
Diploma of Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant
London, Canada
DURATION
66 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
CAD 32,354 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international costs | Canadian costs: CAD 7,391.49
Key Summary
Introduction
Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant is a two-year Ontario College Diploma program where students learn the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology, rehabilitation, professional communication, musculoskeletal conditions, and neurological skills. Graduates will be prepared to work under the direction of occupational therapists and/or physiotherapists.
Your Learning Experience
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 patient's 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 add 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).
CIP Code: 51.0803
Admissions
Curriculum
Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Reason and Writing 1 for Health Sciences
- Rehabilitation and the Healthcare System
- Development Across the Lifespan
- Intro to Exercise and Physiology
- Anatomy and Physiology 1
- Professional Practice
- Introduction to Psychology
Level 2
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Professional Communications
- Therapeutic Skills-OTA
- Anatomy and Physiology 2
- Musculoskeletal Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Skills-PTA
- Clinical Placement 1
- Mental Health in the Canadian Context
Level 3
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Cardio, Resp and Other Conditions-OTA/PTA
- Cardio, Respiratory and Complex Conditions
- Anatomy and Physiology 3
- Concepts in Mental Health
- Clinical Placement 2
Level 4
General Education - Take a 3-credit General Education elective course.
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Anatomy and Physiology 4
- Neurological Conditions
- Neurological Skills-OTA
- Neurological Skills-PTA
- Communication Disorders in Rehab
Level 5
Take the following Mandatory Courses:
- Clinical Placement 3
Program Outcome
- Communicate appropriately and effectively, through verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic means, with clients, their significant others, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and members of the interdisciplinary health care team and others;
- Participate in the effective functioning of interdisciplinary health care teams to optimize client physical and occupational functions;
- Establish, develop, maintain, and conclude client-centred therapeutic relationships;
- Promote a safe environment that prevents or minimizes potential physical or mental harm to the client, therapist assistant and others;
- Practice in a legal, ethical, and professional manner within the role of a therapist assistant;
- Document client records in a thorough, objective, accurate, and timely manner within the role of the therapist assistant;
- Engage in reflective practice and ongoing professional development activities to maintain and enhance competence;
- Perform the roles and responsibilities of the therapist assistant effectively through the application of relevant knowledge of health sciences, psychosocial sciences, health conditions, resource management, and clinical procedures;
- Contribute to the occupational therapist's or physiotherapist's assessment of the client and the development, implementation and modification of intervention/treatment plans;
- Maximize the client’s occupational performance by accurately and safely implementing the interventions, and related tasks under the direction and supervision of the occupational therapist;
- Maximize the client’s physical function by accurately and safely implementing the interventions, and related tasks under the direction and supervision of the physiotherapist;
- Manage time and prioritize competing demands in collaboration with occupational therapists and physiotherapists;
- Use knowledge and influence responsibly within the assistant’s role to promote the health and well-being of individual clients, communities, and populations.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program have the knowledge and skills to help clients cope with their limitations and improve their quality of life. They can pursue careers as a physiotherapy assistant or occupational therapy assistant in a variety of settings including:
- Retirement homes
- Long-term care facilities
- Rehabilitation clinics
- Hospitals
- Mental health agencies
- Nursing homes
- Physiotherapy clinics
- Child treatment centers
- Home care services
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program:
Therapy Assistant
Work as part of a collaborative team focused on providing a plan of care to meet client-centred goals.
Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist Assistant
Plan and deliver therapeutic programs to meet a client’s treatment goals.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Provide client-centered clinical care under the direction and supervision of an occupational therapist.