<p>anyone doing occupational therapy?</p>
<p>Hi, hokiefan, I am an occupational therapist what would you like to know?</p>
<p>Hello MamaDrama, I am considering occupational therapy . Do you enjoy your job..what kind of things do you do on an everyday basis, what should i be strong in when considering OT as a career? After getting a Bachelor's degree how hard is it to find a job?</p>
<p>Hi, hokiefan27 you are considering an excellent profession.</p>
<p>I have been an OT for over 15 years and find it to be an excellent field. As with many health care jobs, it is only growing as needs arise with the general public.</p>
<p>OT programs are now entry level Masters (MOT) or Doctoral which will require 5 or 6 or more years of school depending on which school you select. They are finding there is just too much to fit in. </p>
<p>I graduated from Ohio State University which did not have rolling admissions to their OT program at the time I went there. You did two years of undergrad and then applied for OT program which involved 2 years and then almost a years worth of clinicals before you could sit for the national exam. Other schools such as Eastern Kentucky started a new class of students every semester.</p>
<p>As far as the actual field goes, one of the best things about is there are so many different fields you can practice in. Neonatal ICUs, schools, traditional rehab, geriatrics, home health, burns, wellness centers, research settings, psychiatric centers, hand therapy, Veterans Administration, the Army, head injuries, I could go on and on. If you get bored with a certain practice area, it is perfectly acceptable to go in a different direction.</p>
<p>I myself have gone in and out of the workforce multiple times in multiple settings as my family needs have changed.</p>
<p>It is very easy to find a job as an OT. I have no less than 3 recruiters calling the house every day, 5-10 Emails a day, and I'm not even actively looking for a new job at the moment. Those are all just blind solicitation. Frequent job changes are actually very common amongst therapist types (OT, PT, ST), I know some people who change jobs every 2-3 years. Therapy seems to be one of the only fields where frequent job changes don't look bad on your resume. People actually seem to expect it.</p>
<p>Pay is very competitive. You can find both salaried and hourly positions which both have their advantages and disadvantages.</p>
<p>You have to be pretty well rounded to be an OT. It helps to be strong in science, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and communications.</p>
<p>Much of the training is hands on so you have to feel comfortable touching other people. You have to be able to build trust with people quickly and prioritize. OT's work pretty independently as far as developing treatment plans so you have to think pretty quickly on your feet. You don't have to be particularly strong at math other than to the extent that you will need it for chemistry and physics courses you will need to get into a program.</p>
<p>When I applied to OT school, I think the average college GPA was 3.8 and about 1 out of 5 people who applied got accepted. We had to write an essay with our application.</p>
<p>Here's a list of current accredited MOT programs in the US.</p>
<p>OT</a> Master's-Level Programs - Accredited</p>
<p>If you like human behavior, are fascinated by how the body works, tend to be a good motivator, see lemons and make lemonade, and see instrinic value in all people no matter their issues, you would make a great OT.</p>
<p>Let me know if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>thanks very much mamadrama! I am seriously considering it and think it sounds like an interesting and unique career. I am trying to think if I have any other questions. If i get a bachelor's before going to specializing in OT what degree would you suggest?</p>