The fast-growing field of occupational therapy offers personal satisfaction as well as financially re-warding job opportunities. Occupational therapists work with both the physically and emotionally disabled, helping some to return to normal functions and activities and others to make the fullest use of whatever talents they may have.
Occupational therapists plan and direct educational, vocational, and recreational activities; evaluate capabilities and skills; and plan individual therapy programs, often working as part of a medical team. Their clients are all ages and can range from a stroke victim relearning daily routines such as eating, dressing, and using a telephone to an accident victim learning to reuse impaired limbs before returning to work.
To restore mobility and dexterity to hands disabled by injury or disease, occupational therapists teach manual and creative skills through the use of crafts such as weaving, knitting, and leather working. They design games and activities, especially for children, or make special equipment or splints to aid the disabled patient.
Many part-time positions are available for occupational therapists; some occupational therapists work for more than one employer, traveling between job locations and clients.
In addition to hospital rehabilitation departments, other types of organizations that employ occupational therapists are rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, schools, mental health centers, schools and camps for handicapped children, state health departments and home-care programs, Veterans Administration hospitals and clinics, psychiatric centers, and schools for learning and development disabilities.
Most occupational therapists are women, but the number of men entering the field has been increasing. Because there are many opportunities for part-time work, this is a good field for people with family responsibilities.
Related jobs are physical therapist and respiratory therapist.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Occupational therapists usually work a 40-hour week, but this may include weekends and evenings. Those who work for schools have regular school hours.
Therapists spend a lot of time on their feet, and they may be subject to back injuries and muscle strains from lifting and moving patients and equipment. Therapists who give home health care may spend several hours a day driving.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Maturity, patience, imagination, manual skills, and the ability to instruct are important as is a sympathetic but objective attitude toward illness and disability.
Anyone considering this career field should have high school science courses, especially biology and chemistry. Courses in health and social studies along with training in crafts are also important. Volunteer work or a summer job in a health care facility can provide valuable exposure to this field.
A bachelor's degree in occupational therapy is required to practice in this field. Thirty-four states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia require a license. Sixty-three colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in occupational therapy.
Some schools offer a shorter program leading to certification or to a master's degree in occupational therapy for students who already have a bachelor's degree in another field.
Occupational-therapy students study physical, biological, and behavioral sciences as well as the application of occupational theory and skills. Students also spend from six to nine months working in hospitals or health agencies to gain clinical experience.
Graduates of accredited programs take the certification examination of the American Occupational Therapy Association to become a registered occupational therapist (OTR).
Potential and Advancement
There are about 114,600 occupational therapists with approximately 40 percent employed in hospitals. Employment in this field is expected to grow substantially because the public is becoming more interested and more knowledgeable about programs for rehabilitating the disabled. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the field will grow by 27% between 2014 and 2024. Job opportunities will be excellent on the whole.
Advancement in this field is usually to supervisory or administrative positions. Advanced education is necessary for those wishing to teach, do research, or advance to top administration levels.
Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational therapists earn, on average, $80,150 per year.
Additional Sources of Information
American Occupational Therapy Association, Rockville, MD 20850-4375
