Susan Said:

How do I go about getting a job as an occupational therapist aide with no background experience?

We Answered:

I have been an occupational therapist for over 6 years and love my job! It is such a rewarding career. It is great to work with people with all sorts of disabilities and help them reach their fullest potential. Another pro is you can work in so many different areas such as mental health, pediatrics, geratrics, ergonomics in the workplace, etc. The cons are like any job the politics that go on plus it can be physically demanding on your body depending on what setting you work in. Another con at least where I live is there is not a huge demand for COTA's compared to OTR. When I was going to school I was a home health care aide which really helped my skills to work on their activities of daily living. I would recommend looking into your local hospitals and nursing homes to see if they are hiring for a "rehab aide". Generally this does not require experience plus you actually get to work with physical, speech, and occupational therapy. A lot of rehab aides that I have worked with are going to school to become a therapist usually get offered a job at that facility. I wish you the best of luck!

Ken Said:

How is the job market for occupational therapist or OTA in St. Louis, MO area?

We Answered:

Job market in St. Louis SUCKS! My husband has been out of work in the health field since July of LAST year!

Arlene Said:

Physical Therapist Assistant or Occupational Therapist Assistant, anyone work in these jobs on here?

We Answered:

Both the OT and PT fields may be physically as well as emotionally demanding. A cousin went to school for occupational therapy assistant, and she'd said that the coursework in and of itself was quite challenging (as well as direct therapy with patients). It does require a great amount of memorization and clinical reasoning skills regarding patient care. (PTA/PT usually requires that the person has taken physics, just fyi. The OTR/occupational therapist, registered may also have a physics requirement.)

In addition to coursework, the person must successfully complete a full-time clinical fieldwork component which includes having a patient caseload. I believe that most jobs in OT are found in nursing/long-term care facilities. They can especially be quite physical while working with patients with a hip replacement, hip fracture, stroke ("brain attack") and/or a person with an amputated limb.

Please talk with a vocational counselor about your strengths and which field might be a good fit for you. If one has some type of disablility, he or she may qualify (not sure of criteria) for services from the county division of vocational rehabilitiation (DVR). The government pages in your county phonebook should have a listing.

Joy Said:

Is an occupational therapist the right job for me?

We Answered:

Everyone will tell you that he visited the best Uni. Decide it with your gut feeling. The money depents from your job and your quality. The downsides are spending time with people they act like a child and see the world with closed eyes and if you can open their eyes, they will close them a little bit later again.
Maybe a job as a manager could be better for you.

Dianne Said:

Occupational Therapist Job Description and schooling needed?

We Answered:

AOTA.org

Lillian Said:

What job does an Occupational Therapist do for a Living/Career?

We Answered:

An Occupational Therapist (OT) is involved in assessing and guiding patients in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL). They are a vital member of the rehabilitation team.

If you are really interested in the range of work that they do, why not contact your local general hospital? I'm sure that they would be glad to arrange for you to meet an OT, and depending on your age, even shadow one for a few days.

It's a fantastic career and so vaulable. Good luck