Over the last few weeks I have blogged on what it's like beginning with an occupational therapy degree, and activities for children and geriatrics that make therapy more enjoyable. The purpose for my blog this week is to discuss pursuing an occupational therapy program, and where you should begin. This blog is dedicated to the students out there who share a passion for occupational therapy (OT) and are having doubts or questions.
For many after graduation deciding which path to follow is one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever have to make. It is difficult for several varied reasons which include, mobility, financial stability, location, and personal happiness. If you are interested in pursuing an occupational therapy program there are many great schools out there who can meet your personal needs and many opportunities job wise. When looking at the many different programs, it is important to take several factors into consideration such as cost, education, and feasibility. When looking to pursue a career there are many different opportunities from working in a nursing home, hospital, schools, home health, or private practices. I hope by reading this blog you will have a better understanding of where you would like to attend an OT program and how pursue that perfect career.
To begin I feel it is important to have a proper understanding of what occupational therapists do on a day to day basis. I feel many people get occupational therapy confused with other professions. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. “Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science.”1 It is also important to understand the prerequisites and the GPA requirements of the program in which you are wanting to attend. These may differ depending on the school you are interested in so it is crucial that you find this information out before applying. It is also important to remember that all states require occupational therapists to be licensed. These requirements can differ depending on the state, but all require candidates to pass the exam by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Once licensed you must also take continuing education classes to maintain this certification.
Occupational therapy employment is growing at a constant rate and is projected to continue growing throughout the years. Due to occupational therapy being in the medical field there will always be a need for therapists. When looking to pursue a career there are many different opportunities to pursue from working in a nursing home, school, hospital, home health, or private practice. All of these are highly rewarding careers.
Once you choose a path down occupational therapy the second thing you need to do is figure out which school program works best for you. “These are the top occupational therapy schools in the United States. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions”. 2
Top schools:2
- Boston University- 4.6
- Washington University in St. Louis- 4.6
- University of Southern California- 4.5
- University of Illinois- Chicago- 4.3
- Colorado State University- 4.1
- Tufts University- Boston School of Occupational Therapy- 4.1
- Thomas Jefferson State University- 4.1
- University of Kansas Medical Center- 4.0
- Columbia University- 3.9
- New York University- 3.8
It is always important to compare programs when you have an idea of where you would like to attend, according to the website Gotta Be OT “once you narrowed it down to several programs you might want to attend, make a chart and write in each program. Then compare them across the following areas, prioritizing whatever factors are most important to you. If you have a lot of debt and want to attend a cheaper program, give the less expensive option more “points.” If you want to go to one of the most highly ranked programs out there, assign more value to the big name schools. Balance out your options and then get started on filling out your chart.”3
Although it is not always feasible it may be helpful to visit the colleges with the program in which you wish to attend. However, you can always gather as much information about the college as possible. There are always resources available online via the school in which you are wanting to apply that you can study or print off to help you make a decision. Below is a list of some things you should take into consideration whenever you are trying to decide on a program.4
- Accreditation
- Location
- Admissions rate
- Graduation rate
- Program cost
- Classroom size
- Internship availability
- Campus facilities
- Job placement rates
This list is pretty extensive therefore, once you do the research on each place, begin narrowing it down to your personal needs by the examples listed above such as price, feasibility, personal needs, etc. I hope by reading my blog you have a better understanding on what occupational therapy is and how to go about finding the perfect program that suits you! If you have any questions or comments feel free to comment in the feedback section of my blog.
References
1 What is Occupational Therapy?. (2017). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.aota.org/education-careers/advance-career/board-specialty-certifications.aspx
2 Occupational Therapy. (2016). Retrieved April 26, 2017, from www.usnews.com
3 Jones, L. (2017, January 3). Gotta Be OT. Retrieved March 26, 2017, from www.gottabeot.wordpress.com
4 15 Things to Consider When Choosing a College. (2016). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.collegequest.com/things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-college.aspx
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