I still plan on going into OT, I just want to be prepared for everything, even the negatives. Becoming an occupational therapist is expensive. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. ), and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see. I dont mind educating the general population on what we do at all, but I imagine after doing this for your entire career it could get tiring. How occupational therapy can help you. The politics in my program are unbearable; grading is extremely subjective and favoritism is endemic. Would I personally change my career choice? Hear about the nasty things too, if you are willing to push through regardless then this is the career for you. Depending on the regulations where you live, this. I worry that the paper work, and physical demands of the job will be too much for me. I let a client not pay for a session. This sounds right up my alley! Nobody else is trained quite this way and that's why we are valuable. Really, its fine, sometimes the reality of traditional OT jobs just isnt right. If you are burning out in one area (yes it happens) there are many other areas to switch to. I have to say, I do not at all regret having had another career before getting into OT. Thanks! You can certainly find a position, whether permanent or travel, but you might have to make the choice to leave a bigger city. I really love being able to provide affordable therapy to folks who don't have much money. I hate how OT services are viewed as a "privilege," creating a lack of accessibility, especially for clients living in rural areas. I would not take too much stock in the Indeed forums..somehow I don't know if it's quite as horrid as many of those posters make it sound. Press J to jump to the feed. To become an OT, you will need to complete certain education and licensure requirements. I agree with OTROX, if the majority of your exposure to OT is coming from these forums then you need to do a little more research on the career. He did great the first year with initial struggles. This is super common. As an occupational therapist, you'll need to: take a 'whole person' approach to each patient's physical and mental wellbeing by considering all their needs - physical, social, psychological and environmental assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment plans in hospital and community settings Every career has its ups and downs. Fewer and fewer settings are paying for this, so expect to pay for the courses. I found myself agreeing with 100% of what you said. I don't feel like the person 3 years ago that wanted to be an OT. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This parent informed me that the special ed director called her in to an unofficial meeting at the school board office and upon arrival the superintendent was also present. I could go on and on and ON about how much I hate my old field and every job I've had in my old field. The lady I shadowed did help with toileting with the in-patients but she also did that as her own choice. One of the most rewarding things I did when I was in the clinic was teach the "Back School Clinic" for small groups. I wish there were more OT forums out there. This is a subreddit to celebrate all things Occupational Therapy. Tips to Reclaim your Practice (OT Flourish Podcast). Ive found that hospital and clinic settings are the best for learning and for being around other therapists to help show you the ropes. Let me know what you guys think about this. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Maybe look at a change of role, maybe an emerging role. In postgraduate studies, it's possible to gain a Masters degree in one to two years. Among other unethical issues I have had. No particular college major is mandatory for admission to OT school, Tyminski says. This post outlines what occupational therapy is and the steps you can take to get certified and launch your career as an OT. If you have a disability, they will . ), and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see. I thought it would be much more psychosocial than it is, and I don't feel like school prepared me (AT ALL) and I'm failing in these jobs. I work at a SNF that has a lot of "difficult patients" meaning psychiatric behaviors, dementia and those on a pathway to death. Spending several hours in there, however, changed my mind entirely. For those considering a career in the medical field, but are unsure of the direction they should follow, occupational therapy can be a valuable opportunity. This can include treating inappropriate patients who do not need skilled therapy, keeping patients on for far longer than what is beneficial, over-treating the patients to bill for more minutes, and more. Abstract. Occupational therapy could definitely use a gender-diversity facelift. He lost his family preservation counselor that contracted to the school because of federal cutbacks and he was not given any additional support in the classroom. Many new grads get into positions where they are the only OT, or even the only therapist at times. Some can leave you feeling frustrated or even downright miserable. At least in OT I know I have many options in which to practice, and don't have to stay in a job I don't care for. We don't know. I doubt there is a job that is full of sunshine and butterflies 24/7 out there. We learn in school how meaningful our profession is (which it is!) I work for the government now. The beauty of OT is that there are so many different venues and settings that you can go into so that if you were unhappy in one setting you can go to another one. I've heard of this notorious indeed forum from Reddit and people say to pay it no mind. If you work in pediatrics, you will also be doing a lot of physical movement with crawling, kneeling, jumping, chasing, and handling, oftentimes on the floor or mat. Some institutions may require you to have completed set prerequisite subjects in your undergraduate degree. Occupational therapy can help you with practical tasks if you: are physically disabled; are recovering from an illness or operation Occupational therapy provides support to enable people to facilitate recovery, to overcome barriers during illness or disability which prevent them from doing the activities that matter to. Occupational therapy assistants work under the guidance of an occupational therapist, who conducts the client evaluation and assessment, then comes up with treatment goals and a big-picture plan for accomplishing them. But honestly, being an occupational therapist is hard. Please feel free to email me at sarah@myotspot.com if youd like to discuss this further. Many spokes on a wheel: Using our training, expertise, & skills to meet our clients' needs Our Values Because of this, your application has to be really strong to stand out among the massive number of applicants. Maybe in community organizing? Education staff can contact the School Advice Line: 0300 421 6976 on Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm (term time only). Yeah! I've also chatted with many OTs. Almost every setting has productivity requirements, with some settings less strict than others. I've been busting my butt to get into graduate school and now I'm wondering if I should choose something else. Average salary (a year) 27,055 Starter to 47,672 Experienced. So while you do get to provide meaningful treatments and help people achieve their goals, you will likely have to deal with the struggle of meeting your productivity on a daily basis. 1. Being accepted into an OT program is hard and very competitive. I love feeding therapy. I cant speak for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. I digress. I never would have anticipated how sick I would get during my pregnancy. My OT Spot uses cookies to improve your experience. Is it non-clinical? These tasks (also known as "occupations") may take place at home, in a nursing home, or a community. "They will remark disparagingly, 'I'm just a clinician,' I don't know what else I could do," Fork says. If anyone can provide further insight on that, I'd appreciate it. You Arent Alone! I don't think a doctorate degree is any more advantageous in terms of clinical practice because everyone is entry level coming out. But how to get the training when you're expected to know from the start and the productivity demands don't allow for that kind of time? Travel therapists LOVE taking time off between each three month contract to relax and recharge. The therapist and client form a therapeutic relationship. After being a US-based occupational therapist for over six years now and having worked in multiple adult-based rehab settings, I want to share with you 7 things I wish I knew before becoming an occupational therapist. I'm not sure it is wise but I'm excited about a career in OT. One of my first articles, 5 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Make Extra Money After OT School shows you other ways to make money to give yourself that extra day or two off a week. Mostly I am just worried about being a "glorified CNA." The ACOTE decision to move degrees is in abeyance as of September 2018: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation/acote-doctoral-mandate-2027.aspx. It's easier that way because he's more willing to cooperate. She was told my grandson might need to be taken off all his meds. This article has been incredibly helpful. Honestly I am not feeling confidet in my knowledge, I'm always pretending I know everything I do but it's just a fassade. You will find a Job that you like, I really believe in you OP! Mental health. And if you do decide to go back to school for something else later on, you'll still be able to make decent money doing home health on the weekends or per diem work as an OT. Getting the degree is an investment. Hi Carolyn thank you your comment was helpful! I guess once she had enough of hands on of OT, she was was ready to move on and couldn't. The disparity in financial compensation is just awful, honestly. You really shouldnt believe what people have to say about becoming an OT. Please note that we are not able to give specific treatment advice or exercises to do at home. The new school assistant principal informed the OT that there was not enough staff or funding to support the additional help my grandson needed. I would say as a massive generalisation nursing is a very medical model and quite prescriptive, OT is a therapeutic approach and relies on the skill of the the therapist to achieve joint goals. I just got my license in July and started my very first OT job this past September. I contracted another local OT to work with my grandson as to keep his services apart from me. And yet, despite making ABA therapy fun and positive, the underlying goals of ABA have not changed. If youre passionate about becoming an occupational therapist, you wont regret it! Hearing about running into problems with ethics to make more money for your boss, yet risking losing your job, is a huge issue for me. But that still depends on what a person wants from their career. Whether you are an OT, know an OT, want to be an OT, or just want to hang out with some OT's, you are welcome here. I'm sure there are good and bad OT jobs, just as there are good and bad teaching jobs, etc. Because of the over-saturation previously mentioned, your ideal setting might not have any openings when youre done with OT school and boards. A session generally lasts for one hour. You Arent Alone! Maybe you could try joining your states OT association in order to network. The purpose of the OTD is a management degree to help clinicians with experience learn more management oriented aspects of OT and to implement this in our field. 1. An OT is responsible for making ppl as independent as possible. Itsphysically demanding, mentally demanding (so much documenting! Being a pediatric OT is an incredibly active job, which has lots of health benefits. Im so glad I did, because I finally got that call back and am so grateful to be an OT in the hospital-setting. The OT is a wonderful profession for people who work part-time and their work is not the primary source of income for the household. Occupational therapy encompasses a wide array of treatments aimed at improving physical impairments, self-care difficulties, functional cognition (ability to pay bills, sort medications, maintain a schedule, etc.) I have been an OT for over 36 years, and although I enjoy working with clients, I find the paperwork excessive and unnecessary for quality of care. 2. Ive never been so finished. Leave your reasons down below. 5. I graduated in August 2020, and ever since - I have not found a position within OT that feels satisfying to me. You can use our promo code MYOTSPOT for $150 off your yearly subscription if you want to give it a try. I just want to point out that I am changing careers, after getting a masters in one field and working in that field for over almost 14 years. Answer (1 of 3): Not sure what you are currently doing for work. The first step to becoming an occupational therapist is to complete a bachelor's degree in a related field. Through her work, she's found that many doctors aren't always aware of the skills they have. These cookies do not store any personal information. 10. Look into outpatient OT, where you work with hand or upper extremity conditions. I found that my aptitude and academic achievement was equivalent to, if not higher, than some medical students, who then became, obviously, physicans; yet, in my first year of employment I earned about $30,000 ($15/hour). 5.) Occupational therapists treat patients who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Less expensive state schools are harder to get into, so you may have to choose a private school and pay an average of $80,000+ for your Masters degree, and over $100,000 for your Doctorate. It will make you a more well rounded applicant. As an occupational therapist, you have the opportunity to help people get their lives back when they cannot do it on their own. This post covers the most common reasons I hear of why OTs are frustrated or unhappy with their jobs. Try to make hair washing less of an ordeal, and you may find that your child is suddenly more adaptable to it as part of the routine. What OT topics are you most interested in? While juggling multiple PRN jobs might seem difficult, if your hospital has multiple areas, you can usually cross-train and stay within the same system. It's always good to go into a profession knowing the downsides of it. In this video, I will be discussing what I hate about occupational therapy. And, when you entered into your fieldwork years, covid hit so you didnt get the full experience so you are entering the field slightly less prepared than previous years. Alternatively, if you have already completed an undergraduate degree, complete a masters degree in occupational therapy. Join us, and you'll help more people live better lives by achieving their individual breakthroughs. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Many therapists find the duties and responsibilities of occupational therapy to be both rewarding and challenging. Thinking about ditching the profession altogether. Maybe you need to think about how to leverage that skillset outside of traditional healthcare? These four areas of study can enhance your knowledge of anatomy and how the body functions. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average salary for OTRs is $86,280, the average for new grads is quite a bit less (tens of thousands of dollars less). Being a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 17 years and Emotionally Focused Therapy Supervisor for 10 years, IMy specialty is executive coaching couples counseling. Thank you all! Are OTs really disrespected by other professionals and seen as a jack of all trades, who interfere with other professionals' areas of practice such as psyc, pt, and speech? I ended up liking it there. I personally love working PRN three or four days a week at times, while earning more hourly than the full time rate. Immediately I could smell the incontinence, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients. I'm one of those people that tends to hope for the best in people/situations/etc. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. You can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education courses for ideas. You can check an occupational therapist is qualified and registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) using its online register of health and care professionals. OT came to me like an epiphany and for the past two years I thought I was preparing for my dream career. Is it possible for the field to phase out? Prepare for your Exam. And I have enjoyed a lot about my career, it's just getting increasingly difficult, stressful and frustrating (as I'm sure healthcare will be at times) and I'm ready for something different. Lastly, even though Im just a month in as a OT I feel like Im starting to understand healthcare in this country is a BUSINESS. Having second thoughts. Are you or someone youre close to interested in becoming an occupational therapist? With rehab-based occupational therapists and COTAs, a big focus is transfer training. What I saw was that young OTs - (23-30) are much more likely to hate their job. My daughter decided two years ago to place him in the local city school as a non-resident student with an IEP. Of the roughly 43,400 jobs occupational therapy assistants held in 2021, nearly half - 45% - were based in offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists, according . MOT4ME, you've offered some helpful advice on these forums but this particular comment was very condescending and unnecessary. I am working through my BA at the age of 34. Oh no, that's so frustrating! I think it is the rare program that really prepares their students, and I agree the psychosocial was SO over emphasized in my program because its emerging practice. Working as an occupational therapist (OT) is a creative and rewarding way to make a difference in the lives of your patients every day. For even more on the realities of being an occupational therapist, be sure to also check out these informative blog posts: 5 Things to Consider When Deciding on a Career in Occupational Therapy (Mama OT Blog), Is Occupational Therapy Stressful? Answer: Depends on the setting. Unless you absolutely love OT and would choose it over being a M.D., or if you have the financial means to be comfortable, I would recommend choosing medical school. If you dont mind me asking, what kind of OT dream job did you land? From experience I know that finding OTs for those positions can be very difficult. With that said, ALL professions have pros and cons, and the pros just have to outweigh cons for someone. I just retired after 40 years as an OTR. If youre wondering if your city is saturated, check Indeed.com regularly and see if new job postings are listed, in addition to seeing how many OT and OTA programs exist in the city. Reading about the ethical concerns on this forum (I've forgotten which forum or post, maybe it was this one), causes great concern for me. Most of my years have been school based. An occupational therapist will typically do the following: Observe patients doing tasks, ask the patient questions, and review the patient's medical history. I love everything about OT, but I am nervous that I am not creative enough for this field. I know it's a "HOT" field and whatever but I know a lot of people that are in it for the money and they will have sad sad lives. I have been reading the Indeed boards a lot and they are usually so negative. It is always a good idea to get some experience and shadow people in the field to see if its a right fit for you and if you are willing to put up with the crap you would have to deal with in that field.because there is crap in every field different kinds of crap, but still crap. Thats where I got my mentorship. Crystal Smith, Occupational Therapist - Contact: csmith@skusd.k12.ca.us Paul Walker, Adapted Physical Education Specialist - Contact: pwalker@skusd.k12.ca.us Occupational Therapists: Use meaningful activities (occupations) to help children and youth participate in what they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being.

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