Occupational Therapy Assistant

A Career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) empower individuals across the lifespan to participate fully in daily life through meaningful, client-centered interventions. Working under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists, OTAs deliver evidence-based care in diverse settings such as schools, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, and community organizations. 

Piedmont Technical College’s OTA program prepares students to succeed on the NBCOT® exam and thrive in real-world practice. Our curriculum emphasizes clinical reasoning, hands-on skill development, and community engagement ensuring graduates are not only competent practitioners but also compassionate change-makers. Through immersive fieldwork, interprofessional collaboration, and service-learning experiences, students learn to address occupational needs with cultural humility and a commitment to lifelong learning.

OTA Professional Opportunity & Job Duties

• Implement therapeutic activities and exercise programs to support clients’ functional goals and promote participation in daily life.
• Facilitate developmental play and social interaction for children with disabilities, using structured activities to enhance coordination and engagement.
• Train clients in the use of adaptive equipment and assistive technology, such as utensils or mobility aids, to increase independence in self-care and daily routines.
• Collaborate with occupational therapists to establish client-centered goals, contributing insights from direct observation and interaction.
• Monitor, document, and report treatment progress under the supervision of an occupational therapist, ensuring accurate records and continuity of care.
• Support discharge planning and community reintegration, helping clients and families transition from clinical settings to home and community environments.
• Participate on interprofessional teams, working alongside physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to deliver coordinated care.

Career Outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupationaltherapy-assistants-and-aides.htm

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Program-Specific Application Requirements

Occupational Therapy Assistant program admission requirements must be completed prior to applying for entry into the program. A student may be admitted to the college at any time in order to complete prerequisite and general education coursework.

Get Started

A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® certification examination or attain state licensure. NBCOT offers an Early Determination Review for individuals who have been charged with or convicted of a felony. For more information, contact NBCOT at www.nbcot.org. (https://www.nbcot.org/exam#EarlyDetermination)

Cost of Attendance

Cost of Attendance
Estimated Cost of OTA Program

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Program Information

OTA Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Piedmont Technical College is to personify the principles and values of the college, profession, and community to educate and cultivate skilled, inclusive professionals who promote clinical excellence.

OTA Program Vision Statement

To be integral in community awareness, professional collaboration, and student personal growth and development through innovative, quality education, clinical preparation, service, and scholarship to secure, define, and expand the role and impact of an occupational therapy assistant.

OTA Program Educational Philosophy

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Piedmont Technical College is grounded in a student-centered, community-integrated philosophy that reflects the values of the college, the profession, and the broader healthcare landscape. We believe that education is a dynamic, inclusive process that fosters both personal and professional transformation.

Our curriculum is designed around seven interwoven learning threads—Occupational Engagement, Clinical Reasoning, Evidence-Based Practice, Self-Reflection & Adaptability, Professionalism, Technology, and Lifelong Learning—which serve as the foundation for developing competent, ethical, and reflective practitioners. These threads are not isolated concepts, but part of a continuous cycle of growth, reinforced through academic coursework, experiential learning, service opportunities, and community engagement.

We embrace the principles of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF–4), ensuring that students develop competencies across the domains of occupation, context, performance patterns, performance skills, client factors, and the therapeutic process. Our educational approach is informed by constructivist, transformative, and situated learning theories, which emphasize active engagement, critical reflection, and real-world application.

Through this philosophy, we will work to cultivate graduates who:
• Are prepared for entry-level practice across diverse settings.
• Demonstrate ethical reasoning, cultural humility, and professional adaptability.
• Engage in lifelong learning and leadership within the profession.
• Promote health, wellness, and occupational justice in the communities they serve.

This philosophy guides every aspect of our program—from curriculum design and instructional strategies to fieldwork experiences and student support—ensuring that our graduates are not only clinically competent, but also visionary contributors to the future of occupational therapy.

PTC-OTA Program & Student Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level occupational therapy assistant practice across a variety of practice areas. (Occupational Engagement, Professionalism Adaptability, & Evidence-Based Practice)
2. Demonstrate effective communication skills and authentic, ethical professional conduct as an autonomous member of an interprofessional health care team. (Professionalism Adaptability)
3. Engage in contemporary critical thinking of client-centered care that incorporates evidence-based decision-making, skilled documentation, and effective therapeutic approaches the in various practice settings of occupational therapy.
   (Clinical Reasoning, Evidence-Based Practice, Technology)
4. Develop effective advocacy and leadership skills, engaging in personal and professional development and service opportunities further to embrace a commitment lifelong to learning. (Lifelong Learning, Professionalism Adaptability, & Self-Reflection)
5. Demonstrate inclusive an commitment promoting to participation, health, wellness, and access to care in the clinical settings and communities they serve. (Self-Reflection, Lifelong Learning, Occupational Engagement)

Piedmont Technical College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Curriculum Design

Piedmont Technical College assumes primary responsibility for appointment of faculty, admission of students and curriculum planning at all locations where the program is offered. This would include course content, satisfactory completion of the educational program and granting of the degree. Piedmont Technical College also assumes responsibility for the coordination of classroom teaching and supervised fieldwork practice and for providing assurance that the practice activities assigned to students in a fieldwork setting are appropriate to the program (adapted from ACOTE Standard A.1.4).

Accreditation Information

The Occupational Therapy program at Piedmont Technical College prepares graduates to attain the required competencies needed to successfully complete the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and then pursue state licensure to practice.

The Piedmont Technical College OTA Program is accredited by:

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). 

7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E    
Bethesda, MD 20814

(301) 652-AOTA
www.acoteonline.org

Accreditation Status: Probationary Accreditation

Program Outcomes
 

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) program data results: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance