Occupational Therapist Jobs

by Amanda Fornecker

Getting a person's life back on track may be a stressful job, but it's certainly rewarding when a patient can complete tasks they previously had accepted as impossible. This is the job of an occupational therapist (OT). It is an OT who helps restore abilities to patients who do not have complete physical, emotional, or mental functionality.

Duties of an occupational therapist
Occupational therapists teach patients how to perform common tasks that most people take for granted. Dressing, eating, using a computer, and other common motor functions may be difficult for those who have been injured or are ill. An occupational therapist basically re-teaches patients how to complete these necessary tasks so they can be more independent. Each person has different needs so an occupational therapist needs to be able to work with a variety of people and adapt to different situations.

Where to find occupational therapist jobs
You will find occupational therapist jobs, in large part, at rehabilitation centers, where patients recuperate. Occupational therapists also can be found in hospitals, working a typical 40-hour workweek. Some OTs may even travel and provide home care for different patients.

Occupational therapist programs
There are many steps to becoming an occupational therapist. The minimum requirement for OTs is to have at least a master's degree in occupational therapy. They then must go on to do at least six months of supervised fieldwork and pass exams on both the state and national levels.

An occupational therapist program will prepare students to take these exams and get a firm understanding of the occupational therapy field so that they may provide proper care for their future patients.

Demand for occupational therapist jobs
The field of occupational therapy is expected to grow much faster than other occupations. By 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of occupational therapists should have increased by 23 percent. This large increase is due to the number of baby boomers who will increase the elderly population in coming years. Many will need occupational therapy so the demand for occupational therapists will rise.

Occupational therapy is a good field for those who want to go into medicine but may not want to go to medical school to become a doctor. It presents an alternative to regular healing. If you like science and want to help others, then an occupational therapist job may be the right fit.