Health Sciences

Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree Program Coursework

You will gain the theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on experience to help you pursue a career as a occupational therapy assistant. Your coursework is intense and challenging; and your instructors, program director and campus staff are dedicated to support you along the way.

  • Anatomical positions
  • Conflict resolution and ethical dispute resolution
  • Basic Life Support (BLS), first aid, infection control and vital signs
  • Biomechanics of joint motion, posture and balance
  • Etiology, clinical process, and prognosis of common diseases and illnesses

Full course list available in Campus Catalog.

360

Lab Hours

Practice On-Campus

Students will complete on-campus labs including simulations and patient care settings. 

760

Clinical Hours

Real-World Application

Taking what you've learned in the classroom and practiced in a lab will culminate with real-world application through clinical rotation(s) and time in our on-campus Occupational Therapy Clinic.

Professional Certification for Occupational Therapy Assistant Graduates

Graduates of the program 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®).

Upon successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification examination.

NBCOT Logo

 

Occupational Therapy Assistant Certification Exam and Preparation Cost

The cost for your National Occupational Therapy Assistant certification exam as well as pre-certification exam prep coursework is covered by Concorde. Tuition fee for the program of study includes the cost for an eligible graduate's first attempt to sit for professional certification.

Concorde expects all students to complete pre-certification exam prep training through the campus resources at no additional cost to the student. Exam prep does not guarantee outcomes. 

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Outcomes

  1. Students who have successfully completed a degree in Kinesiology, Athletic Training, or other Health Sciences area (Associates or higher) may receive a block transfer of seven General Education courses totaling 21 semester credits, upon evaluation of transcript. The block transfer includes the courses: BIOL1310, BIOL1320, ENGL1310, COMM1310, PSYC1310, PSYC1320, MATH1310 (or MATH1320). The remaining credits required to complete the program is 57. Additional courses may be available for transfer based on review of course descriptions from the granting institution.

Career Outlook

Occupational Therapy Assistant Career Outlook 

The national demand for occupational therapy assistants is expected to grow over the coming decade. As populations age and patients recover from serious medical procedures as well as greater focus on the impact disease and illness have on cognition and mobility. There will continue to be a need to help these patients rehabilitate and face the new challenges of day-to-day life and occupational therapy assistants can help address this demand.. 

21%
National Job Growth Projected from 2023-2033
 

Where Can an Occupational Therapy Assistant Work*

  • Inpatient hospital settings
  • Skilled nursing facilities
  • Rehabilitation centers
  • Government hospitals
  • Convalescent hospitals

*Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

Address and Hours

Memphis Campus

5100 Poplar Ave.
Suite 132
Memphis, Tennessee 38137

PH: (901) 881-2694
FX: (901) 761-3293

Campus Hours of Operation

  • Monday - Thursday 8 am - 7 pm
  • Friday 8 am - 5 pm
  • Saturday By Appointment
  • Sunday Closed
Schedule A Tour

Financial Aid

As part of our commitment to your success, Concorde ensures that you have access to comprehensive information and guidance in navigating the financial aid process. Concorde offers financial aid and scholarship programs to those who qualify.

Current Tuition for the occupational therapy assistant program and other Memphis programs.

Accreditation

Accreditation and licensure are an important part of an academic institution’s operation. Visit our Accreditations and Licensure page for more details about our accreditations and licensure.

AOTA: Accredited

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Ste 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. Their website is https://acoteonline.org/. ACOTE’s email is accred@aota.org

AOTA logo

You may also be interested in the following programs

Respiratory Therapy

Physical Therapist Assistant

Medical Assisting

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.