OT usually provides treatment for children or adults, and sometimes helps the elderly. But in all cases, their job is to show customers how to bypass or overcome personal restrictions and get a better life experience. Ambitious OTs people should know what they need to work in this field and what kind of education they need.
The job of an occupational therapist
Occupational therapists can provide guidance for people with developmental disabilities, age-related diseases, physical disabilities, mental illness, emotional struggles or social problems. According to practitioners, the goal of occupational therapy is to help those whose health status has impaired their ability to survive and develop.
Adriane Ransom, a pediatric occupational therapist with a master's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Southern California, wrote in an email: "As an OT child, my day includes completing the treatment plan and using table games, obstacle courses, arts and crafts to help our children learn fine motor skills, motor coordination, sensory processing, social participation, dietary challenges, attention and executive function skills."
"A lot of things we do look like we're playing. You will find us jumping on various swings, using climbing equipment, diving into ball pits, zippers at high altitude and trampolines. I communicate with parents and caregivers every day to learn about their children's progress in achieving rehabilitation goals and what they can do at home to help them pass on their skills. "
Employment prospects of occupational therapists
According to the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor, the number of people engaged in occupational therapy is increasing rapidly, which is more than three times the average growth rate of 5% of other occupations in the United States. The bureau predicts that the number of overtime workers will increase by 18% in 2028 compared with 20 18.
In addition, aspiring occupational therapists can expect high-paying jobs. According to the data of the Bureau of Statistics, the median annual salary of occupational therapists in the United States was $84,270 in May 20 18.
How to enter the occupational therapy graduate school and enter this industry?
Occupational therapists say that their profession needs both interest in science and sympathy for people in pain. Experts say that this profession also needs problem-solving skills, because OT's job is to help medical patients cope with serious obstacles-which means OT must be able to imagine solutions to difficult problems.
Beverly Moskowitz, an occupational therapist with more than 40 years of experience and a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, said that anyone who wants to engage in occupational therapy needs to show enough perseverance to win a place in this hot professional field.
Moscovitz pointed out that the professional places offered by OT Graduate School are in short supply, so applicants need to prove their abilities in science and mathematics in order to stand out among many applicants. They also need to prove their ability as logical thinkers and their ability to communicate effectively when speaking and writing.
Moscovitz is the president and CEO of Real OT Solutions in Philadelphia. He said that it is "necessary" for any student who wants to learn OT to practice with an occupational therapist.
Experts say that applicants should get as much volunteer service experience as possible in the OT treatment clinic. Ideally, applicants from OT Graduate School will voluntarily participate in various types of occupational therapy practices, from veterans' hospitals to pediatric outpatient facilities to hand treatment centers, because there are many types of clinics.
Lanson, the owner and director of Bloom Pediatric Occupational Therapy Clinic, wrote in an email: "We have received a large number of applications from college students, who want to join us as volunteers to accumulate experience in pediatric occupational therapy."
She said that college students who volunteer to participate in ransom can stand out in many ways.
"Our volunteers hope to get a strong recommendation letter to support their application for graduate programs. In order to do this, in addition to volunteering to work with us for a while, they must also find ways to shine. Some are because of intuition, some are because of strong professional ethics, some are because of cheerful personality, and some are because of these. "
Lanson added that an OT applicant's undergraduate course will also affect his or her feasibility of applying for graduate school. She said: "A bachelor's degree in psychology, biology or other hard sciences can give students a competitive advantage. Human development courses, anatomy, physiology and sociology are also very helpful. "
Ranson said that it would be ideal for universities and colleges to help applicants apply if they could clearly explain what aroused their interest in occupational therapy and perfectly convey this information in their written applications.
Quinn Tyminski, a lecturer in occupational therapy and psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis, has a doctorate in occupational therapy. He pointed out that a master's or doctor's degree in occupational therapy is enough to become OT, so future students should apply for occupational therapy programs that suit them.
She said: "A master's degree is what you need in clinical practice, so if you want to go out and practice on the world stage and become a practical OT, it is most beneficial for you to get a master's degree." She added that a doctorate is most suitable for individuals who want to become clinical researchers, scholars or engage in administrative positions such as OT project development.
Teminsky said that no university major is a compulsory course for OT schools. However, she said that OT postgraduate courses usually have academic prerequisites, including various basic science courses at the university level, such as anatomy, chemistry and physics, so it is important to complete all these undergraduate courses.
Reasons for considering postgraduate courses in occupational therapy
Occupational therapists say that their work may be very meaningful and beneficial to their own development.
Teminsky said that she went to graduate school to become OT because she was interested in sports-related careers, because she was a competitive figure skater.
Teminsky majored in sports science at the university. She pointed out that during her undergraduate course, she worked with a school occupational therapist who helped disabled children. She recalled that it was exciting to witness that person's work, which she described as a "beautiful combination" of life-changing physical and emotional therapy.
She said: "Occupational therapists help people do what they need and want to do every day. These things can be anything, from brushing your teeth to going to the toilet, cooking to taking care of children, looking for a job (and) taking public transportation. Anything you do during the day, our job is to authorize your actions. "