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Occupational Therapy

Description of Profession

* OT is a health, education, and human service profession. Certified OTs work with people of all ages to enhance their performance of important every day activities despite the effects of illness, disability or injury. OTs call every day activities "occupations" and believe that for people to be healthy and happy they must be able to engage in a wide variety of basic and complex occupations.

*OTs utilizes a variety of strategies and is a skilled problem solver who is committed to finding ways to enable people to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives. OTs use a holistic approach in considering all aspects of the individual's life. In addition to concern about the client's physical well-being, OTs address psychological, social, and environmental factors. This unique perspective makes OTs an important member of the human service and allied health professions.

*There are many objectives that a therapy program seeks to accomplish, but all have the ultimate goal of maintaining, increasing, or adapting the client's ability to function independently. OTs interact with clients to assess and evaluate existing performance, set therapeutic goals, develop a plan of action and implement treatment to enable the client to better function in her/his world. OTs use occupation as the result as well as the means to the end by using meaningful activities in therapy.

*OTs document the client's progress and communicate treatment specifics to other health care professionals as well as to the client's family, teachers and agencies with whom the client is involved. It is important for OTs to establish a relationship of mutual trust with clients. This is a valuable therapeutic relationship that plays a key role in the client's treatment. OTs do not "do for" clients; rather they guide, facilitate and empower each client to participate in her/his own treatment.

*Settings in which OTs work include: hospitals, home health agencies, mental health agencies, long term care facilities, schools, industry and private practice.

*OTs often work as a team member with other professionals such as: physical therapists, speech/language therapists, teachers, paraprofessionals, and nurses .

*The job outlook for OTs is excellent and the need for OTs is expected to continue to grow. According to the AOTA, a 34% increase in employment is expected between 2004 and 2013.

*To become on OT after completing a Bachelor's degree, one must complete a graduate level professional program. Graduate programs (MOT and MSOT) are 2-3 year programs that include 6 months of mandatory internships after completion of class work.