About Occupational Therapy

There are countless career paths you can explore in the healthcare industry. Choosing between these possibilities can prove surprisingly difficult, as they offer many comparable advantages.

This guide will help you understand exactly what occupational therapy is, highlight the advantages of our two-year occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program, overview a typical week as an OTA student, and share the exciting work our OTA alumni are doing.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy and physical therapy are often collectively referred to as rehabilitation therapy, but did you know they are two separate fields entirely?

These FAQs will help you better understand the role of occupational therapy assistants and the people they serve, the settings where occupational therapy practitioners work, and what the difference is between occupational therapy and physical therapy.

What “occupation” means to occupational therapy professionals

All people participate in occupations or everyday meaningful activities. For adults, occupations can include things like showering and getting dressed in the morning, cooking and eating food, driving to work or school, performing the essential tasks of a job, playing tennis or an instrument, or playing with children when they get home from school. For children, occupations include play and developing physical, language and social skills.

How occupational therapy practitioners help people

Occupational therapy practitioners help people by designing treatment strategies and adapting their environments to help them perform the meaningful activities they need and want to do in their daily lives.

Types of clients occupational therapy practitioners serve

Occupational therapy practitioners work with a wide range of clients of all ages and abilities. You might find an occupational therapy practitioner working with:

A child with autism having trouble in school
An elderly person who needs help living safely at home
A musician with a hand injury who wants to return to playing an instrument
A person who’s had a stroke and must relearn basic self-care skills
A veteran who must adapt to using a prosthetic limb
A teenager with a developmental disability who needs to learn skills to transition to high school or living independently as an adult
A factory worker who needs to adjust the ergonomics of their work to avoid injury

Settings where occupational therapy practitioners work

Occupational therapy practitioners work in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, nursing homes, clients’ homes, community centers and more.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Workforce Survey, the top settings where OTAs work are long-term care or skilled nursing facilities (33.41%), early intervention/schools (22%), hospitals (13.56%) and outpatient (13.10%). The top settings for occupational therapists are early intervention/schools (24.89%), hospitals (22%), outpatient (20.85%) and academics and research (10.75%).

Types of occupational therapy practitioners

Occupational therapists typically hold a master’s or doctorate degree in occupational therapy. They evaluate clients, set goals and develop treatment plans and interventions. They also have opportunities to pursue leadership roles and conduct research.

Occupational therapy assistants may enter the profession with a two-year associate of science degree or a bachelor’s degree. They have expertise in working closely with clients to carry out and modify treatment plans under the supervision of an occupational therapist.

Occupational therapy and physical therapy. What’s the difference?

While occupational therapists and physical therapists often work as a team, they focus on different areas. Occupational therapy practitioners focus holistically on improving clients’ ability to perform everyday activities independently, including psychosocial, cognitive, emotional and physical functioning. Occupational therapy practitioners have expertise in analyzing, modifying and adapting processes and environments. Physical therapists focus on improving body movements and functioning, improving fitness, preventing injuries and helping patients avoid surgery.

Here’s how the different disciplines might work with a person who has had a stroke. An occupational therapy practitioner may teach the person different ways to complete everyday occupations by providing adaptive equipment, adapted technique training and home modifications enabling the client to perform daily tasks like eating, showering and getting dressed. A physical therapist may teach the client exercises to improve muscle function for walking, standing, sitting or other types of movement.

Explore a different path to working in healthcare.

If you want to work in a healthcare profession that combines science, art, creativity and a passion for helping people, our two-year occupational therapy assistant program will be a great fit for you.

Of course, you’ll study subjects like anatomy and physiology, but occupational therapy is a field that focuses more on the skills that enable you to work effectively with a variety of people, skills like active listening, compassion, the ability to encourage others and communicate clearly, and the creatively to help clients adapt and develop new ways to accomplish the daily activities that are meaningful to them.

Advantages of becoming an occupational therapy assistant

Occupational therapy is a rewarding field that enables you to use your compassion and creativity to help people live their best lives and offers many advantages:

You can earn your degree, pass certification and begin working as an OTA in just two years.
Occupational therapy assistants use "people" skills such as active listening, compassion, communication and creativity to help people live fuller lives.
You have the opportunity to work with a wide range of patients across the life span. You can be a generalist, or you can specialize in working with a specific population, such as children, athletes, older adults or people with neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries or multiple sclerosis.
You will spend most of your time working directly with clients, developing close relationships and seeing how their lives improve as a result of your help.
It’s a healthcare profession that allows for creativity in developing and implementing solutions to help clients.
Compensation is competitive and employability is high.
Occupational therapy assistants can work in a wide range of settings and with a variety of populations, which tends to offer great flexibility and work/life balance.

Why Cabarrus College?

Our occupational therapy assistant program boasts a proud tradition of excellence built over years of providing personalized instruction and high-quality clinical experiences that help our students pass certification at higher-than-average rates and find fulfilling careers helping people live their best lives.

Why get your occupational therapy assistant degree at Cabarrus College?

Engaged, experiential learning and individualized instruction in small classes.
High certification pass rates: Our graduates had a 100% pass rate on certification exams in 2021 and 2022.
Hands-on clinical experience – every week – allows you to practice skills you learn in class right away.
Professional faculty with experience across the lifespan.
Affordable, private college education with generous scholarships and financial aid.
Job search and placement assistance.
Flexibility: Attend full time or part time; a portion of the OTA program is offered in a hybrid format (combination of online and on campus).
Our affiliation with Atrium Health offers advantages you won’t find elsewhere:
- Preferred access to a wide variety of clinical sites.
- State-of-the art hospital-based campus offers immersive learning in a professional healthcare environment.
- Clinical experiences such as helping screen student athletes through Atrium Health’s Heart of a Champion program

A week in the life of an occupational therapy assistant student

Wondering what it’s like to be a student in our occupational therapy assistant program? Here’s how some typical weeks might look.

Typical week for a first-year, first-semester OTA student

Monday	Morning: Anatomy & Physiology lecture and lab Afternoon: Virtual or in-person OTA fieldwork Evening: Attend a guided student study session with classmates
Tuesday	Morning: No scheduled class; time for homework Afternoon: Shadow Compassionate Care or Respiratory Therapy at Atrium Health Cabarrus
Wednesday	Morning: Anatomy & Physiology lecture Afternoon: No scheduled class; time for homework
Thursday	Morning: Activity Analysis lecture Lunch: Attend a potluck sponsored by the Student Occupational Therapy Association; hear a hand therapist speak about their specialized field Afternoon: Activity Analysis lab
Friday	Morning: Introduction to OTA lecture Lunch: Meet with your second-year mentor to get tips and support Afternoon: Documentation & Reimbursement OTA lecture

Typical week for a first-year, second-semester OTA student

Monday	Morning: Anatomy & Physiology lecture Afternoon: Anatomy & Physiology lab Evening: Attend a guided student study session with classmates
Tuesday	Morning: Adult Physical Conditions lecture Lunch: Learn more about summer field work at Wings of Eagles Ranch therapeutic horseback riding summer camp for children with special needs Afternoon: Adult Physical Conditions lab
Wednesday	Morning: Fundamentals of Occupations lecture Between classes, stop by the student pavilion to see the OT Month exhibit Afternoon: Fundamentals of Occupations lab
Thursday	Morning: Participate in fieldwork at a Traumatic Brain Injury Day Center Afternoon: Volunteer at Atrium Health’s on-site daycare or the hospital healing garden
Friday	Morning: Anatomy & Physiology lecture
	Afternoon: No scheduled class; time for homework
Saturday	Attend the North Carolina OT Association Spring Conference with instructors and peers

Success Stories

Cabarrus College occupational therapy assistant graduates come from a range of backgrounds and pursue their passion for the profession and helping others in a wide variety of ways.

Brandon Scott

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Allied health program enables alumnus to pursue his passion - From massage therapist to occupational therapist.

For a massage therapist, your hands are your lifeline. So, when Brandon Scott, MOT, OTR/L, ’08, ’15, ’16 MOT broke his hand, he found himself in a bind. Opting for surgery to get back to work faster, Scott realized he needed a long-term plan — a degree that would allow him to support his family and make a difference. After surgery, Scott worked with an occupational therapist (OT), who had him back to work in six weeks. That experience sparked his interest in pursuing a career in occupational therapy. “Even though I had a certification in massage therapy, I wanted a degree in something I could always fall back on. I wanted a career with many opportunities and where I could help people and change lives.”

Read the Full Story

Namon Byers

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Namon Byers ’23 Is on a Mission - OTA student aims to break barriers and leave a legacy.

Growing up in Gastonia, North Carolina, Namon Byers ’23 and his older sister used to watch "Trauma: Life in the E.R." That was his first exposure to medicine and what would ultimately spark his interest in pursuing a career in healthcare. But discovering that passion didn’t happen immediately.

Byers started his educational career as a business major with a concentration in marketing. After taking a biology course, which he thoroughly enjoyed, and being sucked into watching "Grey’s Anatomy," which triggered his memory of watching "Trauma: Life in the E.R." with his now wife, he realized his longtime love of medicine.

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Megan Buckland and Deborah Dorsett

It’s never surprising to see Cabarrus College graduates achieve success and create lasting, positive impacts on the communities and people around them. But to have two students from the same graduating class become successful entrepreneurs isn’t something you see every day.

Megan Buckland, MS, OTR/L, and Deborah Dorsett, MOT, OTR/L, CEIM, both 34 years old, graduated from the college’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program in 2014 and earned their master’s degrees in Occupational Therapy (OT) at Cabarrus College. The similarities don’t end there. The two were friends during their time in the OTA program and worked at the same pediatric clinic for a year or two after graduating.

Read the Full Story

Our Students and Alumni Love Us

You don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what some of our proud students and alumni have to say about our occupational therapy assistant program.

Torrie Gross, COTA/L, ’20

Occupational Therapy Assistant

“Cabarrus College’s OTA program sets you up for success! I cannot say this enough! You are well prepared for the certification exam as well as going directly into the workplace. This program works closely with students to create a trusting, caring environment where you grow as an individual as well as a professional.”

Joshua Barton, COTA/L, ‘17

Occupational Therapy Assistant

“The program chair starts looking for a job for you the first day class starts. That’s how ‘on it’ she is. She’s got so much experience and has so many contacts in the field and cares so much about her students that she starts planning for your job two years down the road. She is phenomenal.”

Michelle Verni, OTR/L, ’08, ’18 MOT

Occupational Therapy Assistant
Master of Occupational Therapy

“I had such a good experience. The faculty really guides and teaches you. I ask ‘Why?’ about everything. They were able to answer my questions and just guide me to where I needed to go. And they were always willing to make one-on-one time to talk to me. They were invested as much in my education as I was.”

Tierra (T.T.) Wallace ’25