An occupational therapist (OT) is the patient and kind person who treats injured, ill or disabled patients and helps children with developmental disabilities through the therapeutic use of daily activities.
As an OT, you help patients with disabling illnesses or injuries re-engage in daily activities. That means you work with patients who may be recovering from a head injury, stroke or car accident to relearn how to dress independently, style their hair or even play cards again. OTs focus on education and functional training rather than on pharmaceuticals or surgical interventions. Working with physicians, nurses, physical therapists and many other healthcare professionals, you help patients get back to living their best life as much as possible.
If you’re interested in becoming an OT, after earning a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need a master's degree. Make sure the occupational therapy program is accredited. In addition to classes in anatomy, assistive technology, medical and social conditions, patient care concepts and research methods. You’ll need about 24 weeks of field experience. All OTs are required to be licensed, which in addition to completing an accredited occupational therapy program and fieldworks, also requires a passing score on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.
