Explore Occupational Therapy – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapists (OTs) use purposeful, everyday activities as a means to help people who have physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities achieve independence. OTs work with other health care providers to evaluate patients and develop plans and goals to prevent or minimize disability and to help patients acquire skills necessary for productive and satisfying lives. OTs engage in a wide range of activities, including administering and interpreting diagnostic tests, teaching life skills, fitting and training of orthotic/prosthetic devices, and modifying environments.

Occupational Therapy Information Video

Field Description Occupational Therapy Programs and Licensure

Field Description

Work Setting

Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, including outpatient rehabilitation centers, hospitals and clinics, sports facilities, skilled nursing facilities, small medical offices, community and government health agencies, and home health agencies; very few work in private practice. Although most are involved in clinical practice, some OTs conduct research or teach in higher education.

Job Outlook

Certifications

Occupational therapists may advance their career with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Board Certification or Specialty Certification. Board and Specialty Certification are voluntary and signify to your peers, employers, and clients that you are a dedicated occupational therapy professional with expertise in your chosen certification areas.

Board Certification:
- Gerontology (BCG)
- Mental Health (BCMH)
- Pediatrics (BCP)
- Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR)
Specialty Certification
- Driving and Community Mobility (SCDCM)
- Environmental Modification (SCEM)
- Feeding, Eating, and Swallowing (SCFES)
- Low Vision (SCLU)
- School Systems (SCSS)

AOTA's Board of Specialty Certification
- Account registration is required to access the application.

Related Careers

Occupational therapy assistant (OTA), orthotics/prosthetics, social work, counseling, and human services assistant.

Occupational Therapy vs. Physical Therapy

Both Physical Therapists (PTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) interact with patients and have the ultimate goal of providing patients as much assistance to recover from injuries and/or to live as productively and independently as possible.

OT is concerned with improving the client’s performance in daily activities and optimizing their independence
OTs consider the patient not only based on their injuries, but how that disability could affect their developmental, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral abilities.
PT focuses on improving the client’s body movement
PTs are more direct in treating the physical source of the problem

Real-life examples:

PT: A PT would help a patient with a knee injury from playing sports through rehabilitation and rebuilding muscle groups so that the patient can regain his/her function of the knee.

OT: An OT would help a patient who suffered from a stroke and must learn to cope with the disability in their everyday lives such as teaching them to how to feed themselves again, tie their shoes, etc. (building both basic and fine motor skills).

Information is compiled from the following webpage: all Allied Health Schools. Please note that these are just some notable differences between the fields and are not intended to be comprehensive. It is important to double check with certain schools regarding pre-requisites and program specifics.

CATEGORY	OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST (OT)	PHYSICAL THERAPIST (PT)
Total Post High School Education	6-7.5 years	7+ years
Prerequisite Education	B.A. or B.S. if applying to doctoral-level programs; some master-level programs also require it; nonetheless, a bachelor's degree is strongly recommended	B.A. or B.S. is highly recommended
Direct Contact with Patients	May be required or recommended	Required (30 - 200+ hours) and letters of recommendation may be required from licensed PTs
Entrance Exam	GRE	GRE
Application Timeline	Standard	Accelerated
Residency	Optional (0.75 -1 year)	Optional (0.75 - 3 years)
Fellowship	None	Optional (0.5 - 3 years)
Degree or Certification Awarded	Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)	Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Salary (US National Average May 2014)	$80,000	$83,940
Financial Aid	WICHE-eligible	WICHE-eligible
Job Duties	Help patients with daily living skills and self-care tasks (i.e., "occupations") such as getting dressed Support patients with memory loss or other cognitive issues Make recommendations about adaptive equipment Advise architects and contractors about patients' accessibility needs	Diagnose physical problems restricting movement because of an illness or injury Use exercises and other techniques to ease pain and boost mobility and muscle strength Develop fitness and wellness programs aimed at preventing injuries and encouraging a more active lifestyle

Occupational Therapy Programs and Licensure

Years of Schooling Required to Become an Occupational Therapist:

6+ years of education

Undergraduate Preparation (~4 years)*;
Occupational Therapy School (2 to 3½ years);
Residency (¾-1 year, optional).

*A bachelor’s degree is required for students applying to doctoral-level programs. However, many schools at the master’s-level list a bachelor’s degree as a requirement for admission. For those schools that do not require a bachelor’s degree, completing a bachelor’s degree is highly recommended.

Choosing a Major for Professional Schools in Health

Degree Conferred

Upon completion of occupational therapy school, students are awarded one of the following

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (DrOT)

The type of degree depends on the program. All graduates of accredited programs are eligible to apply for professional licensure.

Occupational Therapy Programs in Hawai’i: Hawai'i Pacific University: Doctor of Occupational Therapy

HPU OTD Program Brochure

General Prerequisite Guide - UH Manoa

General Prerequisite Guide - HPU

Gap Year

Students may choose to take a gap year after they graduate with their undergraduate degree. A “gap year” is the period of time between the end of your undergraduate education and the start of your professional school. A gap year might be a year or more depending on each person’s particular circumstances. Students may choose to participate in longer-term engagement activities during their gap year. Taking a gap year would change when to apply to professional school, please see a PAC peer advisor to help you plan when to apply and fit in a gap year experience.

Gap Year Presentation Recording

Post-Baccalaureate and Special Masters Programs

There are a large number of Post-Baccalaureate and Special Masters Programs offered across the nation. Although these programs vary greatly in terms of degree offerings, course curriculum, and program duration, they are all geared to help students in preparation for professional school by taking relevant graduate-level courses or to meet the necessary prerequisite courses for their intended program.

Combined Degree Programs

Combined bachelor’s and master’s programs (BS/MOT) are offered at a select number of schools, providing opportunities for undergraduates who show a high level of commitment to occupational therapy an easier transition into the master’s programs. Upon matriculation into occupational therapy schools, further combined degree programs may be offered: MOT/PhD to combine occupational therapy with research or teaching; MOT/MPH to combine occupational therapy with public health; and so on. Combined degrees can be offered concurrently, sequentially, or in combination, and often extend the number of years in occupational therapy school.

The Licensing Examination

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is a national examination required for occupational therapy licensure in the United States. In addition, OT graduates may also need to be certified by a state agency and/or meet other requirements, depending on the state in which they intend to practice. All occupational therapists must be licensed to practice.

Home

Prepare