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Career Your journey into the fulfilling world of occupational therapy starts here.
become an ot/ota About the professionOccupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
become an ot/ota Pass the examIn order to practice in the United States, you must pass the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) examination. State licensing requirements vary, so make sure to consult your state’s occupational therapy regulatory agency.
BECOME AN OT/OTA Frequently asked questionsAbout Occupational TherapistA career as an Occupational Therapist may well be one of the more challenging yet rewarding job profiles in the industry. As an Occupational Therapist, you will deal with different types of patients who wish to regain full or partial functionality of their physical body. The career path of an occupational therapist comes with immense scope for career satisfaction as being able to make a difference in the lives of the patients and those in pain, can be life-changing. However, discipline, good control over oneself and the ability to work under pressure are among the few requirements of the career path. Therefore, if you wish to build a career out of helping people in need and improving the overall quality of life in society, then a career as an Occupational Therapist is the right choice for you. Eligibility to become Occupational TherapistCandidates wondering 'How to become an Occupational Therapist?' must follow the academic requirements of the field. As is the case for many paramedical courses, all aspirants must carry a valid degree in the field of Occupational Therapy. Like many other medical and paramedical fields, you will also be offered to pursue a specialisation in the field of Occupational Therapy, which would require additional academic qualification, as will be discussed below. For a career path in the field of Occupational Therapy:
For those wishing to specialise in any one of the branches of occupational therapy:
Types of Job Roles Occupational TherapistAs an Occupational Therapist, there are various job roles and job profiles that are offered to graduates of the course. Inevitably, the level of academic and professional qualification will determine the kind of the job role or profile will be offered to an individual in Occupational Therapy. Here is a list of some of the popular job roles and profiles that you may come across while pursuing the respective career: Occupational Therapist: A job of an Occupational Therapist requires them to acquire medical data of the patient, analyse, plan and take the necessary steps, such as changing the immediate environment of the patient like their house, in order to successfully help the patient function normally. Occupational Therapy Assistant: The job role of an Occupational Therapy Assistant is to assist an Occupational Therapist in all the different therapy sessions. The job role is best suited for fresh graduates of an Occupational Therapy Course as candidates will receive first-hand training and on the job techniques from more qualified and experienced Occupational Therapists. Physical Rehabilitation: One of the more common Occupational Therapist job profiles is the Physical Rehabilitation profile. Under this, graduates are asked to treat and help regain physical bodily functions of patients. This is a more dynamically-natured profile, as OTs will be asked to come up with plans and procedures depending solely on the unique issues of their patients. Paediatrics: Paediatric Occupational Therapy is the field where the OT will assist a child in successfully undertaking daily routine. As a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, a graduate will deal with children who have learning, mental or physical disabilities, and assist them functioning normally with ease in day to day routine. Mental Health Therapist: As a mental health occupational therapist, graduates will deal with clients who are unable to overcome their mental disabilities. The job role requires the OT to completely understand the effects of various mental health disorders or issues which affect the occupational functioning of a client. Geriatric Occupational Therapist: Geriatric Occupational Therapist, as a job profile would require you to work with senior citizens of society and help them cope with old age and the physical restrictions that come with it. As an OT, it would be your duty to assist them and provide alternative solutions to Alzheimer’s and arthritis, etc. Employment Sector/Industry for Occupational TherapistThere are a plethora of job opportunities in the healthcare industry of India for Occupational Therapists. Among the major sectors where Occupational Therapists will be able to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy include the following:
Responsibilities of an Occupational Therapist
Planning to choose Occupational Therapist as your career?Pay Scale/Salary of Occupational TherapistThe salary of an Occupational Therapist would depend on various factors including the job position, the area of employment as well as the field of expertise chosen. Moreover, the level of academic qualifications and overall skill level of the candidate would affect the annual package of an Occupational Therapist. Check out the detailed annual salary commonly offered to occupational therapists in India.
Note: The details provided in the table above are purely for reference purposes. The actual salary and annual packages differ on various parameters and from organisation to organisation. Books & Study Material to Become Occupational TherapistWhile pursuing a career as an Occupational Therapist, you will be required to have a firm grasp on different aspects of the field. While you can depend solely on the books and topics taught during your graduation and/or post-graduation books, from a career perspective, one must read more books pertaining to their field, i.e Occupational Therapy. Here is a list of books that you must take into consideration while studying for the course:
Pros of becoming a Occupational Therapist
Cons of becoming a Occupational Therapist
Top Colleges to pursue career as Occupational TherapistWhat is the qualification for occupational therapist?The eligibility to become an occupational therapist are: Aspiring candidates need to pass the 10+2 level with a minimum of 55% marks. Students must have an academic qualification of a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from a recognized institute with an aggregate of 50% marks.
What degree do most occupational therapists need?A master's degree is required to become an occupational therapist. Students can either earn a bachelor's degree in a related field, like biology or physiology, before advancing to a master's program, or they can apply for a combined bachelor's/master's program.
How many years is ot course?The duration of certified study for the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Course (B.O.T.) shall extend over a period of (4) four academic years and (6) six months of compulsory Rotatory Internship.
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