December 5, 2014
FRESNO, Calif., Dec. 5, 2014 — Aegis Therapies and its partner in advanced education, Concorde Career College, announced today seven scholarship recipients have completed the Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate’s Degree Program jointly developed by Aegis and Concorde. As part of the program, all seven graduates are provided employment as an Aegis therapist upon passing their occupational therapy certification exam to receive state licensure.
The graduation will be held at Piccadilly Inn on 2305 W. Shaw Ave. in Fresno on Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. Aegis Therapies President Martha Schram and Jim Thompson, Vice President of Program Development and Accreditation for Concorde Career College will attend and speak during the program.
Aegis is one of the country’s largest contract rehabilitation therapy providers, serving more than 1,000 long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, hospitals and other locations in 42 states and Washington, D.C. Concorde Career College offers 20 comprehensive educational and vocational training programs for many of the fastest growing career fields in healthcare and has four locations in California.
“We are pleased that Aegis Therapies has supported advanced clinical education by awarding scholarships to employees who are motivated to grow in this profession,” said Thompson. “The first scholarship recipients have been very successful in their academic and clinical work, and we look for an equally favorable experience with the second group. We are proud to be a collaborating partner with Aegis Therapies and cultivate professional growth for their employees.”
The Concorde Career College Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate’s Degree program curriculum is designed to provide employees of the Golden Living family of companies (Aegis Therapies, Golden LivingCenters, AseraCare) including certified nursing assistants (CNA), rehab aides and other ambitious employees with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills commensurate with contemporary evidence-based practice and education standards in the field of occupational therapy. Scholarships to this program require graduates to commit to three years of employment with Aegis Therapies.
“We are excited and proud to present the first graduating class of occupational therapy assistants who participated in the inaugural Aegis Therapies and Concorde Career College Associate Degree Program,” said Schram. “These graduates have demonstrated their commitment and ability to expand their education and career goals while maintaining their current health care employment. I look forward to watching them develop a successful career in therapy services and continuing the relationship with Concorde College as we educate and graduate more occupational therapy assistant professionals into the community.”
Beginning Dec. 1, a second group of 15 students, eight of whom are sponsored by Aegis, will start the 20-month Associate’s Degree program.
Scholarship recipients will begin with five months of convenient online training and continue hands-on instruction at local facilities and the Fresno Training Center in order to continue working while enrolled in the program.
Schram noted that Aegis Therapies has sponsored and participated in numerous educational programs to better equip its therapists with the tools needed to become leaders in their profession and at Aegis Therapies. Through Aegis Therapies’ commitment to the career development of its employees, Aegis has been able to recruit and retain the best talent in the rehab business.
About Aegis Therapies (www.aegistherapies.com)
Aegis Therapies is one of the nation’s leading providers of contract physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. Offering contract rehabilitation and wellness services, Aegis Therapies operates in 40 states with over 900 partnerships and employs more than 8,700 employees providing short-term and long-term therapy, At Home with Aegis, and EnerG® by Aegis wellness programs to help people increase their independence and maximize their functionality. Working together to provide better patient care at a lower cost, Aegis therapists receive state-of-the-art, evidenced-based practice training to measure and quantify therapy impact as well as continuing education to help them respond to the ongoing regulatory requirements. Aegis Therapies is part of the Golden Living family of companies celebrating 50 Years of Service. The company and its predecessor companies have cared for more than four million patients since 1964, and today is a national leader in providing post-acute care.
About Concorde Career College (www.concorde.edu)
Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. is a system of 16 campuses in 8 states that have been training medical professionals for nearly 50 years. Concorde is solely focused on healthcare education and offers a range of degree and diploma programs for entry-level positions in the healthcare industry. Concorde works with students to prepare them with successful employment in a rewarding healthcare profession by providing them with high-caliber training, real world experience and student centered support.