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About Occupational Therapy

Your professional skills will help individuals of all ages who, because of illness, injury, or developmental or psychological impairment, need specialized assistance in learning skills to enable them to live life to its fullest!

Occupational Therapy Defined

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health and rehabilitation profession that helps people regain, develop, and build skills that are important for independent functioning, health, well-being, security, and happiness. OT is based on the use of everyday activities as the means of helping people to achieve independence. People physical, mental, or developmental disability as well as the geriatric population are treated by OTs, their primary focus is on:

• Performing critical daily activities such as: dressing, grooming, bathing, and eating.
• The skills needed to perform a person’s daily responsibility: caring for a home and family, participating in education.
• Seeking and holding employment.

Occupational Therapy may also prevent injury or the worsening of existing conditions or disabilities while promoting independent functioning in those who may otherwise require institutionalization or other long-term care. Because of this, occupational therapy keeps health care costs down and maximizes the quality of life for the individual, their family, and other caregivers.

Tasks of an Occupational Therapist/Occupational Therapy Assistant

Depending on your employer or work setting, your tasks may include:

• Aiding the growth and development of premature babies
• Creating learning environments of physically/cognitively challenged children
• Providing activities to build self-esteem in teens recovering from drug or alcohol abuse
• Adapting home environments for people dealing with the effects of illness of injury
• Re-teaching life skills to patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, etc.
• Developing community wellness programs across the lifespan
• Analyzing job tasks for an injured worker
• Conducting research to measure the effectiveness of treatment outcomes
• Teaching occupational therapy skills and methods to students and other health care professionals

Career Outlook

Students today can look forward to dynamic careers working in multiple settings with people of all ages. The demand for occupational therapy services is strong. Employment for Occupational therapy is expected to grow much faster than the average career. The December 3, 2010 online issue of US News and World Report lists Occupational Therapy is “one of the 50 Best Careers of 2011, [Occupational Therapy] should have strong growth over the next decade." For current information on salaries and job outlook click here: Bureau of Labor and AOTA.

Work Environments

Opportunities for change and variety characterize the outstanding range of career options in occupational therapy. Work environments range from public schools, rehabilitation hospitals, mental health hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physician practices, and homes health agencies. Some OTs/OTAs decide to specialize, teach, conduct research, or go into private practice as they progress in their career. In a 2010 survey conducted by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), it was found that today: More than two thirds of [OTs/OTAs] worked at one of three primary settings: hospitals, schools, and long-term-care/skilled nursing facilities. The fastest growing population is the elderly, resulting in an expanding job outlook with the geriatric population. Other growing areas of practice include: computer related injuries, development of premature babies, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, all which require extensive OT.

Salaries

Starting salaries for occupational therapy practitioners are extremely competitive. Salary increases in health care exceed those of most other fields. According to the AOTA’s survey:

• For full-time occupational therapists, the median annual salary was $64,722, though annual salaries ranged from a median of as high as $90,000 within the 90th percentile to as low as $45,000 within the 10th percentile. For fulltime occupational therapy assistants, the median annual salary was $44,000, with the 90th percentile reporting a median salary of $63,000 annually and the 10th percentile reporting $27,429 a year.

Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational therapy services are provided by occupational therapists (OT) and occupational therapy assistants (OTA). A master’s degree or higher in occupational therapy is required to be a Registered Occupational Therapist. An associate degree is required to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. Click here to learn more about associate, masters and doctoral degrees in OT.

Prerequisites

Schools typically require course work in biological and behavioral sciences. Each school had different prerequisites. Information can be found by searching the school’s website. Most programs also require volunteer or paid work experience with persons with disabilities prior to entering.

Educational Programs

To prepare for a career as an OT, you must:

• Complete an education program accredited by AOTA’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
• Complete fieldwork.
• Take the national exam given by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Occupational Therapy Schools in Wisconsin

The following is a list of post-secondary technical colleges, and universities in the State of Wisconsin:

• Concordia University
• Fox Valley Technical College
• Mount Mary College
• Madison Area Technical College
• University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
• Milwaukee Area Technical College
• University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Western Techincal College
• University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
• Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

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