Understanding OTA-PTA: Why these careers could be right for you

The healthcare field is home to a diverse range of careers, with each one having a specialty and being suited for different people.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career dedicated to helping increase the quality of life for people dealing with an injury or illness, and you enjoy problem-solving, educating and caring for others, you should consider becoming an OTA-PTA.

What is an OTA-PTA?

OTA-PTA stands for Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant.

The main duty for both OTAs and PTAs is to help their client live in “good health”. This means that the client is meeting their physical health goals, as well as being in good mental health and living a life that is fulfilling for them.

OTA-PTAs achieve this through a treatment plan for the client, developed by an occupational therapist or physiotherapist. They will also often collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as registered nurses and social workers, over the course of treating their client.

Various tasks that an OTA-PTA completes while working with a client include:

Leading clients through prescribed exercises and/or stretches.
Educating clients, their families and their care providers.
Managing client paperwork and medical records.
Monitoring and documenting a client’s progress throughout the course of treatment.

What is the difference between an OTA and PTA?

The role of an OTA and a PTA share many similarities with each other, but also have key differences that separate them. These differences mainly relate to which aspects of helping someone to live in good health that each profession focuses on.

An OTA specializes in helping someone learn how to complete daily tasks such as bathing, cooking and doing hobbies in ways that adapt to their physical and mental abilities and limitations.

A PTA specializes in helping increase their patient’s strength, mobility and range of motion, usually through specific stretches and exercises, so they are able to complete the tasks they want to.

What kinds of clients do OTA-PTAs have?

A common misconception about OTA-PTAs is that they mainly work with seniors or people recovering from a sports injury. While these types of people are often clients of OTA-PTAs, both jobs treat a diverse range of people who require different types and levels of care.

Along with having different specialties when it comes to treatment, OTAs and PTAs also tend to take on different clients with needs that require their specialties for treatment.

OTAs typically work with people who will need to learn how to perform tasks in a different way either long-term or permanently. Their clients include those experiencing long-lasting effects from an injury or illness, or someone who has a physical, developmental or intellectual disability.

PTAs normally treat clients who can expect to recover partially or fully from their injury or illness in the near future. This can include people with broken bones, muscle injuries or people recovering from surgery.

What skills do good OTA-PTAs have?

While completing their education, OTA-PTAs learn about:

Human physiology
Different kind of injuries and illnesses
Restorative stretches and exercise techniques
And much more

There are specific skills that can’t be taught in the classroom that a future OTA-PTA should have to succeed in their career.

Problem-solving

As an OTA-PTA, your main duty is to problem solve. Each patient comes with a unique set of needs, challenges and goals, meaning there is no “one size fits all” treatment. It is up to an OTA-PTA to adapt to these factors when treating a client so they can meet their treatment goals and live life in good health.

Communication skills

Having good oral and written communication skills is crucial to the role of an OTA-PTA. A lot of OTA-PTA work involves instructing and educating clients, families and their caregivers over the course of treatment. Being able to communicate effectively with them is key to helping them understand the treatment they are receiving and what they have to do as a part of it.

People skills

It is very important that an OTA-PTA is a friendly and approachable person when working with their client. OTA-PTAs will often work with people while they are in a vulnerable state, so it is crucial that their clients can feel comfortable around them and trust them. Being able to hold a conversation with a client and getting to know them can also help to improve the treatment. By learning about their interests and what activities are most meaningful to them, you will be able to prioritize those activities throughout treatment so they can get back to doing what they love.

Why you should consider Mohawk College

Mohawk College’s OTA-PTA program is designed to prepare you for a career as an OTA-PTA through a comprehensive curriculum taught by industry professionals, with an emphasis on hands-on learning.

The OTA-PTA program has students practice their skills on a regular basis in the program’s ‘living labs’, designed to simulate a real-life work environment. This provides students with invaluable practical experience, giving them the skills and confidence needed to complete their clinical placement. During this clinical placement, students will complete over 500 hours of on-the-job training in various healthcare settings.

You can learn more about what it’s like to be an OTA-PTA student at Mohawk College by reading Gabriela’s story on the Future Ready Blog section of Mohawk College’s website.