Occupational Therapist Career Guide and Counseling

Question: occupational therapist? I am a junior in college...major:psychology... and I am planning on going to grad school to become an occupational therapist. Are there any recent OT grads or OT's who have been working for a while or even other interested students out there that can give me some advice/opinions? I'm interested in knowing about the starting salary, work settings, etc. thanks

Answer: Best thing(s) about OT: 1. relatively stress-free job 2. OT school is pretty easy (and I went to the so-called #1 program in the country and did quite well) 3. I don't believe that finding an OT position will ever be a problem 4. Money is not bad even for starting therapists. Of course, a lot of this depends on what setting you wish to work in. Private hospitals and Pediatric clinics pay the least: approx $40-50k/yr L.A. County jobs (hospitals and other orgs) approx $70k/yr SNF (Skilled nursing facilities) These positions really depend on how business savvy you are, but there is a lot of negotiation room. When I was a new grad I was able to negotiate to get paid in the mid $80k in the metro So Cal area, but I've heard about a lot of naive classmates who've taken as little as $50k/yr. So you need to learn to advocate for yourself! Worst thing(s) about OT: 1. nobody has heard of your profession 2. if someone has heard of your profession, they look down on you and/or don't really understand the importance of what you do. 3. there's a wage ceiling that most OTs hit pretty quickly (even if you work your butt off and/or own your own clinic, it's extremely rare to see a salary that exceeds $150,000 grand)...so, if you want to make a lot of money, stick with being a PA. The best thing about being an OT is the freedom of creativity in treatment options. You can take just about anything and use it ti facilitate some kind of function. The worst thing is the possibility of injury on the job. Lifting is a learned skill and art - you need to be properly trained and practice, practice, practice.Cleaning diapers is not necessarily part of the job - BUT it is part of toilet training sometimes, and you cannot always rely on someone else to do it for you. If you were the patient, you would want someone to help you get clean as soon as possible, wouldn't you? 1. I would shadow at a SNF(skilled nursing facility), Outpatient clinic (and u could drop in inpatient..but it's a lot like a snf) in a hospital(private and/or county), and a pediatric clinic(if u enjoy working with kids) or school OT. I presented these options b/c they are ur most likely choices for jobs after OT school. 2. I can't say that I've felt OT's awareness to be growing, but logically as the baby boomers become older and require our therapy and autism rates continue to rise...I would assume that it should. The problem is OT is kinda pidgeon-holed into set fields...but, that's pretty much all jobs I suppose. 3. In hospital settings, I would say that in-patient (acute rehab) is often the most solo...(and lonely), while outpatient is generally considered the best mix of autonomy and supervision/guidance...I personally like outpatient rehab the most (even though I currently work SNF--i need the $$$) 4. I also have a problem with authority and generally that's also why I prefer outpatient...inpatient often interacts w/ everybody on the medical team( nurses, doctors, etc) and they're always walking in on ur sessions and interrupting. Outpatient generally has more of an interdisciplinary/team feeling where mutual support is more the norm (but this depends on the hospital)...lotsa drama queens in hospitals...so beware.

Question: What does it take to become an occupational therapist? I graduated with a BS in Media Studies but I'm thinking of becoming an occupational therapist. Most schools consider this a major. Has anyone gone down this road and how much work/how long do you think it will take to get certified?

Answer: Step 1In order to apply to a graduate program in occupational therapy, first you need to earn a bachelor degree.If you are still in college, you may start to take science courses, like chemistry, biology, anatomy, psychology.English and speech courses can be very helpful, because as a occupational therapist you will work with people and you need to have excellent communicational skills.Try to maintain a high GPA as almost all occupational therapy programs require an at least 3.0 general GPA and 3.5 GPA in science courses. Step 2While still in college or after that try to volunteer or even work in a healthcare environment.During this time, try to obtain at least two recommendation letters, because you will need them in the application process.Occupational therapy programs give priority to people with degrees or experience in the healthcare field in the admission process ,so the best combination would be to have a degree in healthcare (for example nursing) and some work experience when you apply. Step 3Once admitted in the program, keep in mind that the academic schedule can be quite intensive, and you might not be able to work fulltime in order to keep up.Occupational therapy programs can be completed in 2 and a half years to 3 years full time (75-80 credits).In addition to classroom work, students must complete an equivalent of 24 weeks of supervised experience working with clients. Step 4Once you finished your masters or doctoral degree and your supervised work, there is one more step before you can actually work as a occupational therapist: certification.To be certified, you need to take and pass the NBCOT exam.After passing this exam you will be given the designation Registered Occupational Therapist and you can put the initials OTR after your name.

Question: I am an occupational therapist looking to travel. What recommendations can anyone make who have traveled? I want to be a traveling occupational therapist. However, I've heard some companies are better than others. Can anyone share their experiences (good and bad) that you've had with traveling therapist companies?

Answer: great idea- meet with recruiters from different agencies and see who offers you the best contract.

Question: How do I become an Occupational Therapist? After I complete this spring semester, I will be a Junior in College. I am graduating from our community college just with a general studies degree, and I will be going to a 4 year University beginning in the Fall. I think I have definetly decided that I want to be an Occupational Therapist, but how do I do it? I know I should just talk to a counselor, but I am just curious right now, when a counselor is not available to me. Do I need to major in something specific? Or is there an actual Occupational Therapist major? Any helpful information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Answer: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm Some schools have an occupational therapy major. Otherwise look into bio, anatomy, psych, sociology. Then when you go on for a masters, which I think is now required to enter the field, you can specialize in OT .

Question: How do you become an Occupational Therapist if you've already graduated from college with a different degree? I'm going to be a senior in college with a major in psychology. I want to be an occupational therapist and I was wondering what steps I need to take in order to fulfill this goal. For example, how much schooling is required, what prerequisite courses I need to take, what I could do in the mean time... It's obviously too late for me to switch majors so the fastest way possible is best!

Answer: Actually having a degree in psych can boost your odds of being accepted into an OT program. Since part of the OT curriculum is psych related, it helps to have that background. Go to this website and you can click on the state you live in, etc. it will tell you about the prereqs at the college of your choice needed for OT program acceptance. http://www.aota.org/Students/Schools/Ent… Usually it is 2 and a half years of school after your prereqs to become registered as an occupational therapist.----in the mean time, go job-shadow an OT and do volunteer work at a hospital or clinic that offers OT, most schools REQUIRE some sort of volunteer work under the supervision of an OT before you can be accepted into their program. GOOD LUCK! :)

Question: What does an occupational therapist do and how's the work prospects? What is the difference between occupational therapist and physiotherapist? I see that they both does quite simliar jobs. I've been offered this course by a local institution and I'm not sure whether I should take up this course because I'm worried I would not get a fine paycheck every month. Give advice please. Thanks

Answer: You can go to the labor departments website and look for something called the occupational outlook handbook. It will give you the job description and a long term hiring and salary outlook for a ridiculously large number of jobs. Also go to the national association for occupational therapists website. Salary.com is another good place to look.

Question: What would an Occupational Therapy Assistant need to do to become an Occupational Therapist? I went to a two year school and graduated with an associates degree. I am now an OTA. The school I went to is accredited but I'm wondering if the classes I took would have any relevance to the classes I would need to take to become an Occupational Therapist. Could I enroll in a four year university and put the two years of schooling I have towards my school or would I have to start over from the beginning to become an Occupational Therapist?

Answer: I am in the OT program at college right now, and I am almost positive that some of your credits can transfer and you will have a lighter work load, BUT...You will still have to go through the entire OT program to get your OTR since it is a master's level now. Plus it depends on how long ago you took the OTA credits, of they are too old you may have to take them again..sorry

Question: What is the difference between a Physical Therapist and an Occupational Therapist Assistant? I want to go to school for a Physical Therapist but the school closest to me has a program for Occupational Therapist assistant I am not certain what the differences are.

Answer: click on the links below: for occupational therapists : http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm for physical therapists: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm Good luck!

Question: What to do in high school to become an occupational therapist in the future? If you want to be an occupational therapist in the future after grad school, what should you do to make high school count? (e.g.) do you have to excel in math and science (physics, chemistry, biology?) Is it ok if you're weak at math? Will 3 years of science hurt your chance at a Thereupedic Recreation major? Thank you all for your kind help!

Answer: if your weak in math then STUDY. I was horrible and had to have a tutor help me so I could keep my GPA above 3.0, which is the minimum for occupational therapy school acceptance in most areas. Otherwise just take your prerequisites and do some job shadowing under an occupational therapist. Also, try and do some volunteer hours at a local hospital, schools like to see that on an application.

Question: How do you become an occupational therapist? My niece lives in Arkansas and is wanting to become an occupational therapist. She just started college in the fall and there are no occupational therapy programs anywhere close to where she lives. I know there are masters programs for it online, but what do you have to do before you do that? Do you have to have a bachelors in it before you can? I want to know exactly what degrees you have to have and everything like that

Answer: Step1 Prepare for a career as an occupational therapist (OT) by taking as many psychology, sociology, human development, anatomy, physics and anthropology classes as possible during high school and college. Step2 Volunteer anywhere you can work with a registered OT helping children with special needs, senior citizens and even the homeless. Learn to work with all walks of life and to be understanding and tolerant of differences and diversity. Step3 Look for a part-time job at a nearby hospital to gain additional experience. Any job where you will be helping to move patients will relate to your practical coursework in OT. Step4 Shadow a practicing OT for a day or two before you get into any program to make sure the career is something that really interests you. OTs are usually resourceful self-starters with excellent communication skills, high ethical standards and a desire to help people. Step5 Be proactive about your education and don't assume you can get it all out of a book. Take part in sports, band or art classes; studying the way people move, work and live can help you be more creative about finding solutions in your OT career. Step6 Choose an accredited program. In the United States, you must receive a bachelor's of science degree in OT before you are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and become a registered OT (OTR). Step7 Decide what kind of working environment you want. OTs can be found everywhere, from high-stress hospital settings to the relaxed country doctor's office. Minor in a related area like kinesiology or biology to make yourself more marketable to employers upon graduation. Contact the American Occupational Therapists Association (AOTA) for a list of accredited OT programs. You can write to the association at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20824, or visit its Web site (see Related Sites). Don't assume that just because it is called occupational therapy it always relates to someone's job. Most OTs deal more with health and living issues, like helping someone with one leg learn to walk with a prosthetic. Be prepared for the physical part of this job. OTs are often required to do some heavy lifting in the course of a normal day.