I want to be an Occupational Therapist!

• Be sure to check out some of the great videos scattered throughout this page, courtesy of YouTube. Each of them offers a unique look into the field of OT. There are more than these available on YouTube (by simply searching for "occupational therapy"), but I chose the ones I felt were most beneficial to highlight here.

In order to be an Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA), you only need an associates degree. If you choose to become an OTA, there are programs available for you to later train to be certified as an Occupational Therapist.

In 2007, a new standard was put in place requiring all Occupational Therapists to hold a Masters Degree. There are several different types of Masters' programs available. Often if you get your undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy, you can get your Masters' degree in less time. However, most programs also offer a "Professional Entry MSOT" program for those people (like me) who received their bachelor degree in a different field.

Click here for a full listing of accredited programs. Just choose the type of program you are looking for and you will be led to a listing of programs available by state.

Occupational Therapists are professionals who have received a bachelor's or master's degree in the field of OT. They have been fully trained in evaluation, intervention, and research methodology. (Note: In 2007, a new law was passed requiring OT's to have a master's degree.)

Occupational Therapy Assistants are trained in the technical aspects of OT intervention. They are highly adept at implementing the intervention plan, but are restricted from practicing OT without proper supervision. The degree of supervision required often depends on the amount of experience and expertise the OTA demonstrates.

As far as monetary differences, OT's can expect to make between $50,000 and $70,000, whereas OTA's can expect a more moderate salary between $35,000 and $50,000.

You need to check the details for all the programs you want to apply to, but in general, there are several general pre-requisites that almost all masters programs require. Here is a general list, just so you know what you might be getting yourself into:

• Biology
  
• Chemistry
  
• Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  
• Lifetime Development
  
• Public Speaking
  
• Medical Terminology
  
• Intro. to Psychology
  
• Abnormal Psychology
  
• Physics

While not all of these courses are required for every program, this is a general listing of common pre-req's for most programs. Every science class also requires the accompanying lab class. But do not let the intensity of the pre-requisites scare you away. If this is the career for you, the hard work it takes to get through these courses will be more than worth it in the long run. If you are on the fence, I strongly encourage you to find someone to shadow so you can get some first hand experience to help you make the decision.

Pre-Req courses can be very intense and scary. Classes such as chemistry, anatomy and physics are likely ones you have always wanted to avoid. However, I have stumbled onto a few tips you can do to lighten the load.

Spread it Out

Don't take five hard-core science classes in one semester. Obviously, that is a bad idea! Instead, look over the pre-req list and divide them up into sizable chunks. You can easily tackle one or two difficult classes in one semester, but try to balance it out with a few easier ones.

Change Your Approach to Education

Many of the Pre-Req courses require a more intense educational experience than most students are used to. Classes such as chemistry and anatomy can be very intimidating. These are some of the classes most students strive to avoid, so to tackle this hurdle, you will need a new approach.

The key is to take the word "can't" out of your vocabulary. The only thing you can't do is what you refuse to try. When you feel like you are biting off more than you can chew, spit it out, cut it up into smaller pieces and try again. Decide to be excited when you are challenged instead of afraid. A challenge means adventure, it's an opportunity for you to accomplish something you might never have dared before. Allow this to sink in and the adrenaline rush will help to push you through. Soon enough you will pick up lingo you never thought you could use without laughing and find that conversing more difficult ideas such as biomechanics is not so intimidating anymore. While it is entirely possible to survive the pre-req courses without this step, doing this will make those courses much more bearable and really go far in preparing you for the difficulty of graduate level courses.

Take Time to Chill

Yes, these classes require a lot of studying and memorization, but if you stress yourself out too much, you will not be able to recall the info on the exam- yikes! To avoid that catastrophe, take some time to chill. Find a new hobby, hang out with friends, do something mindless to help you veg. Get some physical exercise to relieve some of the stress hormones your body may be producing as a result of your studies. When your body is more relaxed, you will soak up information more efficiently and need less time to study!

Learn to Study More Efficiently

So, have you found yourself reading the textbook for hours and still have no clue what is going on? Obviously your study technique is a little less than efficient. Find study methods that are quick, easy, and, most of all, effective for you!

Many times taking your normal technique just one step further will dramatically increase your results. Do more than just read, read out loud. Then stop occasionally, look away from the book and explain in your own words what you just read. If you can explain it fairly well, go on. If not, review it once more. The more interactive you are with the material, the more likely you will be to retain it.

Cultivate a Determined Positive Outlook on Life

If you are not by nature an optimist, you will need to cultivate this attitude. Not only will it help you persevere during some of the educational hurdles you will face throughout the pre-req period, but it will also go far towards preparing you for a career full of difficult situations. OT's get the privilege of acting as a voice of positive encouragement into situations which often feel very gloomy to the clients. Practitioners who do not have a cheery disposition will find themselves frustrated with client motivation. In order for you to see real progress, you will need to believe for them that the goal is attainable.

Keep Your Eye on the Goal

Find activities to do that will help you remember why you are taking all of these pre-req courses. Shadow an OT once a month or blog about your ideas and questions as you approach this unique time in your life getting ready for grad school. Whenever you feel like you want to quit, do a quick Google search for Occupational Therapy and make it your mission to five five reasons to keep going. My favorite source of inspiration on the fly are videos on YouTube of OT sessions in progress. They remind me that one of these days, I will be serving people and playing a huge role in improving life conditions for some very special and amazing clients.

Just like any other highly skilled and dynamic career opportunity, the ones who succeed in OT tend to have certain similar qualities. Perhaps this phenomenon can be explained because of the challenges OT's face and their dynamic work environment in the ever-evolving field of Occupational Therapy.

So, what are these common characteristics common to most OTs? Check out the Profile of an Occupational Therapist.

I should point out that not all OT's have all of the characteristics. In fact, some of them do just fine without several of them. For example, more sub-specialties such as handwriting or rehabilitative services, may be more technical in nature and rely less on creativity. However, based on my own observation and interaction in the field, the majority of OT's do fit the general description in this personality profile.

"AOTA's initiative to obtain loan forgiveness for occupational therapists through inclusion in the Higher Education Opportunity Act came to fruition yesterday evening when the House and Senate both voted to pass the bill by wide bi-partisan margins... The bill now goes to the President to be signed into law."

Tim Nanof, MSW
Legislative Representative
American Occupational Therapy Association

You might be surprised to know that there are many, many, many sub-specialties available within the field of Occupational Therapy, and the list grows every day. This is because while the focus remains on finding the best therapeutic method to help the individual client achieve their highest level of functioning, the methods required are about as diverse as the clients themselves! With that being said, here is a general overview of just a handful of the sub-specialties available in OT.

Pediatric
OTs who work with children treat a wide variety of areas including, but not limited to, cognitive and perceptual problems, self-care skills, fine and gross motor skills. These may be caused by a number of related health problems including birth defect, developmental delay, mental or physical disorder, etc.

Geriatric
The main focus of Occupational Therapy in this stage of life is maintaining or regaining as healthy, active, independent level of functioning as possible.

Hand Specialist
For the OT who knows the upper extremities like the back of their hand, hand specialty can be very appealing. This area of OT focuses entirely on what happens below the forearm. This includes handwriting, fine motor skills, functional rehabilitation after a fracture or other hand injury. Some extra training and certifications are necessary to work in this specialized area, but it does not require any additional degrees.

Acute Care
OT's who work in this field must be ready for anything. Acute Care therapists often work in hospitals and provide evaluation and treatment for those in immediate need because of surgery or severe illness. OT's in this field often treat people who have been burned, had strokes, had hip replacement surgery, or some other trauma, disease, or condition. Often there is not sufficient time to get a full idea of the client's individual needs and environmental demands, so this area tends to be less client-centered and more focused on self maintenance occupations and safety precautions. For example, you may be called upon to evaluate an individuals ability to change their clothes, go to the bathroom unattended, and perform other grooming tasks in order to offer a professional opinion on the degree of support the client might need upon release from the hospital.

Like I stated earlier, these are just a handful of the specialties available in the field. As time goes on, the number is increasing to include the new and different activities that daily life requires. Several of these specialties are developing training and certification programs. While it is not necessary to have any certification beyond the NBCOT, certifications definitely help to fill out your resume and can assist in making you a more well-rounded medical professional.

I should also mention that in the field of Occupational Therapy, a specialty degree or educational concentration is not required. Any licensed, registered OT is able to perform a very wide range of services. Most OT's choose to specialize for practical reasons such as not having the resources available to accommodate any and every possible need they encounter within a single service environment. However, it is not uncommon for OT's to change specialties in radical ways. This ability to chart your own career path is a very unique opportunity among therapeutic careers.