Jobs in Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy might not be quite what you think it is. While the name suggests job therapy, occupational therapists focus on helping people do the tasks needed for every day living. We will discuss what kind of work occupation therapy involves, who gets occupational therapy, where an occupational therapist might work, and what kind of education and background you'll need to work as an occupational therapist.

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DID YOU KNOW?

What does an Occupational Therapist do?

Occupational Therapists do a wide variety of work as patients develop motor skills and the ability to do things independently. People who are in occupational therapy might have a mental illness or be in physical rehabilitation from an accident, illness, or injury. They are either trying to develop the skills needed to adapt to every day living, or are trying to regain some motor skills needed to go back to being able to do things for themselves.

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FEATURED POSITIONS

Where do occupational therapists work?

An occupational therapist work environment might be in educational settings. Some children have developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy or other challenges that keep them from doing things like hand writing or holding scissors correctly.

Since some patients are adults on treatment plans, the occupational therapist might work at a nursing homes or travel to the homes of patients.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST BENEFITS

Occupational Therapy salaries

Occupational therapy pays well for being in a health setting without much in terms of stressful scenarios. Prospective occupational therapists should expect to start out at $80,000 and get paid upwards of $100,000 per year in a few years.

The salary offered to occupational therapists is reflective of the hands on people work they have to do. An occupational therapy assistant can also make $50,000 to $75,000 per year depending on their experience without getting a license.

Additional benefits

To us, a an occupational therapists work means a lot to the people who are affected by mental illness or physical problems.

The job itself can be very rewarding. Occupational therapists work with some people for a longer period of time while they are working in improving their daily lives. The result is seeing people grow as you work with them hands on.

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JOBS

Your in-demand specialty for Occupational Therapist jobs

Among the first requirements for most any career in the medical professionals field is a bachelor's degree. In the case of occupational therapists, you'll need a degree in some kind of physical science like biology or psychology.

These kinds of bachelor's degree lay the foundation to getting into a graduate school for a master's degree program in occupational therapy. A Master's degree in occupational therapy is part of the occupational therapy education program. The master's degree will also show a high level of education in the event you switch careers.

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HAVE MORE OPTIONS

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Some occupational therapy programs also work that you have worked in some way in a occupational therapy setting before being admitted to the program. This is partially a way to show you are serious about your career. Getting into an accredited occupational therapy program is a matter of getting good grades and finding the right program for you.

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Certifications for Occupational Therapists

The American Occupational Therapy Association offers some certifications and training courses so that occupational therapists can show their knowledge. These certification are also in specific categories like community, low vision, pediatrics, and working with the elderly.

The American occupational therapy association is overall a good resources for career planning and growth. There is also a national board of occupational therapy that offers an exam required to become an occupational therapist.

Getting started as an Occupational Therapist

Like most other professions in health care, states require occupational therapists to earn a license that can be per state or part of an agreement of states. The licensure ensures that the state knows you are practicing what amounts to health care on a healthcare team and have direct contact with the general public.