Are you interested in helping others? Want to be the leader of a healthcare team? If so, consider becoming an occupational therapist (OT). Occupational therapists are healthcare workers who work directly with patients to improve their quality of life. It’s a rewarding career.

Did you know that occupational therapists are in demand? The employment of these types of therapists is expected to increase by 12% annually between 2022 and 2032. With the increased population and the retiring baby boomers, medical professionals are needed more than ever. And that goes for occupational therapists, too.

What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?

Occupational therapists are often confused with physical therapists because they perform similar tasks. However, while physical therapists work to improve pain and physical movement in patients, occupational therapists support patients who have physical limitations due to pain or immobilization. Occupational therapists do the following on a day-to-day basis:

Evaluate Patients

An occupational therapist will review the medical history of every new patient and go through examinations to determine what support the patient needs. These examinations can be both physical exams and questionnaires. For example, the occupational therapist can ask a patient who has a hand injury if the injury makes it difficult to eat and then test the patient’s strength of grip.

Another way that occupational therapists evaluate patients is in the home or workplace since the goal is to make a patient’s daily environment more accessible. Occupational therapists can evaluate patient homes to see if assistive devices, such as a wheelchair or walker, would be beneficial.

Support and Teach Patients

Once an occupational therapist understands a patient’s needs, they can show the patient new ways to perform everyday tasks. For example, if a patient can no longer use their hands to type at work, the occupational therapist can suggest using voice-to-text technology. If a patient needs to use new assistive devices, the occupational therapist can also teach the patient how to use the new devices.

Develop Treatment Plans and Assess Progress

Most occupational therapists keep thorough records of their visits with patients. This helps to create and execute a treatment plan that gives the patient goals to achieve. For example, if a patient who has recently suffered from a stroke must learn new ways to eat, bathe, and dress by themself the occupational therapist can come up with a muscle strengthen program or alternative ways to perform tasks of daily living. Once each goal is achieved, the occupational therapist will reevaluate the patient and decide if adjustments should be made to the treatment plan or if new goals should be added.

Communicate with Others

Occupational therapists communicate the progress of their patients to fellow healthcare workers, such as doctors or social workers. In some cases, the occupational therapist may need to communicate with other members of the patient’s community, like family members, teachers, or employers, to educate them on how to support the patient.

How Can I Become an Occupational Therapist?

There are multiple steps to becoming an occupational therapist, and the process of education and examination may take many years. However, having the right education is vital to ensure you are qualified to work with patients.

Step #1: Earn a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree

Earning a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is the first step to becoming an occupational therapist. While there is no set requirement on what type of degree you will need, most graduate programs prefer students to hold a bachelor of science degree in a healthcare-related topic such as anatomy, physiology, or biology.

Step #2: Complete Observational Hours and Take the GRE

While it is not always required, most universities prefer occupational therapy students to complete observational hours and take the GRE (graduate record exam) general test. Observational hours may be earned by shadowing an occupational therapist in a practice or volunteering to work alongside other healthcare professionals. To prepare to take the GRE, you will need to ensure you have high verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills, which are developed during time spent studying for a bachelor’s degree.

Step #3: Gain a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy

After completing prerequisites, you can apply to join the master’s in occupational therapy program at CBD College. The master’s degree in occupational therapy can be completed in as little as two years.

Step #4: Pass the NBCOT Exam

Occupational therapists are more attractive job candidates to employers when they earn a certification from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). To become board-certified, occupational therapists who have earned their master’s degree should take the national certification exam and then keep up certification renewal annually.

Step #5: Obtain Proper Licensure

In addition to obtaining NBCOT certification, some employers require occupational therapists to have a state-issued board of occupational therapy licensure too. In most states, this licensure is given to occupational therapists who have work experience or who have already passed the NBCOT examination.

In the state of California, an application to obtain an occupational therapist license may be done online. Requirements for California’s licensure include a fingerprint scan and either experience working in occupational therapy during the past five years, completion of 40 continuing educational hours within the past two years, or completion of the NBCOT exam.

Master of Occupational Therapy Program

Graduates of CBD College’s hybrid Occupational Therapy program develop expertise in designing and implementing evidence-based treatment plans. Through comprehensive coursework and clinical experiences, over the course of 29 months, you’ll acquire the skills to empower individuals across all ages to overcome challenges and achieve optimal well-being.

Contact us now to learn more.