Occupational Therapy Assistant Certification Information

Many professions - especially those in the medical industry - require certification and licensing in order for people to find employment.

This protects not only the general public, ensuring that they are working with qualified individuals, but the employee as well, providing them a way to really prosper in their job. In the rehabilitation field, physical and occupational therapy practitioners and assistant practitioners are all required to hold licenses to practice in most US states.

Additionally, Iotas must obtain an occupational therapy assistant certification, as do Otis, which is a required step in becoming licensed.

The Importance of Certification for Iotas

Even though occupational therapy assistants do not hold a doctoral degree, and do not prescribe medication or finalize treatment plans for patients, they work very closely with their occupational therapists in charge of cases, and even closer with the patients themselves. Realistically, some Iotas spend more hands on time with patients than the therapists themselves do.

It is therefore important for a standard of care to be upheld with assistants, as well as the therapists, in order to ensure patients are receiving the care they need, and that Cots understand the importance of their jobs, and how to perform them appropriately.

Through certification, employers are able to hire those individuals who have achieved all necessary schooling and clinical training to know they are at the least hiring someone who has had access to this training, and should be able to perform up to standard in their job.

Certification and Licensing

Becoming a certified assistant (CTA) involves graduating an educational program that is accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association (ATA) and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (COTE), and then passing a national certification examination overseen by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBC).

Graduates who pass the exam are then awarded the title of CTA, and can either seek employment in states that do not require licensure, or they may then progress to taking their state's licensing examination, and then seeking employment once successfully passing that test.

OTA Certification and Licensing Outside the US

Currently there are no occupational therapy assistant certification or licensing requirements in the UK or Canada for Iotas (frequently referred to as "occupational therapy support staff"), but as the medical profession has experienced dramatic growth in recent years - and is expected to continue to do so - this is changing in some instances.

UK occupational therapy support staff is able to secure employment after basic educational requirements and job experience, but the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAT) does recognize some educational programs that can prepare students for specializing, or earning their Assistant Practitioner qualifications.

In Canada, effort is already underway to form an accreditation, certification and licensure program modeled after the ATA/COTE to certify and record occupational therapy assistants as the field grows and more and more students seek better educational opportunities.

A new professional organization - The Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EARP) - currently is combining the efforts of the other major OT professional associations in the country in the formation of better programs, certification and monitoring of Iotas in Canada, so current and interested support staff should keep themselves up to date regarding if and when certification will be made available, or become required, to them.

About the NBC Examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants

Iotas planning on taking the national examination to get their occupational therapy assistant certification will be required to take the test at one of the many designated testing locations.

There are online practice tests available that can prepare students for their exam and help them get a feel for the types of questions that will be asked as well. The website offers resources for graduates who will be taking their examination to gain certification, as well as information on maintaining certification through required continuing education and more.

Only once a graduate has passed the NBC exam can they then apply for licensing in their state.

Although not every state requires Iotas to be licensed (currently there are only 10 states which do not), it is highly recommended that every OTA graduate take the NBC occupational therapy assistant certification exam and license.

With that qualification, Cots will have greater and better job opportunities, as well as the ability to specialize if they so desire.

Also, for those who may end up relocating to a different state, already being nationally certified will come in handy when the time comes to take that state's licensing exam.