The application deadline is May 1 for the Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff.
Graduates will be able to work directly with patients both young and old to increase their quality of life. OTAs are in high demand as patients spend less time in a hospital, and live longer after an illness or accident.
The OTA program is a one-plus-one degree program that prepares students to practice as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants after meeting certification and state licensure standards.
OTAs assist occupational therapists in helping patients increase their functional mobility. OTAs engage with patients both young and old and with various medical conditions.
“These patients have often lost their independence after a stroke, a fall, or an extended illness,” said Chris Adams, Director of Academic Support and Retention. “Therapy helps them regain strength and take care of themselves again.”
Three Rivers College is one of five colleges in the Missouri Health Professions Consortium (MHPC) currently offering this program. Three Rivers offers and enrolls students in the general education coursework. Sophomore level (professional level) coursework typically originates from a classroom at any of the five campuses and is conveyed to students via interactive television and internet-based technology. This is a hybrid online/in-person program.
Through the combination of general education and professional level coursework, classroom and laboratory practice, and clinical fieldwork experiences, students will learn the profession of occupational therapy assistant. The professional year does not run on a traditional Three Rivers academic cycle. Classes begin in the fall semester and will run until the next fall semester of the following year. Completion of professional coursework takes one full calendar year.
“There is a demand for Occupational Therapy Assistants in home health agencies, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and schools,” Adams said. “We offer an excellent program here at Three Rivers through MHPC. It’s a great place for people to prepare for a career as an OTA.”
Details about the OTA program are on the application form, which can be found online at trcc.edu/admissions/application. Prospective students must also complete a free Three Rivers application.
For more information, contact Chris Adams at 573-840-9292.
