Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment

Example job titles

• audiology technician
• communicative disorders assistant
• hearing instrument practitioner
• hearing instrument specialist
• occupational therapy assistant
• ophthalmic technician
• ophthalmic technologist
• physical rehabilitation therapist
• physical therapist assistant (PTA)
• physiotherapy assistant
• physiotherapy technician
• rehabilitation assistant
• speech aide
• speech technician
• speech therapy assistant

Main duties

• This group performs some or all of the following duties:
• Hearing instrument practitioners
• Examine adult clients to assess hearing loss using diagnostic evaluation and electro acoustic testing
• Recommend and dispense or sell appropriate type of hearing instrument
• Take earmold impressions for use in the manufacture of hearing devices
• Fit, adjust and make minor modifications to hearing instruments
• Educate clients in appropriate use, care and maintenance of hearing instruments
• Communicate with audiologist or other health care professionals regarding patients' condition
• Perform follow-up examinations and readjustments.
• Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants

Employment requirements

• Hearing instrument practitioners require completion of a two or three-year college diploma in a hearing instrument specialist program, and a period of supervised training.
• Licensure with a regulatory body is required for hearing instrument practitioners in all provinces except in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Ontario. Ontario requires membership with the Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario (AHIP). Hearing instrument practitioners can prescribe and dispense hearing instruments except in Ontario where dispensing is dependent on a prescription from a physician or audiologist.
• Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants require completion of a three- to four-year college program.
• Ophthalmic medical technicians require completion of a one-year hospital based ophthalmic technician training program or a minimum of one year on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.
• Ophthalmic medical technologists require completion of a two-year hospital-based training program in ophthalmic medical technology, or a 4 year bachelor's degree program in Ophthalmic Medical Technology or a minimum of two years of on-the-job training working as a Certified Ophthalmic technician under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.
• Certification by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology may be required by employers.
• Physical rehabilitation therapists, who are only found in Quebec, require completion of a three-year physiotherapy or rehabilitation techniques college program and a period of internship.
• A permit to practice issued by the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ) is required for physical rehabilitation therapists.

Approved positions by year