Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant is a two-year Ontario College Diploma program. The program prepares students to work under the direction of occupational therapists and/or physiotherapists to support the therapeutic assessment, treatment and care of clients. The curriculum is delivered through a variety of educational platforms including in-person and virtual classrooms as well as in-person laboratory instruction, with a focus on the role of the OTA/PTA in supporting clients with musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological conditions. Students in the program have access to a brand new, purpose-built clinical laboratory that has ten treatment cubicles and the latest equipment. The program also leverages many other Fanshawe resources including the Health Sciences “Activities of Daily Living” Apartment which simulates a patients' living space (kitchen, living room, bathroom) and equipment offered by the Simulation Lab (ie Pregnancy Suits). All of these resources support an effective student environment for learning and adds to their preparation to successfully work with patients and the healthcare system. During the two-year program, students participate in three clinical placements in a variety of possible settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, retirement homes, private outpatient clinics and more. Clinical Placements are an important opportunity to consolidate the knowledge and clinical skills from the curriculum into a specific healthcare setting with patients and their families. Clinical placements take place in locations within a 1-hr drive of London. Students are responsible for all travel and costs related to the completion of required clinical placements (travel, parking, meals, etc).PlacementPlacement 1:
Winter term of first year (Jan-Apr) - includes one full day of clinical observation per week for the entire term (75hrs).
Placement 2:
Fall term of second year (Nov-Dec) - consists of a full-time placement for 6 weeks (225hrs)
Placement 3:
Summer term of second year (May-June) - consists of a full-time placement for 6 weeks (225hrs)