Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
This group of workers perform various technical therapy and assessment functions.
People in this occupation:
- May assist professionals, such as audiologists (hearing specialists), ophthalmologists (eye physicians or eye surgeons), speech-language pathologists ophthalmologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists
- Work in hospitals, clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, community health centres, educational institutions, hearing aid retail stores and in the private practices of the professionals they assist, or may be self-employed
- Should have strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Should be able to work independently, follow instructions and have good organizational and critical thinking skills
- Should enjoy precise work
Job Titles
Duties
Hearing instrument practitioners:
- Examine adult clients to assess hearing loss using diagnostic evaluation and electro acoustic testing
- Recommend and dispense 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 audiologists or other health care professionals regarding patients' condition
- Perform follow-up examinations and readjustments
Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants
- Assist speech-language pathologists and audiologists during assessment of patients
- Deliver treatment programs, document results and develop materials for use with patients, under the supervision of speech-language pathologists or audiologists
- Document patient rehabilitation progress
- Check and maintain therapeutic equipment and materials
Ophthalmic medical technologists and technicians
- Take patients' general medical and ophthalmic history
- Conduct testing such as refractometry, ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography or ocular motility testing to aid ophthalmologists in assessing patients' vision
- Instruct patient on diagnostic test and record, interpret and troubleshoot results
- Assist ophthalmologists in performing ophthalmic procedures, and surgeries
- Prepare specimens for culture and staining
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications as directed by ophthalmologists
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment
- May instruct and supervise other ophthalmic staff and perform various administrative duties
- May participate in research activities
Physical rehabilitation therapists
- Analyze client information upon referral from a physiotherapist or physician
- Develop treatment plans for clients with a physiotherapist or physician
- Use therapeutic methods, such as manual techniques (e.g. massage), exercises, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy and thermotherapy (ice or heat) to achieve treatment objectives
- Advise clients on postures, lifestyle and exercises to help them improve their physical condition
Physiotherapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants:
- Under the direction of physiotherapists and/or occupational therapists, carry out treatment programs such as thermotherapy, traction, hydrotherapy and electrotherapeutic techniques to rehabilitate patients with various injuries or disabilities to maximize their ability to independently manage daily activities
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,990% Employed Full Time
45%Workers in these occupations typically work a regular 35- to 40-hour week. Work hours generally depend on the business hours of health-care practices. For example, some workers may be required to work evenings and weekends to accommodate the needs of patients, while others work part-time. Emergencies can also arise, although less often than in other health-care fields.
Working conditions vary for individuals in this group, depending on the specific occupation. The work of massage therapists and physical rehabilitation technicians can be physically demanding since these workers use their arms and hands for massaging and stand for long periods of time. The work is relatively light and comfortable, however, for communication assistants, speech-language pathology assistants and hearing instrument practitioners.
Workers in these groups are increasingly required to use computers.
Career Pathways
Ophthalmic medical technicians may progress to ophthalmic medical technologists’ positions with training, experience and certification.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Hearing instrument practitioners:
- Completion of a two- or three-year college program in a hearing instrument specialist program, including a period of supervised training
In B.C., these professionals must be registered with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of B.C. Registration requires:
- Two years of post-secondary education with a course in hearing aid dispensing
- Completion of written and practical examinations provided by the college
For more information visit www.cshhpbc.org/default.htm.
Communicative disorders assistants and speech-language pathology assistants:
- Completion of a three- to four-year college program
Ophthalmic medical technicians:
- Completion of a one-year hospital based ophthalmic technician training program, or
- Minimum of one year on-the-job training working as a certified ophthalmic assistant under the supervision of an ophthalmologist
Ophthalmic medical technologists:
- Completion of a two-year hospital-based training program in ophthalmic medical technology, or
- Completion of a 4 year bachelor’s degree program in Ophthalmic Medical Technology, or
- 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
Certified Ophthalmic Technician and Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist may have additional specialty certification such as Registered Ophthalmic Ultrasound Biometrist (ROUB) or Certified Diagnostic Ophthalmic Sonographer (CDOS)
International certification is available for ophthalmic assistants, technicians and technologists through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. For more information visit http://jcahpo.org.
Physical rehabilitation technicians:
- Completion of a three-year college program in physical rehabilitation therapy
- Completion of a period of supervised practical training
Physiotherapy assistants:
- Completion of a two-year physical therapy assistant (PTA) college program, or a two-year rehabilitation therapy assistant program
- Completion of a period of supervised practical training
Occupational therapy assistants:
- Completion of a two-year occupational therapy assistant (OTA) college program
Those who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact WorkSafe BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,990Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 55 | 2.8% |
| Kootenay | 50 | 2.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,190 | 59.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 25 | 1.3% |
| Northeast | 35 | 1.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 330 | 16.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 300 | 15.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
970Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 1.4% |
| Kootenay | 10 | 0.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 610 | 2.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | 0 | -0.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 150 | 1.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 170 | 2.3% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 850 |
| Retail Trade | 70 |
| Educational Services | 30 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 10 |
Insights from Industry
Jobs will come from new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers.
Demand for these workers is expected to increase as B.C.'s growing and aging population requires more vision and hearing testing, rehabilitation therapy and other services in therapy and assessment.
Resources
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Authorized Industrial Audiometric (Hearing Test) Facilitieswww.worksafebc.com/en/resources/health-safety/information-sheets/authorized-industrial-audiometric-testing-businesses?lang=en
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B.C. Ministry of Healthwww.gov.bc.ca/health
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BC Association of Speech/Language Pathologists & Audiologists (BCASLPA)www.bcaslpa.ca
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BC Family Hearing Resource Societywww.bcfamilyhearing.com/my-child-has-been-identified-with-hearing-loss-deafness/
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Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, B.C. Chapter (CHHA-BC)chha-bc.org
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Canadian Society of Ophthalmic Medical Personnelwww.cos-sco.ca/csomp
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College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC (CSHHPBC)www.cshhpbc.org
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Connect Hearing – Careerswww.connecthearing.ca/careers
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Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation and Related Materialswww.worksafebc.com/en/law-policy/occupational-health-safety/searchable-ohs-regulation/ohs-regulation
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Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) – Jobsjobs.phsa.ca/
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The Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada - British Columbia Societywww.vracanadabc.ca
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The Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada (VRA Canada)vracanada.com
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Vancouver Coastal Health – Careerscareers.vch.ca