Life As An Occupational Therapy Assistant Student

[@k_hopeee]

Thank you for doing this!! I have been on my OTA journey for about 2 years now (finally starting my actual program in May!!) & I scoured the internet for months trying to find ANY videos on how the program operates!

[@goldkissed]

No problem! Been quite busy lately, but hopefully will start making more therapy related videos again. 😀

[@goldkissed]

And congrats!!!!

[@calmlysom]

Hey Kimberlin Is your progrm is in community colleges?

[@mirnashabo316]

I am currently in OTA School last semester of classes and one more semester of just fieldwork 2. Thank you for this video I have been looking for some insight on what it’s like when you graduate. ❤️❤️

[@alielaw7960]

Is going into Occupational Therapy Assistant stressful and what is filed work

[@thebrat1996]

I'm starting schooling this summer for OTA and I'm super nervous about this. Thank you for this video!

[@angie-kbm]

Hows school going? I am wanting to start this program but very nervous

[@taliyahmcghee1118]

I am at Houston Community College and I have to take pre-requisites courses before enrollment and when I went to look at the classes I would be taking in the program it is different from other schools.

[@goldkissed]

Yes, I almost went there. I noticed the classes were a little different.

[@THEEMillennial.90sBBY]

Hey I just finished my first semester of OTA school🙃

[@goldkissed]

That is great!

[@alielaw7960]

How was it?? What if stressful

[@hayajaber7786]

Thank you but was there something in chemistry?

[@joannanista9316]

I’m 42 and thinking of going back to school and getting my COTA degree. When you were in school, where there any ‘middle aged’ students in the program with you? I feel I might be too ‘old’ to go into this program. Is it geared more towards younger people? Anyone can answer?

[@goldkissed]

There were a couple of students in their late 30’s and early 40s.. dont let it stop you!!! You can never be too old for a career in healthcare.. I met therapists in their late 60s still working.. but just do your research on the job market.. OTA & PTA is not as in demand anymore

[@MJ-gj6mj]

Thank you for asking this! I felt nursing was very intense and younger people may be more inclined. However, the OTA and PTA programs seem to vary and some do seem challenging.

[@MrJbee1982]

I graduated in 2020 and the program was HARD! Do I think it was worth it at the end? No. Why? Because there are no jobs.

[@goldkissed]

Have you thought about doing home health?

[@MrJbee1982]

@@goldkissed Tried it because it was the only job that would hire me. The hours were soo inconsistent and the pay wasn't good at all.

[@goldkissed]

@@MrJbee1982 we are at the point where we have to consider earning a higher degree. Or entering into non-clinical roles.

[@MJ-gj6mj]

Wow...see I was wondering why there was only 2 people in the orientation for OTA. I really had no idea what the problem was because it seemed like a neat profession. I guess it's the laws regarding Medicare payments.

[@MrJbee1982]

@@MJ-gj6mj Run. Don't walk. It's not how they portray it as in the commercials and schools. The work environment is horrible and benefits are really bad. You could get lucky and find a ethical place to work, but those are becoming less and less available. I hope you did your research. Don't let the schools fool you.

[@qallen2802]

Thank you for making this video . I am about to start OTA school this fall . How hard is it finding a job ?

[@goldkissed]

It was pretty difficult.. not going to sugar coat anything.. more PRN opportunities than Fulltime out there

[@joslynworthington2195]

Hey, I’m looking into OTA school. Do you know how your class schedule is yet? I have a full time job so I’m thinking I may have to make some sacrifices.

[@redd-iveee4400]

@@goldkissed I would honestly prefer 2 prn jobs because they pay a tad bit more because no benefits and you can somewhat control your schedule

[@kimalee8967]

Love your videos! Do you work aside from being a full time student

[@goldkissed]

I am no longer a student. Sorry if I was not clear in my video. I was just talking about my past experience when I was. I am currently working as a COTA. However to answer your question I did work while I was in school.

[@pentab66]

Thank you for sharing your story!! I read from Reddit and Indeed forums that due to medicare cuts, demands for COTA are not as big as it used to be and job openings are expected to decline in the future. Some say that it may get even worse by 2022. What are your thoughts on this? Would you suggest people who may be interested still pursue a career as a COTA?

[@goldkissed]

What is happening is very much true.. its already occurred under the new PDPM model.. if I known that I would have not went to school to become a COTA, but would have went straight for my Master’s.. but regardless I am still going to continue on and apply to a bridge program. I wouldn’t suggest a career as a COTA, but if you do decide to pursue it try to land a job at a hospital. Its more secure.

[@MaiMai-ov9pl]

Pta and ota is what I was thinking of going for, until I did some research and found about it as well.☹

[@codking82]

I got accepted into OTA school is the job market coming back for OTA or is it dying? and the pay ? is it worth it?

[@calmlysom]

Hello can you list some community colleges to get into a OTA program?

[@goldkissed]

Hi, I don’t know where you live.. I would just do a google search of programs in your area

[@calmlysom]

@@goldkissed thank you so much for the reply I’ve a question, if we had to take 63credits of prerequisites and then 2yrs of associate program than that means OTA program in total is 4 years in community college ? Please can you make it clear plus I’m from NJ

[@DynastySoGenuine]

Can you make a video on what you used to study for boards?

[@goldkissed]

Will make one soon!

[@packysimplelife]

Thank you 🙏

[@super-cc3ow]

I’ve heard that it’s are paid on the number or patients and sent home when there are no more patients. Is that true?

[@goldkissed]

Not exactly.. if its home health then yes.. you are paid on the number of patients that you see

[@0wnToDead]

What state/area are you from that there are no jobs? I live in socal and there are a lot of jobs on indeed.

[@goldkissed]

Tx.. most jobs are in HH

[@0wnToDead]

@@goldkissed what’s HH?

[@goldkissed]

@@0wnToDead home health

[@kwamd.1461]

Interesting stuff. I’m about to start my first semester of OTA school. I am a bit nervous about everything though. Would you say it’s worth doing? Is it difficult to find a job after you take your board exams?

[@goldkissed]

The job market is a bit rough.. but there are always lots of home health opportunities.. look into yourself on websites like indeed.com and see whats available in your area

[@kwamd.1461]

@@goldkissed oh okay, why do you say the job market is rough? I thought healthcare jobs were high in demand from what I heard. Is home health worth it though?

[@goldkissed]

COTA’s and OTR’s do not have the same opportunities.. there are not as much positions available for assistants. You can make a lot of money in home health if its your niche

[@TheWattpadNerd]

Do you think someone with dyspraxia could become an ota/ot?

[@pepper9305]

For sure. Lots of people working in the field who have different types of disorders themselves

[@goldkissed]

I think it would all depend on the severity of the case

[@tierrabrown4847]

Did you work while going to OTA school? I’ve heard is difficult to have a job and go through this program.

[@goldkissed]

I did the first 2 semesters.. because we only had 2 courses. But not every program is the same.. the majority of my cohort worked

[@gracenguyen8214]

Your video is very helpful for those who are planning to study this field. Big thanks! As a result of some new laws, that means the demand of OTA/PTA will be no longer high any more. Is it correct? If I've been living in Ontario, Canada, does it affected by this law? I'm wondering whether i should learn OTA/PTA diploma program for Sep/2021 or not? Can you give me any advisor? Highly appreciate your help!!

[@goldkissed]

Hi Grace! Im not sure about the rehab field in your country I can only speak for mine.. I will advise you to reach out to licensed OTA/PTA’s in your area to find out relevant information..I am not here to discourage you or anyone else, however if I would do it all over again I would of applied only to Master’s/Doctorate programs or another healthcare program thats more in demand!

[@gracenguyen8214]

@@goldkissed Thank you for your quick response! I hope you will succeed & create plenty of videos for us to watch :)

[@goldkissed]

Thank you!!

[@grimxxx4734]

Hello! Im a highschool student that is looking into OTA. I researched that I need to do prerequisites before getting into the OTA program. Did u do that too? If yes how long is prerequisite? What exact steps did u do? Im stressing out cuz i just feel so lost on how to become an OTA. Google oversimplifies it too much.

[@goldkissed]

Hi, my best advice would be to look at the specific school you would like to attend online.. every program has different requirements..

[@itsjust_nishaaa5879]

This vide was very helpful, I too was thinking about becoming and OTA and was wondering if working in the field is as hard as the classes you are required to take?

[@goldkissed]

The classes prepare you for what you are going to encounter everyday. Especially during clinicals! I would say some days are more challenging than others but not necessarily hard

[@TheJackieOsvaldo]

I’ve been wanting to do OTA for a long time. I have an interview for the program on Thursday. I am now feeling discouraged with the talks about everyone saying the new laws/Medicare reasons are weeding out assistants and the job demand isn’t as high as it was before (although the bureau of labor and statistics says 32% for job outlook) Honestly, do you think it is worth pursuing? I am not interested in getting my masters in OT, can’t afford it and I’m looking for only an associates degree right now

[@goldkissed]

If its your passion then do it! There are always jobs in home heath to rely on... but I will be honest.. the job market is not great. But once you’re in the field it can open up doors for other non clinical healthcare positions!! I hope you did great on your interview.

[@robinson2702]

What can i do after high school if i want this carreer? Any advice

[@PaintingAndPolitics]

I’m poorish, no tuition help from parents, so I’m planning to go to community college while living with my parents to save the most money. It isn’t exciting or super fun, but it fits the circumstances. I’ve been told that I should be able to work full time while attending college and pay it off as I go, but we’ll see about that. To become an OTA, all one needs is an associates degree and some kind of certification. If you’re still in high school I recommend shadowing OTAs if possible, or volunteering at a facility such as a nursing home or child care facility, if possible. Those are the options I am looking into, as a way to find out if I’d enjoy the job. Back to the topic of college, if I’m struggling with the workload I personally hope to stretch the degree over 3 years. I’m not sure if that’s possible, but it would lighten the workload, hopefully allowing me to keep a job to pay off tuition as I went. Im not sure this has been helpful or confusing, but good luck!

[@robinson2702]

@@PaintingAndPolitics but how many years does it take to reach that goal ? Is it worth the time or no ? And also do you need to pay like any classes or stuff ? And what classes do you need ?

[@PaintingAndPolitics]

@@robinson2702 Okay, you might not have understood this, but I’m only a high school student, so I might not know anymore about this than you. Also I’ve been researching this less than two days. That being said, I’ve read that it takes two years of college. You would have to pay for those courses but you could go to a community college, and hopefully also qualify for aid maybe. The two year OTA course can be very hard to get into, so theoretically you might take three years to actually graduate from the program (for instance if you failed any courses). That doesn’t mean it’s not worth the hard work though. It depends on what you’re looking for. I want an enjoyable but also fulfilling job that is also flexible, and being an OTA has all that potential. So the job itself sounds great. As far as pay... I’ve heard from 40,000 to 80,000. That range includes whether you’re working part time, full time or overtime. Also, some states pay MUCH better than other states. The top states and their mean/average salaries are here: Texas. $74,650. New Jersey. $69,530. Nevada. $68,200. California. $67,470. Virginia. $66,240. In my state (one of those good ones up top) an OTA STARTING OUT, might expect to be paid around 50,000, which I personally consider AMAZING. However, maybe your state doesn’t support OTAs as well ☹️ but maybe your area is cheaper to live in, or maybe you don’t need to worry about pay too badly. All in all, YOU will have to research it, because there are so many factors. Personally, I am taking this career very seriously. It’s the best option I’ve had so far. I expect to have to work myself to the bone both to pass the courses and also to pay for them! But I’m going to try to do it anyway. Here are some good websites to look at: Truity is one website, and here’s a link for an article from another website. otaonline.stkate.edu/blog/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-occupational-therapy/ Something else here: otpotential.com/blog/occupational-therapy-assistant-salary-guide?format=amp And last of all, find your community college or really any local college with an OTA program, it doesn’t have to be one you’ll attend, and see if they have any good info on the courses, on the OTA Life in general... my local community college had some awesome statistics about local pay

[@PaintingAndPolitics]

@@robinson2702 okay I’m sorry. I think I missed your main question. There would be a lot of biology and and anatomy sciences for an OTA course. You’d also have to spend HOURS learning from actual OTAs and interning (presumably without pay) as part of the college course. This is what I know, of my area, I could be slightly off or it could be slightly different for your area. But basically Science and interning. Honestly, You’re your own judge of your own level of ability and interest in these areas. Keep in mind this is a very social job. Also, you might end up working with old, sick, or disabled people. Some people love that, not everyone does and that’s okay.

[@robinson2702]

@@PaintingAndPolitics ohhhh ok i see were you going now its much understood now😀 i mean this job is kind of hard to get into because i was checking other careers as well and they seem really hard ass well i was trying to find a carreer that may be easy but none of them are😥 this careers seems soooo hard,do you have to pay any tuoition for thos job ?

[@Itzpajhuabmua26]

I’m thinking about going into OTA but did you have to take any entrance exam like the ATI Teas or Hesi to get into the program or no?

[@goldkissed]

Most programs do not require a entrance exam

[@phiona.x]

Unfortunately at my college in Canada I have to take a test to get into the program which his really stressful, I’ve been wanting to get into OTA but it feel like that test just scares me I took it twice and really stressed me out but I made the decision to try once again & but this time I’m in massage therapy just to have options and see how things could go. I applied to the program Friday and I know I have to take an exam to get approved and I’m really nervous. So I’ll see from there and take if one step at a time

[@nicolewilliams5759]

I'm having second thoughts now smh. Since it's gonna be hard finding a job 😓🤦🏽‍♀️

[@goldkissed]

Its a tough job market. I recommend a doctorate or masters in OT!

[@SoulfulRose]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏿

[@goldkissed]

You Welcome!

[@MedicalMassageSD]

Is this a typical 40 hr+ a week job? And Is it possible to work part time? Thank you!

[@goldkissed]

Yes if you are employed full time, there are companies that hire part time & PRN (meaning that you work as needed)

[@super-cc3ow]

@@goldkissed hey I’ve heard that even if your part time you can still be sent home when there are no patients. Is that true?

[@goldkissed]

@@super-cc3ow very much true!

[@BigheroC]

Hi. I recently had TBI And I have aphasia!!! I'm very interested becoming a OTA To help people who had the same type of issue I have. have you ever heard of someone this situation having Wanting to be an ota?

[@goldkissed]

I am sorry to hear that.. praying that it is only a temporary thing for you.. I have not heard of anyone in that situation, I would probably consult with a doctor to see what things would be like for you long term

[@BigheroC]

@@goldkissed Dank you for responding I've been reading and I think it's going to be a no because it's a very intense field

[@ot_lifehacker]

Having lived experience (living through it yourself) is an amazing unique quality you bring to the field...you can heal so many others by helping them know they are not alone and that they can get better a you had!

[@anandaclark7010]

I loved that you did this, there's not a lot of videos like this I've been scrolling a while. How did you do in your anatomy classes? I don't know if you worked but I know they don't recommend working while in the program but do you think there's room for small amount of hours at a job? Also how did you remember information from previous classes to apply to future situations?

[@goldkissed]

I did fairly ok in my anatomy courses made a B in both.. it all depends on the demand of the program you’re enrolled in.. in my program we only took 2 classes the first two semesters so it was manageable for me to work 20 hours a week.. and to answer your question everything builds on top of each other so its hard to forget really..

[@ot_lifehacker]

I am an OT student in my last year and had worked while in school. I took a campus job to make it more financially savy and convenient and give that school spirit you know, ahaha. Anatomy I so agree is super challenging but if I can get through it, anyone can!!

[@anandaclark7010]

@@ot_lifehacker Yea actually I got an A in AP 1 and I am on my last AP 2 class now. I'm applying for the program now and getting pumped I hope I get in. We have I think 3 classes the first semester and field training but I don't know if we do that in a pandemic

[@ot_lifehacker]

@@anandaclark7010 If you need tips and help, there a ton of us you can reach out too! I help a lot of pre-OT students so you can message me. (My IG same as my youtube name).

[@Thecharmexpt]

Thanks for making this video. I just finished my associate's program in my local town and I had been taking the pre-requisites that the OTA school I was going to apply for requires because it was cheaper. I feel like I am not focused and I really am not a fan of school. I had to retake both my anatomy & physiology 1 and 2 course twice because I wasn't really focused and my study habits suck and it was alot of info on top of me working. Sooo now I am stuck between whether I should even try to pursue this degree or not anymore because if I couldn't even keep up with the A&P here, I don't want to fail out and loose money. How hard is OTA school? Do you have any advice? but I'm currently looking at other degree programs that are more broad for me to get a job in unlike this degree.

[@goldkissed]

I can’t speak on the difficulty of the program because everyone is different... if you feel like you are not focused I would wait to apply.. the last thing you would want to do is waste time or money..

[@alielaw7960]

Was the program to be a occupational therapy assistant hard?

[@alielaw7960]

Is this program hard??

[@goldkissed]

I wouldn’t say that it is. You just have to put forward your best effort

[@alielaw7960]

@@goldkissed is it a lot of memorizing

[@alielaw7960]

@@goldkissed is it a lot of memorizing and is it stressful? Also can you go onto it with no experience?

[@jami1295]

I’m considering becoming a COTA, but I’m about to graduate with my Master’s in Health & Human Performance. Should I go after COTA or just become an OT?

[@goldkissed]

Go for OT, there are way more job opportunities!