Occupational therapy assistants are trained to provide specialized assistance to help people learn or regain skills needed to lead productive and satisfying lives.
Through Lone Star College-Kingwood’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program, graduates are equipped to pass state exams and work at a variety of medical facilities. To learn more about OTA, attend the fall information sessions in the Administration Building room 112 on Sept. 6 and Nov. 1 at 12:30 p.m. and Oct. 2 and Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. The Administration Building is located on the main campus, 20000 Kingwood Drive.
“The information sessions will provide general and specific information about the profession, the program and the application/admission procedures,” said Alma Watson, OTA program director. “We will provide all of the handouts, but we encourage potential students to bring their unofficial transcripts so they can calculate their potential score.”
The OTA program, which accepts 20 to 24 students each year, is a full-time, day program with classes beginning each January. The curriculum is developed under the guidelines of the American Occupational Therapy Association and includes academic and technical courses. Students also complete fieldwork requirements through internships at local health care facilities.
In the program, students will learn the skills and competence required as an entry-level certified occupational therapy assistant with the responsibilities of assisting their clients achieve independence in performing basic daily activities that have been compromised due to illness, injury, disease, and developmental/mental disorders. Students who complete the program receive an Associate of Applied Science degree and once they pass the board certification exam, they can apply for their state license.
“OTA is an intense program. Students can expect to spend three hours a week out of class time for each one hour credit course. For example, if they take 10 credit hours, they can expect to spend 30 hours preparing for class,” Watson said.
Graduates can find employment in a variety of settings such as schools, inpatient/outpatient hospitals, long-term care facilities, acute hospitals, assisted living communities, and home health. They can also further their education by obtaining a bachelor’s degree and earning a master’s degree to become a registered occupational therapist.
For more information on LSC-Kingwood’s OTA Program or on the information sessions, email Alma Watson at Alma.R.Watson@LoneStar.edu, contact Deirdre Hall, staff specialist, at 281-312-1708 or Deirdre.N.Hall@LoneStar.edu, or visit lonestar.edu/occupational-therapy-dept-kingwood.htm.
Register now for credit classes online through myLoneStar. Classes are offered days, evenings, or weekends in traditional, online and hybrid formats. For more information or to register online, visit www.lonestar.edu/registration.
For general information about Lone Star College-Kingwood, call 281.312.1600 or visit http://lonestar.edu/kingwood.htm.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 97,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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