Anthony Robinson confessed he didn't know much about American Career College while he was looking for an occupational therapy assistant program.
He did a brief search on the Internet and saw that the OTA program at ACC-Orange County offered a lot of the things he was looking for, then decided to check it out.
"I just took a shot with ACC and just pretty much fell in love with it from day one," Robinson said after his pinning ceremony this January.
Next up for Robinson is preparing for the national certification boards and "then getting right to work to start my career."
"I work at a hospital right now and they're willing to move me in once I pass my boards," Robinson said, "then one of the field work sites that I had externed at offered me a position once I passed my boards, so I've got some pretty good things lined up."
Why did you choose to be an occupational therapy assistant?
I have a nephew who is autistic and I've seen the work that the therapists did with him. He's made great strides and it kind of influenced me to do OTA even though I'm not doing the pediatric population. What OTA encompasses basically — the holistic view of therapy — is really attractive to me.
Why did you pick American Career College?
I think the way they care for the students here, like I noticed that from financial aid down to the reps here, they really care about the students. They really care about your situation, they really work with you. They're not doing an "in-it-for-the-money" kind of thing. It's just really like they want to help get your education and career going.
What advice would you give new students?
Be more diligent with studying. I was a good student but I think there's nothing wrong with always reviewing, constantly reviewing, because OTA is a constantly learning profession. I think that with any profession if you want to get better you have to keep learning, so filling yourself with outside knowledge — not just what they do in school — but outside hours, what you do to look up different interventions and therapies for patients. And that's probably what I'd tell myself, "Just be more prepared and don't take things lightly."
What's the best thing about being an OTA?
I love seeing a patient's progression, because part of your work is the reason why they're getting better. Any way that you can make their day and help them live their life to the best of their abilities is a rewarding thing.
I think occupational therapy makes you realize the little things that we take for granted are what's important, like how to take care of yourself, how to manage your time, your money, the way you just overall treat yourself. It is more than just getting someone better from the different diseases. It's about always getting better.
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