Diploma in Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OPTA)

Become an OTA and PTA in complex healthcare environments

Become a dual-trained clinician. Placements in a variety of settings will prepare you for a rewarding career in health care.

Students are provided with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to function competently in the role of an Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant (OTA and PTA) in a complex healthcare environment. They are prepared to work under the supervision of and in collaboration with occupational therapists and physiotherapists and assist therapists to teach and enable clients to effectively cope with limitations in movement and daily functioning, whether temporary or permanent, during and following recovery. Students partake in a combination of practical and theoretical learning achieved through classroom, laboratory, and field placements. Learning will take place with an inter-professional approach to meet the needs of clients in acute and community settings.

Accreditation

Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program

The Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Program at Georgian College has been accredited by the Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Education Accreditation Program (OTA & PTA EAP) in collaboration with Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC) and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). The status of Accreditation was awarded to the program on April 30, 2018, for the period until April 30, 2024.

About us

At Georgian, we work with industry and community partners to offer relevant, cutting-edge curriculum, quality work placements, and co-op experiences with top employers. Our students graduate with the skills and the mindset to be innovative thinkers and changemakers who can transform their workplaces and communities.

Our vision is to accelerate success through exceptional teaching and learning, innovation, and partnerships.

General information

• Established 1967
• Georgian is the first and the only college in Canada designated a changemaker college by Ashoka U for our role as a leader in social innovation and change-making in higher education
• One of the highest graduate employment rates among Ontario colleges
  • 88.1% of our alumni found work within six months of graduation, well above the provincial average, which we’ve exceeded for 20 years (based on 2021-22 KPIs)
• Recognized leader in student work experience:
  • Ontario’s #1 co-op college
  • 6,200 employer partners
  • Pioneer in co-op programs across the province with the highest percentage of students enrolled in paid co-op work terms in the Ontario college system (based on OCAS 2019 fall enrolment figures)
  • All programs emphasize practical, hands-on learning and most offer formal work-integrated opportunity-ranging from paid co-op terms to internships and field placements
  • 100,000 alumni (October 2023)
  • 12,488 full-time students, including over 6,300 international students from 86 countries speaking more than 52 languages (as of the May 2023 audit)
  • Economic impact: The total annual impact in the catchment area is $1.7billion, which is 5.3% of the region’s GRP or 1 out of every 15 jobs in the region supported by Georgian’s presence (source: Lightcast 2022-23)
• Seven campuses:
  • Barrie
  • Midland
  • Muskoka (Bracebridge)
  • Orangeville
  • Orillia
  • Owen Sound
  • South Georgian Bay (Collingwood)
• Downtown Barrie Arch and Helen Brown Design and Digital Arts Centre
• Barrie Campus home to Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre – the first in our region providing students and industry partners with access to research, incubator, changemaker, and fabrication space
• Career and Employment Community Services locations in Barrie, Orillia, and Orangeville
• On-campus residences in Barrie, Orillia, and Owen Sound; a variety of off-campus housing options
• Indigenous Resource Centres in Barrie, Midland, Orillia and Owen Sound
• Approximately 2,569 full- and part-time employees, including student employees (March 2023)
• $6.4 million in bursaries , awards, and scholarships available each year
• Board of Governors consists of:
  • 12 appointees from a cross-section of communities
  • Georgian President and CEO
  • A representative each for students, faculty, support staff, and administrators
  • Academics
• 130+ market-driven programs , including:
  • certificates
  • diplomas
  • degrees
  • graduate certificates
  • combined degree-diploma programs with Lakehead University
• Continuing education and corporate training options
• Academic upgrading and career preparation
• Apprenticeship and skills training
• 100 programs have 850 transfer agreements with 50 institutions
  • Average class size: 24 students
• Academic areas:
  • Automotive Business
  • Business and Management
  • Community Safety
  • Computer Studies
  • Design and Visual Arts
  • Engineering and Environmental Technologies
  • Health, Wellness, and Sciences
  • Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation
  • Human Services
  • Indigenous Studies
  • Liberal Arts
  • Marine Studies
  • Skilled Trades

Our students

• Average age: 23
  • 77% are 25 and younger, 41% are 19 or younger
  • 49.8% identify as female, 49.9% as male 0.3% as another gender identity
  • 4.3% of the full-time student population self-identify as Indigenous (as of winter 2023 enrolment)
• 14% have college credentials, 13% have university credentials

Georgian applicants:

• 32% directly from high school
• 68% per cent non-direct
• The traditional catchment area of Simcoe, Grey, Bruce, and Dufferin counties and the District Municipality of Muskoka accounts for 61% of the first-year enrolment
• GTA (Halton, Peel, York, Durham, and Toronto) accounts for 18% of the first-year enrolment

Georgian is a transformative experience that connects students to the skills they need, mindset to succeed, and confidence to thrive. We produce graduates who are fully connected to their potential, industry, community, and the world. Being here can lead to amazing things!