Occupational Therapists as a Career
Choose a career in healthcare as occupational therapist to improve the life of people from all the age groups- old to new born. It is a vibrant career with growing opportunities. Occupational therapy is a career for individuals who care about people and have a desire to learn, achieve, and contribute their best to society and the profession.
OT's ultimate goal is to help their clients lead independent, productive and satisfying lives.
They work with people of all ages to help them overcome the effects of disability caused by physical or psychological illness, aging or accident. The profession offers enormous opportunities for career development and endless variety.
Skills Required to be Occupational Therapists
Communication skills: Occupational therapists must have good communication skills to be able to explain clearly what they want their patients to do.
Compassion: Occupational therapists are usually drawn to the profession by the desire to help people and improve the daily lives of others.
Interpersonal skills: Occupational therapists spend their time teaching and explaining therapies to patients, they should inspire trust and respect from their clients.
Listening skills: Occupational therapists must be able to listen attentively to what their patients tell them.
Patience: Dealing with injuries, illnesses, and disabilities is frustrating for many people. Occupational therapists should be patient in order to provide quality care to the people they serve.
Writing skills: Occupational therapists must be able to explain clearly to others on the patient's medical team what they are doing and how it is going.
Role of Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists typically do the following:
- Evaluate the patients conditions and needs.
- Plan treatment for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished.
- Help people with various disabilities with different tasks.
- Demonstrate exercises that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions.
- Evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and identify how it can be better suited to the patient’s health needs.
- Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient
- Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct patients how to use that equipment.
- Assess and record patients’ activities and progress for evaluating clients, for billing, and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers.
Study programmes in Occupational Therapy
Candidates interested in Occupational Therapy as a career option can pursue the coursework as Diploma/Associate Degree/Bachelors/Masters etc. There are also options available to pursue research work leading to award of PhD degree etc. Occupational Therapy as a programme is offered worldwide from healthcare institutions, medical colleges, universities and many other institutions. To find study programme in Occupational Therapy go to
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