Jill Said:

What is the field of occupational therapy like?

We Answered:

I starred because I'm also interested in going into the field of occupational therapy and would like to learn more about it. I hope you don't mind! Take care. :)

Kyle Said:

What is the difference between occupational therapy and rehabilitation counseling?

We Answered:

I do not know what rehab counseling entails, as a matter of fact, I have never heard of it. Go for OT, it pays well and there are jobs available!

Roland Said:

To anyone involved w/ occupational therapy: What is the nature of occupational therapy?

We Answered:

As far as the duties of an OT, is really depends on the setting you practice in. I have worked in several different adult settings - you do anything from helping people wipe their rear ends to cook a meal. Basically - life skills. This can range from being in an acute setting and teaching a person who just had a hip replacement to use a sock aid to put their socks on to being in a rehab facility and helping someone who had a stroke regain functional use of their affected arm. OTs can work on community reintegration - reading bus schedules, money management, etc. They teach patients to maximize their safety and independence in all environments. I work primarily in home health and a rehab hospital. In home health, I work primarily on endurance, upper body strength, increasing a person's independence getting dressed, bathed, groomed, eating, toileting, getting in/out of bed, transfers (to/from the toilet, shower, recliner, etc), hand problems, cooking, cleaning, car transfers, and increasing safety (by environment adaptations) in the home. My advice would be to observe some OTs in different settings prior to making your decision.
The job market is awesome! There is a huge need for OTs now - At the rehab hospital, I make $45/hour and doing home health, I make an average of $70 per visit (which generally lasts from 40 - 60 minutes).
It is a very rewarding job - especially when you see an improvement in your patients!
As far as traits - definately a people person, someone with a good amount of patience, someone who can be empathtic to what their patients are going through without becoming overly involved, someone with the ability to motivate people, and a good problem solver.
Good luck!

Marc Said:

Would you find Occupational Therapy an enjoyable and stimulating career?

We Answered:

This is what I want to major in. Occupational therapy seems like it could be a great field to get into. You should do some job shadowing if you haven't done any already. School counselor seems kinda boring and i'm not badmouthing counselors but there's really no mobility. The thing about being in OT is that you can work in schools which might be something you can look into. Also the pay is much higher than a counselor's. OTs can also open their own practice and have other professionals work for them.

Lonnie Said:

How hard is it to get into an Occupational Therapy (MOT) program?

We Answered:

I recommend that you do some "informational interviewing." That is where you seek out persons working in the OT field, and ask them to meet with you for a cup of coffee. Then, you ask them all kinds of questions: what do they dis/like about OT? how did they decided on this career? etc. Most people are happy to answer your questions, especially when they know you are not asking for a job.

You can find OTs in hospitals, rehab centers, and the phone book (yellow pages).

Best wishes.