| Occupational therapists assist their patients in | | | | additional requirements. |
| performing all types of tasks, ranging from using | | | | Applicants considering this profession should take |
| a computer to handling their basic daily needs | | | | high school courses in chemistry, health biology |
| such as cooking, dressing and eating. Sometimes, | | | | and physics. Undergraduate majors should include |
| an occupational therapist uses computer programs | | | | psychology, biology, sociology, anthropology and |
| to help the patients to improve their | | | | anatomy. Occupational therapists need to have a |
| decision-making skills, problem solving and | | | | lot of patience and strong interpersonal skills. They |
| perceptual skills, as well as their memory and | | | | need patience because some patients do not |
| coordination skills. The main aim of an occupational | | | | respond quickly. Those working in home health |
| therapist is to help the client lead a normal | | | | care services need to be able to adjust to a |
| independent life. | | | | variety of home settings. Applicants who look |
| Occupational therapists are basically concerned | | | | forward to making this a career choice must be |
| about human occupations, as they believe that | | | | able to work in multiple settings and with people |
| people have an inborn drive to be operative and | | | | of different age groups. |
| express themselves. They believe that having an | | | | Job Prospects |
| occupation highlights a person's sense of identity in | | | | In 2006, occupational therapists held about 92,000 |
| a society. Therapists may work exclusively with | | | | jobs and most of them worked in hospitals. Other |
| individuals from different age groups or people | | | | therapists worked in schools and nursing care |
| suffering from disabilities. | | | | facilities. One in ten therapists held more than one |
| Occupational therapists generally work 40-hours a | | | | job. By 2014, employment opportunities are |
| week in hospitals and other health care centers. | | | | expected to increase way beyond the average. In |
| Some supervisory roles are taken over by the | | | | the long run, the demand for therapists is going to |
| occupational therapists. Because of high rising | | | | increase rapidly, as there is growth in the number |
| health costs, the third party payers are beginning | | | | of individuals suffering from disability caused due |
| to appoint occupational therapists to take on | | | | to a stressful lifestyle. Hospitals now employ |
| more responsibilities. | | | | therapists to handle their critical in-patients and |
| Qualifications | | | | also their outpatient rehabilitation programs. |
| Currently, a bachelor's degree is the minimum | | | | Employment in schools may also increase due to |
| qualification required for becoming an occupational | | | | the increase in disabled students. In May 2004, the |
| therapist, but in the near future a master's | | | | average earning of an occupational therapist was |
| degree may be required. To obtain a license, the | | | | $54,000-67,010. Occupational therapists are skilled |
| applicant must posses a degree from an | | | | professionals who are capable of empowering |
| established educational program and pass the | | | | individuals who are suffering from depression, |
| National Certification Exam. Some states have | | | | stress and anxiety with life. |