7-23-2008
PIMA MEDICAL INSTITUTE'S TUCSON CAMPUS LAUNCHES NEW DEGREE PROGRAM
Local Medical Career College Responds to Growing Demand for Occupational Therapy Assistants
TUCSON, AZ - Tucson-based Pima Medical Institute, with campuses in six western states, has added an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Associate Degree program to its current list of nine associate degree and certificate programs. Enrollment for the 20-month OTA program is under way, with the first graduating class of 25 students from the Tucson campus planned for 2010. The program graduates will immediately begin meeting an emerging need for OTAs in Tucson and Southern Arizona.
"Based on our local research and national trends, the future is very bright for certified OTAs," said Mary Hanna, Director of PMI's Occupational Therapy Program. According to Hanna, PMI conducted a survey of 3000 Arizona medical professionals to gauge the current and future demand for OTAs and received an overwhelmingly positive response. Occupational Therapy was also in U.S. News & World Report's list of "Best Careers" in 2007 and 2008, taking into consideration job satisfaction, training difficulty, prestige, and job market outlook.
Hanna explained that Occupational Therapy Assistants help people of all ages develop, regain, or master everyday skills in order to live life to its fullest. The OTA is a skilled licensed/certified health care worker who carries out treatment plans under the guidance and supervision of an Occupational Therapist. According to Hanna, PMI's Tucson OTA program is strategically designed to be dynamic and responsive to the Tucson community. "For instance, PMI's OTA Advisory Board guided us to develop curriculum, techniques and technology to focus on the emerging demand for OTAs with pediatric experience and training."
An array of conditions benefit from occupational therapy including: Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, attention deficit and hyper active disorders, autism, Cerebral Palsy, learning disabilities, Parkinson's disease, Schizophrenia, stroke, spinal chord and traumatic brain injuries.
PMI is one of the premier medical career colleges in the western United States with campuses in Albuquerque, Chula Vista, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Mesa, Renton, Seattle, and Tucson. The privately owned, accredited school provides students with a well-rounded education embracing theoretical classroom studies, as well as on-site training at medical facilities that mirror the working environment they will pursue after graduation.
Additional information is available at pmi.edu.
Contact:
Contact: Mary Hanna,
Director
Occupational Therapy Assistants Program
Phone: (520) 326-1600
Email: Mhanna@pmi.edu
