Occupational Therapist A Quick Overview
The Life of an Occupational Therapist
The goal of an occupational therapist is to help individuals with limitations learn how to work around them. Some of their patients are born with disabilities while others once lived normal lives but then developed serious illnesses or were involved in life-altering accidents. No matter where a person is mentally, physically, or emotionally, an occupational therapist can and will help that person to live the fullest and most productive life possible.(Continue Reading Below)
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Obtaining an Occupational Therapist Degree – Entry level occupational therapists will have, at a minimum, a master’s degree in occupational therapy. All occupational therapy students will start in an undergraduate program with a medical or scientific background. Suggested areas of study include biology or some form of a nursing or pre-med program.
Continuing Education Requirements for Occupational Therapists – The only guarantee is that as an occupational therapist you will be required to take continuing education courses in order to maintain your license throughout your career.
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Traveling Occupational Therapist – As a traveling occupational therapist you’ll do the same type of work you would do in any other occupational therapy setting, whether in a hospital, rehab facility, or outpatient clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions – Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about becoming an occupational therapist.
Becoming an Occupational Therapist Assistant – The path to become an occupational therapist is long, requiring a huge investment in your time and energy. Many occupational therapist programs will not accept students who do not show a working interest in the field and, for many, the best way to get the experience needed is by becoming an occupational therapist assistant first.
Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools – There are several things you should do before choosing an occupational therapist assistant school. The very first thing you need to do is check into your state’s rules and regulations for obtaining a license.
Occupational therapists, otherwise known as OTs, are highly skilled individuals who spend a lot of time working with a wide variety of individuals. The main goal of an occupational therapist is to help those who are physically, developmentally, mentally, or emotionally impaired to develop the skills they need in order to live productive lives both at home and in the workplace.
Preparing for Your Occupational Therapist Program Interview – The requirements to be accepted in a formal occupational therapist program are very rigid and the competition is fierce. Schools offering master’s programs in occupational therapy take their curriculum very seriously, only allowing themselves to work with individuals who are genuinely interested in the field of occupational therapy – something that must be demonstrated.
Occupational Therapist Resume – Don’t wait until you’ve finished your occupational therapist training program to start thinking about your resume. You’ll want to be able to start looking for work the moment you graduate and pass your certification exam, so having your resume ready so that you can make a few small tweaks before you begin applying for jobs is paramount.
The Pros and Cons of Private Occupational Therapist Practice – Even still, there are plenty of benefits to becoming a private occupational therapist. You won’t be held to the blanket standards many larger medical groups try to impose on their staff and you will have the flexibility to create individualized treatment plans for your patients, often incorporating older or newer techniques that are not as commonly used in “canned” treatment plans created for various ailments.
Types of Occupational Therapy Jobs – As you begin to work in the field of occupational therapy, both before and during your schooling, you are going to find that there are several different types of work available.
Occupational Therapist Degree Program Requirements – As an aspiring occupational therapist, you’ll be held to some pretty high standards in terms of education and fieldwork. While the degree requirements will vary from university to university, you’ll find that there are some common aspects contained within every program.
7 Tips for New Occupational Therapists – The good news is that you wouldn’t have become an occupational therapist if you didn’t have the right skills. With that in mind, here are a few things you should keep in mind as you start your first full-time occupational therapy job.
Occupational Therapist Job Interview Tips – Once you finish your occupational therapist degree program and sit for your certification exam, you’ll of course have to start looking for work. Hopefully you won’t be as nervous as the day you were interviewing to get into your master’s program for occupational therapy but here are some tips to keep in mind for those of you who have not brushed up on your interview skills in a while.
Occupational Therapist is a one of the Fast Growing Career Fields – Even during a serious recession of recent years, the occupational therapist career field has flourished as demand grows despite the foundering economy. Even better, Occupational therapists can expect about 26 percent growth in jobs within the next decade.
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It is important for occupational therapists to develop trusting relationships with all of their patients. An OT must get to know his patients and their limitations, develop full rehabilitation plans, and assist them in learning or relearning new skills. Depending on the severity of the patient’s condition, he may or may not need to learn how to use adaptive devices, whether manual or technological. Occupational therapists are also responsible for making ongoing evaluations, adjustments to care plans, and more.
Some of the things an occupational therapist will do include:
- Teaching clients or patients how to perform active tasks.
- Teaching clients how to perform exercises that will strengthen their ability to function.
- Helping patients to develop or re-develop their memory, coordination, reasoning, and decision-making skills.
- Teaching clients with severe limitations how to communicate via adaptive devices.
- Creating long-term care plans for patients based on their individual needs.
- Working with occupational therapist assistants to ensure patients are receiving ongoing care.
Educational Requirements for Occupational Therapists
Because occupational therapists play such an important role in the lives of their patients, the educational requirements are quite demanding. An occupational therapist must have a degree at a master’s level or higher. Most begin their undergraduate work by studying biology, sociology, psychology and other science-related majors before moving on to a master’s program that will ultimately give them a degree in occupational therapy. It is important for future occupational therapists to ensure that the degree programs they are considering have accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE). Otherwise, they may not be able to sit for the certification exam.
Certification Requirements
Occupational therapists can’t begin practicing and working with patients just because they’ve completed a master’s program. Once an occupational therapist student obtains his degree, or at least nears the end of his degree program, must become licensed. Each of the 50 states regulates the employment of occupational therapists and each has its own requirements. Therapists should check those requirements before beginning their search for a career program. Some states will allow therapists to sit for then national exam while others will require therapists to take a state-mandated exam.
The two primary organizations offering national certification are the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and the American Occupational Therapy Association ( AOTA).
No matter which route the therapist chooses, he will be held to high continuing education standards in order to maintain that license or certification. Continuing education requirements can vary by state or certification board.
Occupational Therapist Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for occupational therapists is very bright. A report released in 2008 indicated that the need for occupational therapists would increase approximately 26% by 2018 – a rate that is incredibly quick compared to other occupations. This is partly due to the fact that baby boomer generation will be aging and will, as an elderly group, demand more care.
Hospitals and outpatient facilities will continue to keep occupational therapists in high demand, as will educational programs who need to help students enter their special programs.
Career Growth and Advancement
As the field of occupational therapy grows, so will the job opportunities for therapists with master’s degrees and licenses. Occupational therapists with significant experience can move on to become consultants, helping to develop buildings or programs for those with specific disabilities. Others will expand their practices so that they can see more patients while allowing skilled assistants to do more hands-on work.
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