Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who specialize in helping individuals with disabilities or impairments achieve greater independence in daily activities. They provide therapeutic services to patients dealing with a range of conditions, including physical, developmental, or emotional challenges, by focusing on improving skills necessary for self-care, household tasks, and communication. Occupational therapists develop tailored treatment plans aimed at enhancing a patient's overall quality of life and functioning.
These professionals work in diverse settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and schools, often collaborating with other healthcare and educational professionals. They engage in hands-on treatment, patient assessments, and administrative responsibilities, including maintaining detailed records of patient progress.
To enter this field, individuals typically need to earn a master's degree in occupational therapy and possess strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills. The profession is seeing significant growth, with a projected employment increase of 12%, reflecting the ongoing need for support in physical and mental health. The average annual salary for occupational therapists is approximately $96,370, making it a rewarding career both financially and personally for those passionate about helping others.
Occupational Therapist
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Health Science
Interests: Health, biology, psychology, anatomy, record keeping, physical therapy
Earnings (Yearly Median): $96,370 per year $46.33 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 12% (Much faster than average)
Entry-Level Education Master's degree
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job Training None
Overview
Sphere of Work. Occupational therapists provide therapeutic services aimed at helping people with disabilities perform everyday tasks in their life and work. Occupational therapists treat people with temporary and chronic motor function impairments caused by mental, physical, developmental, or emotional issues. An occupational therapist may help patients with skills, such as self-care (dressing, eating), household care (cleaning, cooking), using communication devices, such as smartphones and computers, and basic activities, such as writing, problem-solving, memory, and coordination. Occupational therapists develop patient treatment plans that attempt to maintain, develop, or recover a patient’s daily functioning, productivity, and quality of life.
Work Environment. Occupational therapists work in settings, such as rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, occupational therapy clinics, and schools. In medical environments, occupational therapists generally partner with medical and social service professionals, such as doctors and social workers, to increase patients’ physical and mental abilities and overall independence. In school settings, occupational therapists partner with educational professionals, such as teachers and special education coordinators, to address the physical or mental issues of students with special needs. Occupational therapy is a common component of a special needs child’s individualized education plan (IEP). Occupational therapists generally work a standard forty-hour week, and scheduled appointments are the norm.
Occupation Interest. Individuals attracted to the field of occupational therapy tend to be physically capable people who enjoy hands-on work and close interaction with others. Individuals who excel as occupational therapists exhibit traits such as intellectual curiosity, problem-solving, a desire to help, patience, and caring. Occupational therapists must be good at science and able to work as part of a team to meet patient needs.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. An occupational therapist’s daily occupational duties and responsibilities include full days of hands-on patient interaction and treatment, as well as administrative duties. Patients seen by occupational therapists include those experiencing physical limitations caused by accident or injury, stroke, or congenital conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy; other patients may require services due to developmental delays, learning disabilities, or intellectual disabilities.
As medical or therapeutic professionals, occupational therapists interact with patients or clients on a daily basis. Daily work responsibilities may include conducting patient assessments, developing patient treatment plans, providing patients with special instruction in life skills, advising patients on the use of adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs or orthopedic aids, providing early intervention services to young children with physical and social delays and limitations, building adaptive equipment for patients with special needs not met by existing options, providing instruction in self-care such as dressing and eating, counseling patients on technical or physical adaptations that will allow the patient to continue to work at their chosen occupation, and meeting with patient treatment teams or patient families.
An occupational therapist’s daily administrative responsibilities include the record-keeping involved with patient evaluation and treatment. Occupational therapists must draft treatment plans, record notes following patient treatment sessions, provide written updates to patient treatment teams, and provide insurance companies with patient records and progress notes as required. Independent occupational therapists working outside of a school or medical clinic may also be responsible for patient appointment scheduling and billing.
Industrial Therapists (076.167-010). Industrial therapists arrange salaried, productive employment in an actual work environment for patients with disabilities to enable them to perform medically prescribed work activities and to prepare them to resume employment outside of the hospital environment.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Occupational therapists work in rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, therapy clinics, and schools. Therapeutic office settings used by occupational therapists may be shared with other therapeutic professionals, such as physical, recreational, or speech and language therapists.
Human Environment. Examples of patients needing occupational therapy to increase their independence and quality of life include people with balance and strength issues caused by cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, or muscular dystrophy; stroke victims experiencing memory loss or coordination problems; people experiencing mental health problems; and children or adults with developmental disabilities. Occupational therapists usually work as part of a patient treatment team that includes patient families, social workers, teachers, doctors, and other therapists. As a member of a treatment team, occupational therapists participate in frequent team meetings and are responsible for communicating patient progress to fellow team members.
Technological Environment. Occupational therapists use a wide variety of technology in their work. Computers and internet communication tools are a ubiquitous part of occupational therapy work. Occupational therapists often introduce specialized computer programs to patients who need help with their reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and sequencing. In addition, occupational therapists generally learn how to use and teach adaptive devices such as wheelchairs, orthopedic aids, eating aids, and dressing aids.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing the profession of occupational therapy in the future should pursue coursework in biology, psychology, anatomy, sociology, and mathematics to prepare for college-level studies. Students interested in the occupational therapy field will benefit from seeking internships or part-time work with occupational therapists or people with physical, developmental, or social problems that have an impact on their daily lives.
Postsecondary. Occupational therapists are typically required to have a master’s degree or higher in their field. Interested college students should complete coursework in occupational therapy, if offered by their school, as well as courses in physical therapy, special education, biology, psychology, anatomy, sociology, and mathematics. Students interested in attending graduate school in occupational therapy will benefit from seeking internships or working with occupational therapists, people with impaired functioning, or as occupational therapy assistants or special education aides. A student membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association may provide networking opportunities and connections.
Related Occupations
− Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bibliography
"Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023 29-1122 Occupational Therapists." US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291122.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Occupational Therapists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapists.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.