Occupational Therapy Degree

Occupational therapy is performed by that professional with an occupational therapy degree, and whose duty is to assist individuals with conditions that inhibit or restrict the ability to perform tasks necessary to maintain a normal life. They also work to help people develop essential skills or to recover skills lost through illness or accident. The disability may be physical, mental, emotional, developmental, or a combination of these.

• The term “occupational” therapist is misleading. The “occupations” referred to are the three components of life which include work, play, and the ability to care for oneself. To determine the best course of action for the individual, the occupational therapist will assess the client to develop actions designed to improve each of these occupations.

• Some of the most common therapies performed are those intended to improve or increase motor functions and overcome deficiencies. They work closely with spinal cord injury patients, providing support and instruction for completing daily tasks. These therapies could be as simple as implementing new or different ways to hold a pencil. They could be as complex as helping develop interpersonal skills with the goal of improving social functioning abilities. They also work to determine possible actions that could impair health or safety within each of the occupations. Life contains inherent risks. The qualified occupational therapist is charged with identifying those risks and providing clients with tools to minimize them.

• To become an occupational therapist requires specialized training. A master’s degree is usually the minimal degree for a certified occupational therapist. Occupational therapy programs are competitive. Almost without exception, accredited programs require above a 3.3 GPA for admission into their master’s program. Most programs also require letters of recommendation from professors or established occupational therapists. Pre-requisite coursework should be completed in the major biological sciences and in psychology and the social sciences. These direct-entry master’s programs will usually award an occupational therapy degree in about two years.

• Entry level positions exist for occupational therapist assistants. These programs are usually springboards for aspiring certified occupational therapists, and can be completed in two years. Similar to some other degrees, there exists a Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. These accelerated programs allow the student to earn a bachelor’s occupational therapy degree, simultaneously with the master’s degree. These programs take from five to six years to complete.

• Having earned an occupational therapy degree, work can be found in various settings. The largest employer of occupational therapists is the medical and surgical hospital. In this setting, therapists work with patients to adapt to a health change, or the loss of ability, such as sight. The effects of aging often require occupational therapists to help the elderly adjust to a new or changing living space. For this reason, nursing and extended care facilities are also major employers of occupational therapists. A number of public and private schools hire occupational therapists to provide support for students with disabilities. Some corporate jobs are available for certified occupational therapists.