Questions or suggestions regarding the website itself? Contact: Mary Singer
Who's Who in OT
"What kind of job can I get when I graduate?"
"What's it like out there?"
"Do COTA's like what they're doing?"
Being a COTA is an exciting opportunity! In this section, we wish to provide you with an insiders' view of a day in the life of a COTA. We would also like to pay homage to those graduates who have completed their schooling and are currently working in the field. Check back here every few months for new and inspiring stories from your future colleagues.
Helping Children Help Themselves
Pamela Schmidt’s enthusiasm pours over into
helping students in Auburn School District develop skills to enhance their
lives. Pamela is a Certified
Occupational Therapy Assistant or COTA/L.
She has been working as an OTA for about 12 years.
She loves working with all ages of students.
Her job as an OTA is to help individuals whose lives have been
disrupted by physical injury, illness or developmental disabilities to
become as independent as their condition will allow.
Pamela became aware of Occupational Therapy when one of her
four children needed therapy, which she received through the Auburn School
District. After going through the
therapy process with her own child, she knew Occupational Therapy was the field
for her. She wanted to make a
difference in the lives of children.
She enrolled in GRCC, where she
completed the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
She knew she wanted to work in the School District with children, but
there were no openings at the time. She
taught Aerobics to individuals with Schizophrenia and used her
Occupational Therapy skills to adapt aerobic movements to fit their needs.
She loved it, but when an opportunity came at the school district she
took it and has been there ever since.
Pamela says, “What could be better than helping children help
themselves to improve their daily lives.”
Pamela also believes in giving back to her profession. She is a clinical
fieldwork supervisor for GRCC OTA Students.
GRCC offers the only OTA program in the state.
She also enthusiastically promotes Occupational Therapy and says it’s a
great field for anyone interested in health occupations.
OTA’s are employed in public schools, long-term care centers, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and geriatric day centers, to name just a few. The Department of Labor predicts a 40% increase in available health sciences jobs over the next six years.
If you know a past graduate of the OTA program at GRCC, or are one yourself, and would like see an article on that person here, send an e-mail to Mary Singer. Please include the name of the person, how they can be contacted and a brief explanation of why you feel they would be a good person to write about.