Occupational Therapy Degree - Please Help?

I currently hold a Bachelors degree in Advertising and I am planning on doing a career change into the field of Occupational Therapy. Unfortunately I live in Tampa and there are no colleges that offer the Masters program and I would have to commute 4 hours every other weekend for 2 years in order to earn my masters. My other option is to go to school as an Occupational Therapy istant locally. Does anyone work in the Occupational Therapy field that can help me decide what would be more advantageous, traveling for the 2 years or taking a lower degree and doing it locally. Thanks.