Occupational Therapist - myFootpath

Occupational Therapy Basics
Occupational therapists use their unique training to help their patients function better in the world. Because patients may have any number of physical, mental, or emotional problems that prevent them from successfully navigating their environments, an occupational therapist must constantly create unique therapies for each client.

These therapies may include physical exercises to increase strength, flexibility, and dexterity; computer games to improve memory; or even life skills training, such as how to work around a disability in order to dress or cook, to make everyday tasks easier. The ultimate goal of the occupational therapist is a patient who, through special instruction and careful practice, is able to increase his quality of life.

Occupational therapists may work with a variety of clients or specialize in a particular condition or population. For example, they may work with children born with certain debilitating conditions such as cerebral palsy in order to help them learn good habits that will serve them throughout their lives.

Occupational therapists may also work with stroke victims, to help them relearn the skills that the stroke may have impaired, such as walking, speaking, or writing. No matter what they do, all occupational therapists must keep meticulous notes that chart their patient’s progress. Not only do these notes help them plan and follow through on a course of treatment, but they are also often required for insurance purposes.

How to Get an Occupational Therapy Degree
Occupational therapists must earn at least a Master’s degree to enter into the field. Relevant undergraduate degrees may be in biology, liberal arts, anatomy, or anthropology. Most occupational therapists must complete a certain number of field work hours in order to graduate.

All states regulate occupational therapists and require some form of licensing, often earned after graduation by passing an exam. Some states also require their occupational therapists to complete a certain number of continuing education credits each year.

There are also occupational therapy assistants who work under the direction of an occupational therapist.  Some schools have programs that prepare students for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Certification Examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants.

Featured Campus School for an Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree:

• Brown Mackie College - Request Information

Compatible Personality Traits
Very empathetic, excellent communicator, people person, trustworthy, creative, problem-solver, gentle, caring, patient, able to work in a variety of settings, willing to work odd hours.

Salary Expectations for an Occupational Therapist
The average salary for occupational therapists is $66,780 a year, with the middle fifty percent earning between $55,090 and $81,290. Those working in home health care services average a little higher at $74,510 a year, while those who work in elementary and secondary schools average less at $60,020.

Occupational therapists with more experience may be able to supervise aides and beginning therapists, thereby earning more money.

Job Outlook for an Occupational Therapist
The job outlook for occupational therapists in the coming years is excellent for a variety of reasons. As the population ages, older adults will need varying degrees of occupational therapy in order to function in the world, especially after major falls and strokes.

Furthermore, because modern medicine is able to save many people who in the past would have been too ill or injured to survive, occupational therapists will be needed to rehabilitate these individuals. Those licensed occupational therapists who are willing to work with elderly populations or who have a specialized treatment area have the best prospects for finding good jobs.

Occupational Therapist Associations and Resources
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
Occupational Therapy Association

Slightly off the Footpath
Nurse
Home Health Aide
Physical Therapist
Chiropractor
Athletic Trainer
Dietitian

Source

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm