Healthcare

Physiotherapy Assistant / Occupational Therapy Assistant

Accredited by the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EAP) in collaboration with Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC) and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)*

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    Area of Interest is required
    In-Class: Instructor-led classes held in-person at one or more of our 8 campuses.
    Hybrid: Instructor-led classes on a set schedule held remotely on video over the Internet, with some courses delivered in-person at one of our 8 campuses.
    Remote: Instructor-led classes on a set schedule, held remotely live on video over the Internet.
    Online: Flexible schedule with a set weekly pace and the support of facilitators when you need it; delivered over the Internet.
    Preferred Method of Learning is required
    Campus is required
    Consent is required

    Type

    Diploma

    Duration

    63 Weeks

    Internship

    14 Weeks

    Program Outline

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    About The Program

    You will receive imperative CPR/First Aid training from this 63-week Physiotherapy Assistant/Occupational Therapy Assistant diploma program. Make the most out of the 14-week internship, where you can gain hands-on, real-world experience to make yourself stand out. Our small class sizes allows our dedicated instructors to guide you properly throughout your learning journey.

    Career Opportunities

    Physiotherapy Assistants and Occupational Therapy Assistants work in environments such as: hospitals, private rehabilitation centres, long-term care facilities, retirement homes, sports medicine clinics, and community health care agencies.

    Graduates of this program can become certified Personal Training Specialists and pursue a career as a Personal Trainer.

    Note that some career and education options may require advanced degrees, further training or experience.

    Employers Who Have Hired triOS Grads

    • Physiomed
    • Medrehab Group Inc.
    • Back to Normal Wellness Centre
    • Parkwood Hospital
    • Physical Therapy Institute
    • Great Lakes Physiotherapy
    • Total Care Management

     

     

    Salary

    91 %

    Employment Rate*

    $ 23

    Average Wage/HR**

    $ 33

    High Wage/HR**

    *Employment Rate based on 2021 contactable triOS graduates employed in a related field within 12 months.

    Source: workingincanada.gc.ca

    NOC Code: 3414, 3237 - **Wage data based on NOC Code 3237 and rounded down to the nearest dollar. Average wage doesn't reflect the starting salary but represents the middle value between lowest to highest wages. Local (or regional) income may vary. Last updated in Dec 2022.

    Program Details

    Are you looking for a career in the booming healthcare industry? If you’re interested in being a healthcare professional and are keen on working under the supervision of a Physiotherapist to provide care to clients with a broad range of health conditions, then the Physiotherapy Assistant/Occupational Therapy Assistant program is the right fit for you. 

    Along with providing an in-depth look into the theories and principles of the practice, the Physiotherapy Assistant/Occupational Therapy Assistant program equips students with therapeutic techniques for older adults, as well as the ability to improve the mobility of clients with neurological, cardiac, and respiratory conditions; students will also learn how to treat common musculoskeletal disorders. The program allows you to build effective cognitive skills for assessing patients with communication disorders and mental health illnesses and disabilities.

    Students enrolled in the program receive:

    • 500-hour fieldwork placement.
    • Membership with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) and Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT).
    • Software subscriptions for Microsoft Office and Windows included in the tuition fee.

    *The Physiotherapy Assistant / Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at triOS College – Toronto, Brampton, and London Campuses has been accredited by the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EAP) in collaboration with Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC) and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). The status of Accreditation was awarded to the program at the Toronto Campus on November 30, 2017 for the period until November 30, 2023. The status of Accreditation was awarded to the program at the Brampton and London campuses on April 30, 2017 for the period until November 30, 2023.

    Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program, Suite 26, 509 Commissioners Road West, London, Ontario, N6J 1Y5, (226) 636-0632, www.otapta.ca.

    Course Listings
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    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Advanced Interpersonal and Communication Skills
    This course is designed to give students the opportunity to practice the interpersonal and communication skills required to work effectively in a health care team. Through an experiential learning approach, students practice the following skills: leading teamwork, establishing team norms, setting team goals, resolving conflicts, building group cohesion, problem solving, and evaluating team performance. Engagement in and facilitation of effective verbal and nonverbal communication is explored.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Communication Disorders
    This course provides students with an overview of major speech and language problems that can impair the rehabilitation client's ability to communicate effectively. Students learn strategies to improve interactions with clients with communication disorders, and are introduced to common assistive communication devices. The course also provides students with a basic understanding of swallowing and swallowing disorders.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. OTA Therapeutic Techniques for Children
    This course prepares students to enable engagement in meaningful activities of daily living with children and adolescents. Topics covered include typical and atypical development, developmental theories, diagnoses related to pediatrics, assessment tools, and interventions for children and adolescents regarding self-care, productivity and leisure. The concept of family-centred care is applied to the occupational therapy process. The role of the OTA in understanding and contributing to the occupational therapy plan, and in supporting the OT in service delivery is explored.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Group Intervention in Occupational Therapy
    This course prepares students to assist in the design and delivery of group treatment programs in occupational therapy. Through interactive labs, students apply the principles of group intervention directly to their own experience, learn how to lead an occupational therapy group, and realize the potential benefits and challenges of group intervention. The stages of group development as well as various frames of reference related to group intervention are examined. Students also have the opportunity to write a group protocol for a client population of their choosing.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. OTA Therapeutic Techniques in Mental Health
    In this course, students build on previous coursework by focusing on therapeutic use of self, activity and environment, as it applies to working with clients with psychiatric disorders. Topics covered include diagnoses and medication related to mental illness, and interventions with clients regarding performance of daily activities, education, work, leisure, and social participation. Students develop the skills needed to perform activity analysis, and to describe and respond to mental health symptoms.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. OTA Therapeutic Techniques for Older Adults
    This course prepares students to enable engagement in occupation with older adults. Topics covered include health promotion, age related disease processes, cultural diversity, splinting, seating systems, wheelchair mobility, and working with caregivers. Students develop skills to address physical and cognitive challenges that impact daily function in older adults. The role of the OTA in safely and efficiently implementing assigned service components within the occupational therapy process is examined. Students also apply evidence-informed research to occupational therapy intervention.
    Icon-Quiz-Small Created with Sketch. Personal Fitness
    This course will prepare students to develop personal fitness programs for low risk clients. Students will learn how to determine exercise risk and gather information on current fitness level. They will use this information to incorporate cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, and stretching into a safe and effective exercise program.
    Admission Requirements
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    – High school graduation diploma, or Mature Student Status (for more information please refer to the Program Outline at the top of this page or speak to your Education Consultant)
    – Passing score on the entrance assessment
    – Student must provide a clear Criminal Record Check.
    – Student must provide a clear Medical Certificate.

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    triOS College PTA/OTA Program Mission

    Improve Ontario’s ability to meet its health human resources needs by preparing students for entry-level positions as physiotherapist and occupational therapist assistants in a variety of healthcare settings. The program is designed to provide students with the knowledge, practical skills and professionalism required to assist physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the safe, effective and efficient delivery of evidence-informed rehabilitation services.

    triOS College PTA/OTA Program Vision

    Improving the health and wellness of Ontarians through excellent PTA and OTA education.

    triOS College PTA/OTA Program Philosophy

    The triOS College PTA/OTA Program believes in creating a stimulating, respectful, participatory learning environment that allows each student to use his or her unique skills and attributes to develop into a competent, caring and responsible healthcare professional. triOS College faculty and staff are committed to providing students with an educational experience that promotes the core values of collaboration and responsibility, emphasizes professional skills and attitudes, addresses unique learning challenges, and equips students with the skills needed to become lifelong learners.