Occupational Therapy Degree

What to Expect From An Occupational Therapy Degree

If you’re considering a career in the medical field, but don’t want to be a doctor, dentist or nurse, then an occupational therapy degree might just be the answer you’re looking for.

What Do Occupational Therapists Do?
The first step in deciding whether an occupational therapy degree is for you is understanding what, exactly, occupational therapists do.
Essentially, occupational therapists assist people with mental or physical disabilities to learn how to live as normal a life as possible. That might mean helping them to rehabilitate after an accident, or it could mean teaching them the skills they need to live independently or semi independently.

A Holistic Approach
Unlike doctors, who focus mainly on the physical, and psychologists, who specialize in the mental, an occupational therapy degree, and a career in the field will require you to address both physical and mental concerns and problems.

As an occupational therapist, your job will be to assess the needs of each individual patient, and then implement a treatment plan, with the assistance of aides and assistants. This plan may include coping skills, physical exercises, and even helping patients to relearn skills like walking or talking.

Degrees and Job Options
If you feel that you have the aptitude and desire to help people, by entering the occupational therapy field, then there are a few routes open to you.
To become an assistant to an occupational therapist, you will need an associates degree. If you want to become an occupational therapist, you will need to have a masters degree. Aides, on the other hand, often have only a high school diploma, and some degree of career specific training.
Because occupational therapists work with everyone from the very young, such as children with learning disabilities, to the elderly, such as post stroke patients, and everyone in between, there is a large demand for skilled practitioners in hospitals around the world.

Whichever occupational therapy degree you choose to pursue, you’re likely to find that there are many great job opportunities out there, and that depending on how well you do at college, it’s both an emotionally and financially rewarding job.

What to Do If You Are Considering an Occupational Therapy Degree
If you’ve decided to pursue an occupational therapy degree, the first thing you should do is speak to a career counselor. They will be able to advise you on whether you have the entrance requirements for a degree course, or how to get them if you don’t.

Look for schools in your area that offer occupational therapy degrees, or, if you’re a top student, consider applying to one of the top colleges in the country that offer occupational therapy degrees. There are also scholarship and financial aid packages available in most cases, so if you’re really dreaming about a career as an occupational therapist, not even financial considerations should hold you back.

This is, as with any college degree, a demanding course, that will require you to make a commitment for several years, as well as undertaking internships and practical training, however, it is a rewarding professional career. If you’re sure, then why not go for it!