Occupational Therapist Career Requirements, Outlook & Skills

An occupational therapist (OT) is tasked with helping individuals who have difficulties performing daily activities due to social, emotional, or physical issues. Occupational therapists have central roles in organizing healthcare and improving health and quality of life through the coordination of participation in meaningful occupations (Loh, 2020). The demand for occupational therapists vary from place to place but the requirements for a professional OT remain the same. They treat different population groups from children and teens to adults and seniors. Problems experienced by children that may require the services of an OT include assistance with fine motor skills, those struggling with learning disabilities or autism, children who experience difficulties eating, and those who need to learn how to self-regulate their emotions. Adults who may engage the services of OT include those recovering from surgeries or traumatic brain injuries, individuals with schizophrenia and need to get jobs, adults dealing with workplace injuries, those with poor visions, among many others. Occupational therapists treat seniors recovering from a stroke, those recovering from falls and need to remain at home, seniors with dementia or memory issues, people with arthritis, and the ones who need to adapt in their homes. Based on this information, it is notable that occupational therapists offer a wide range of professional services to diverse population groups. As such, it is important the requirements for anyone entering the field and the general outlook of the professional field. Thus, this paper analyzes the professional requirements for the field of occupational therapy, evaluates future outlook of the profession, and addresses expectations for fulfilling job requirements of the profession.

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Professional Requirements for Occupational Therapy

As highlighted in the preceding section, the job description and possible roles of an occupational therapist are numerous and engaging. They assist individuals to adapt or overcome effects of illnesses, injuries, or other physical and psychological barriers that hinder better quality of life. As such, it is imperative that occupational therapists meet the minimum requirements to practice in the field. From a broad perspective, the general requirements are that occupational therapists must graduate from accredited occupational therapy programs, be licensed to practice and pass the exam administered under the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The NBCOT exam is done after earning a master’s degree and it integrates evidence-based standards to ascertain the level of skill and knowledge of practicing individuals in the field of occupational therapy. After passing the NBCOT certification exam, the next step is applying for a license, which varies by State.  The finality of all this is that getting a masters degree is pivotal to starting a career in occupational therapy. Getting the degree requirement can be fulfilled in various ways, one of which involves getting a recognized occupational therapy program. This program is important as it helps an individual build their skills and knowledge in important areas that will be related to what they do in the future. Other than building knowledge and skills, the programs are significant as they prepare participants for all the necessary exams that will pave the way for them to become certified and licensed practitioners in the field. Thus, the key here is beginning with a graduate degree program that meets such requirements and needs.

Obtaining a Master of Science in occupational therapy is one of the most important areas to focus on to become a recognized and accredited practitioner. A minimum of two years is required to finish a masters program in occupational therapy. Throughout the period of attending the masters program, course subjects that are likely to be encountered include learning challenges and mental health, acute and chronic conditions, patient interventions and evidence-based practice, functional anatomy and neuroscience, leadership and enterprise, occupational perspectives related to population health, and many more (Oliver, 2022). To attain the best education in occupational therapy, it is necessary for students to look out for institutions that offer dynamic curricula and are well accredited. In this regard, it is important to seek programs that are accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association. One such program is Elmhurst University’s program. Other than offering important coursework areas for OT, the University’s program helps learners with service learning, collaborative research opportunities, and field experience. To obtain the master’s degree in the program, other institutions where students can get the program are Washington University, University of Southern California, University of Illinois at Chicago, New York University, among many others within the U.S and across the world. In most of the Universities, the admission requirements for a masters of science program in occupational therapy are similar. Most of the institutions require bachelor’s degree of the equivalent from recognized University or college, a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 minimum, an impressive academic record that balances mathematics, social sciences, humanities, computer skills, and both written and spoken English, completion of prerequisite courses from accredited colleges with a minimum grade of B-, and the individual must also meet the technical standards for the occupational therapy program (New York Institute of Technology, 2023).

Future Outlook of the Profession

The profession of an occupational therapist is among those that are commonly overlooked. The most important thing about the profession that makes me want to pursue it is the fact that it is service-based towards a broad population group that includes children, teens, adults, and the aging population. Within the United States and the world as a whole, it is notable how people are suffering from emotional, physical, and other difficulties that hinder them from doing their daily routines. Though the route of the problem cannot be totally eliminated, the place of an occupational therapist makes life easy and the individuals affected can easily adapt and try to live normal lives. Occupational therapy is a good career choice because other than getting the opportunity to help individuals at different levels of afflictions and different demographics, there are various options to choose from when settling on a specific specialization field within occupational therapy. Once one has become a certified and licensed OT, career choices can be in different work settings such as regional health systems, hospitals, assisted living facilities, private practices, schools, community clinics, home health, and skilled nursing facilities. The diverse work settings mentioned here make working in the field of occupational therapy a viable choice.

Recent statistics indicate that the demand for occupational therapists is projected to rise and as such, employment within the field of occupational therapy is expected to rise by 14% from 2021 to 2031 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). This growth in employment rate of occupational therapists is much higher than any other field. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics also points out that close to 10100 job openings for occupational therapists are expected every year over the whole decade (2023). This further indicates that more professionals will be needed as the demand is projected to keep rising. Though the statistics are partly attributed to many workers leaving the labor force or retiring, there are still many reasons indicating that people have always required the services of OT in various fields and this will make the demand for the therapists to keep going higher in time. Thus, the future outlook of the profession is bright with many opportunities expected to present within the field of occupational therapy as many people across the different states continue to seek the help and services of occupational therapists.

Expectations for Fulfilling Job Requirements

         There are certain expectations that are required of employees who are hired to perform occupational therapy duties. Other than the rigorous academic requirements involved, the profession is human-service based and as such, there are accompanying requirements that should be fulfilled alongside the aforementioned academic requirements. Given that occupational therapists promote the independence of their clients by evaluating and treating people with illnesses, disabilities, or injuries that prevent them from doing normal activities, one of the basic expectations to fulfill the job requirements is to have knowledge of physical therapy programs and to stay updated with current treatment practices. Knowledge of physical therapy programs is important for occupational therapists because the jobs they handle must usually be approached from a holistic perspective. Thus, the knowledge of physical therapy programs helps the occupational therapists to better integrate physical aspects of the patient’s conditions into the treatment plan. It is expected that occupational therapists should be able to work with clients to identify the strengths and different levels of weaknesses they may have in their daily lives. This implies that assessing a client’s physical condition, communication abilities, and cognitive skills are important as they help in the development of a holistic treatment plan (Indeed, 2023). They also expected to be able to provide advice to the patients and relevant support to the family members and other caregivers tasked with addressing the problem that the patients face. OT must also be familiar with the principles and techniques that enable support for rehabilitation and recovery processes. A general takeaway is that occupational therapists are not only expected to have rigorous academic qualifications, but must also be knowledgeable in key areas like the integration of holistic approach to addressing client problems, handling function and mobility of patients, skilled in rehabilitation and recovery techniques, collaborative care, and use of assistive devices. Other necessary skills that are required include patience, empathy, compassion, interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Conclusion

An occupational therapist (OT) is a practitioner who applies therapeutic skills to assess and help individuals experiencing difficulties living a normal life and doing routine duties due to illnesses, injuries, mental issues, or any other related conditions. The job description of an OT requires that they have sufficient knowledge in the field. After getting a bachelor’s degree, it is important to pursue a master of science degree in occupational therapy and take the NBCOT certification exam before applying for a license to practice in the state of interest. The demand for occupational therapists is expected to rise in the future and so is the work setting for the job. An employee seeking to offer occupational therapy services is expected to possess skills such as empathy, compassion, communication, and knowledge in areas like collaborative care, use of assistive devices, and an ability to implement a holistic approach to treatment.

References

Indeed. (2023). Occupational Therapist Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications. Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/occupational-therapist#:~:text=An%20Occupational%20Therapist%20must%20excel,for%20family%20members%20and%20Carers

Loh, S. Y. (2020). Occupational Therapy profession for women’s health-Challenges for its under developed services.

New York Institute of Technology. (2023). Admission Requirements: Occupational Therapy, M.S. New York Tech. https://www.nyit.edu/health_professions/occupational_therapy_admissions

Oliver, C. (2022). Study Occupational Therapy, why & how to study. Www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk. https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/subject-guide/occupational-therapy

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Occupational Therapists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: Www.bls.gov. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapists.htm#:~:text=in%20May%202021.-