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  1. Programs
  3. Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Kirkwood Community College

Associate's DegreeAcademic

Become a contributor for free to openly demonstrate student outcomes, industry alignment & eligibility criteria.

Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work with patients of all ages and help them learn skills to lead independent lives. OTAs work under the supervision of an occupational therapist (OT) to provide hands- on services to clients who are learning new ways to succeed in the occupation of life. This program starts each year in the fall. This Allied Health program has a mandatory background check for clinical purposes.

Credits

84.5 credits

Format

In-Person

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Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

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Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.

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Locations

Where this program is offered

  • Iowa

    Iowa

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Related Programs

Programs related to this one

No related programs.

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populated·from O*NET via SOC 29-1122.00

Skills

Service OrientationActive ListeningMonitoringSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingCritical ThinkingSocial Perceptiveness

Knowledge

Therapy and CounselingPsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceMedicine and DentistryEnglish Language

Abilities

Oral ExpressionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionInformation OrderingSpeech RecognitionSpeech Clarity

Tasks

  • Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine real
  • Complete and maintain necessary records.
  • Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community s
  • Recommend adaptive equipment to individuals to increase independence in daily living activities.

Technology

Medical softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareWord processing softwareOptical character reader OCR or scanning softwareElectronic mail software

Tools

Adaptive cutleryAdjustable bedsAlternative computer keyboardsBraille printersComputer switch interfacesDrill pressesElectric knivesElectric wheelchairsElectronic blood pressure unitsExercise ballsGait and transfer beltsGoniometers or arthrometersHoistsJoy sticksLaptop computers

Work Values

RelationshipsAchievementWorking ConditionsIndependenceSupportRecognition
Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populated·from O*NET + BLS
Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOCOccupationMethodWageGrowthOpenings
Match confidence: high29-1122.00Occupational Therapiststitle_inference$98,340 median$129,830 top+13.81%2,210
What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populated·from NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Associate's Degree)

  • Comprehensive patient evaluations — conduct independently, integrating physical, cognitive, and psychosocial data to establish realistic rehabilitation goals in outpatient or community settings.
  • Individualized occupational therapy programs — plan and implement with limited oversight, adapting evidence-based interventions to patients recovering from illness, injury, or developmental challenges.
  • Progress evaluation reports — prepare and communicate to referring physicians and interdisciplinary teams, detailing measurable functional gains in hospital or institutional contexts.
  • Work and school skill programs — design and lead structured social and vocational activities that help patients adjust to physical or psychological limitations in rehabilitation environments.
  • Therapeutic activity sequences — select and modify tasks within a patient's cognitive and physical capabilities, applying inductive reasoning to refine intervention approaches.
  • Caregiver training sessions — conduct with moderate independence, providing practical instruction on home care techniques and adaptive strategies following discharge planning conferences.
  • Electronic health records and billing software — maintain complete, timely, and compliant documentation that meets regulatory standards across clinical practice settings.
  • Time management and caseload coordination — balance multiple patient schedules and documentation demands efficiently within a fast-paced clinical or community health environment.
  • Adaptive equipment recommendations — evaluate patient needs and prescribe assistive devices appropriate to functional limitations in home, school, or workplace contexts.
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration — coordinate care plans with physicians, physical therapists, and social workers, contributing occupational therapy expertise within team-based rehabilitation programs.

Some details on this page are auto-populated from public workforce data sources: O*NET (opens in new tab), BLS (opens in new tab), College Scorecard (opens in new tab), DOL Training Provider Results (opens in new tab), NSX (opens in new tab). Provided in partnership with LER.me Career Intelligence.

Student Outcomes

Performance metrics for this program

Auto-populated·from Scorecard + DOL
Completion Rate
48%
Placement Rate
76%