Many professions - especially in the medical industry - require certification and licensing so that people can find work.
This protects not only the general public, ensuring their work with qualified specialists, but also the employee, giving them the opportunity to truly flourish in their work.
In the area of rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy practitioners and physician assistants must be licensed to practice in most US states. In addition, OTA must obtain a certification of a professional therapy assistant, as well as an OT, which is a necessary step to obtain a license.
The importance of certification for OTA
Although the occupational therapists do not have a doctoral degree and do not prescribe medications or do not complete patient treatment plans, they work very closely with their professional therapists who are in charge of the case and even closer to the patients themselves.
In fact, some PTAs spend more time with patients than therapists themselves. Therefore, it is important that the level of care is supported by assistants as well as therapists in order to provide the patients with the help they need and that the ICC understands the importance of their work and how to properly implement them.
Through certification, employers can hire people who have reached the necessary school education and clinical training in order to know that they at least hire those who have access to this training and should be able to meet the requirements of their jobs.
Certification and licensing of occupational therapy
Becoming a Certified Assistant (COTA) involves the release of an educational program accredited by the American Association of Professional Therapy (AOTA) and the Accreditation Council for Vocational Education Therapy (ACOTE), and then undergoing a national certification examination, controlled by the National Council for Certification in Professional Therapy (NBCOT).
Graduates who take the exam, then get the title of COTA and can either look for work in states that do not need licensing, or then can go to the exam for state licensing, and then look for work after successfully completing a test.
OTA certification and licensing outside the US
Currently there are no certification or licensing requirements for OTA in the UK and Canada (often referred to as “training support personnel”), but since the medical profession has experienced a sharp increase in recent years — and is expected to continue to do so — in some cases it changes.
The British Association of Professional Therapists (BAOT) does not recognize some educational programs that can prepare students for specialization or study the qualifications of an assistant practitioner.
Efforts are underway in Canada to create an accreditation, certification, and licensing program, modeled after AOTA / ACOTE, to certify and register occupational therapists as the field grows, and more and more students are looking for better educational opportunities.
A new professional organization — the assistant of a professional therapist and an assistant of a training program for a physiotherapist (OTA & PTA EAP) — is currently joining the efforts of other major OT professional associations in the country to form the best programs.
Certification and monitoring of PTA in Canada, therefore, current and interested professional support personnel must constantly update them regarding when and when certification will be provided or will become necessary for them.
About the NBCOT exam for professional therapy assistants
An OTA planning for a national exam for an occupational therapy assistant diploma will be required to conduct a test at one of the many designated testing sites.
There are online tests for testing that can prepare students for the exam and help them to feel the types of questions that will be asked as well. The website offers resources for graduates who will pass the exam to get certified.
As well as information on maintaining certification through the necessary continuing education and much more. Only after the graduate has passed the NBCOT exam can they apply for licensing in their state.
Although not every state requires OTA licenses to be licensed (currently there are only 10 states that do not do this), it is strongly recommended that every OTA graduate take the NBCOT certification certification exam.
With this qualification, COTAs will have more and better job opportunities as well as the ability to specialize if they so wish. In addition, for those who may eventually move to another state, already certified at the national level will be useful when the time comes for passing the exam for this state.
