This article will strive to provide the candidate seeking a career in Occupational Therapy the information needed to answer questions and formulate decisions in pursuing a degree and or career in the field of OT. By way of clarifying for the reader, the definition of Occupational Therapy is needed here. The purpose of OT is to promote health in allowing people in their various occupations the ability to perform their work in a meaningful way. These health issues encompass disabilities, illness and injury.
There are even further issues that impact the individual needing occupational therapy. These areas are social, political and environmental. An example of the social impact would be when a person has experienced rejection or dissatisfaction over his or her career goals as it relates to racial or age barriers in the work place. Likewise a political impact might involve being discriminated against due to affiliation with a group or organization not accepted by the company you work for. Environmental factors would include working in a building lacking heat or air conditioning during winter and summer months. On a wider scale, issues involving the environment might also include natural disaster or accidents relative to work conditions, i.e. coal mining.
For those interested, I would recommend that you apply to college. After being admitted, there would be several choices the student could make: Biology, Kinesiology, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Liberal Arts or Anatomy. There are Masters and Doctoral programs as well. For those who cannot afford a traditional education in OT, consider the online program. There are schools that offer online education, such as Briarwood College CT, fully accredited by ACOTE. Two other online schools are Sanford Brown College and New England Institute of Technology. The masters and doctoral programs are available as well. The pros and cons of online education VS traditional schooling is that online education costs are less and you have more flexibility in your schedule. Another advantage for online education is the course work usually takes less time to complete.
Whether you choose traditional or online education, consider that a person with a Masters degree in OT can expect to earn $64,000 annually. Given the work related health problems that can accrue through the military and stateside jobs, this would be a good area to pursue for anyone having the interest and abilities towards being an Occupational Therapist or Assistant.