Belleville, Ontario, April 5, 2018 – Loyalist College has introduced a two-year Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OTPTA) Ontario College diploma program to prepare students to work as part of a multi-disciplinary health care team, implementing and evaluating safe and effective occupational and physical treatments for clients of all ages and abilities.
“Drawing on the strengths of our highly regarded health and human studies, we developed this program to meet the growing needs for OT and PT treatments in the communities we serve,” said Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist College President & CEO. “Through an experiential, work-integrated and multi-disciplinary approach, the OTPTA program will facilitate student-centred learning, which is at the heart of our educational philosophy.”
The OTPTA program is designed to teach students to become providers of care within the scope of their practice, while developing problem-solving, critical decision-making and collaboration skills that will inform care excellence. Through three clinical placements, students will be encouraged to experience different scopes of practice and hone their knowledge.
On campus, the OTPTA program will be taught in Loyalist’s newly renovated on-campus Fitness Centre and program-dedicated fitness labs in tandem with the Fitness & Health Promotion (FAHP) and Recreation & Sport Services (RALS) diploma programs, which share some first-year curriculum. FAHP and RALS graduates have the opportunity to earn an OTPTA diploma in one additional year of study, after completing a bridging semester.
In addition to diploma-to-diploma options, Loyalist offers diploma-to-degree pathways for OTPTA graduates, including advanced entry into the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s Kinesiology and Bachelor of Allied Health Science degree programs. For Kinesiology university graduates, there are opportunities to apply credits towards the OTPTA program and gain workplace experiences and connections through clinical placements.
“There’s a demand for OT and PT Assistants in the Bay of Quinte region,” said June MacDonald-Jenkins, Dean of Health, Human & Justice Studies. “To prepare our students for this rewarding field, we’ve included technology simulated modalities and more than 500 hours of fieldwork in health care settings such as rehabilitation centres, home care services, social services agencies, long-term care facilities and community hospitals.”
Applications for the College’s first in-take of the program, starting in September 2018, are currently being accepted through ontariocolleges.ca. For more information about Loyalist’s OTPTA program, please visit loyalistcollege.com.
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About Loyalist College
Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 65 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, which is LEED® Silver certified, are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million annually – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit loyalistcollege.com.
Contact: Kerry Lorimer, Director, Marketing, Communications and Recruitment
Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistcollege.com, 613-969-1913 ext. 2536