Thinking about career in occupational therapy - advice?

[Anonymous]

I am thinking about completely changing careers and have always had OT in the back of my mind. It would be a complete career change as I'm currently a computer programmer.

Any insight or advice?

[Anonymous]

Why the fuck?

[Anonymous]

I'm a special ed teacher, and I often look at the OT's at my school and think they have an awesome job. I think this could be a very rewarding career shift.

What kind of OT are you thinking of? Pediatrics? Adults? Geriatrics? Lots of different kinds of work.

[Anonymous]

I looked into it last year.

You need a Master's degree in OT. The programs are competitive to get accepted into. Depending on what your undergrad degree is, you might need to complete several courses before you can apply or be fully accepted into a program.

In some areas in the country, getting an entry level job right out of school can be difficult so make sure to check with the school on alumni placements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the fuck?

Why do ppl even bother to write stuff like this? Are their lives that unfulfilling and that they need to go online to insult others?

[Anonymous]

I wish I had done this when I was younger. How fabulous. I think I would have loved OT. Instead, I got a degree in Business, which didn't suit me personally, at all.

Most OTs I meet love what they do. How very rewarding this sounds.

[Anonymous]

Check out info through AOTA, the professional association for OTs.

A good friend was an OT for years. Second what PP said - you need a Master's degree. There are many types of OT jobs. Can be inpatient or outpatient rehab, geriatrics, vocational training, school based, etc.

My friend loved her OT career, but due to the changing healthcare landscape she eventually switched to another field. She felt pushed to see an extraordinary number of patients per day due to reimbursement structures, and was getting fatigued and a bit frustrated at the pace and the lack of time with each patient. But she loved the idea of OT as a profession, and had very good experiences with other professionals.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

My DH has been trying to get into an OT school. He was number 200 on the waitlist at the school he applied too. I'm sure many people are being drawn too it because it's said to have a low unemployment rate and good pay.