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Occupational therapy and career exploration
Career goals for occupational therapist
Occupational therapy and career exploration
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For my career, I have chosen to work in the field of Occupational Therapy. I have always wanted to pursue a profession in health care and help those in need emotionally and physically. Occupational Therapists help assess a person's condition, aid patients with exercises, bring their patients back to their normal lives, and help them reach their goals (“What Occupational Therapists Do”). It is important to understand the education or training requirements, skills or talents needed, salary and benefits offered, and the duties for a particular career when making this decision. Occupational Therapy is world-wide and can branch into various fields. Their hours differ depending on a patient's schedule but most work weekends and sometimes even nights. As an Occupational Therapist, you can work in many diverse environments including schools, nursing facilities, hospitals, or home health care services (“Summary”). Occupational Therapists perform many …show more content…
“Pay can range from $54,200 to $119,720 per year” (“Summary”). The pay for this job is closely related to that of other fields, most specifically physical therapy. “Physical therapists make $85,400 on average a year” (“Summary”). The essential goal of a physical therapist is composed of helping a patient restore their mobility (“Occupational therapy vs. physical therapy”). Occupational therapists also deal with the physical conditions of rehabilitation, but focus generally on helping a patient engage in the activities of a daily life (“Occupational therapy vs. physical therapy”).
The job market for occupational therapists is rising at a much faster rate than other occupations. “Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 21 percent from 2016 to 2026” (“Summary”). Occupational Therapists are becoming more and more scarce as time goes by. “We can’t keep enough Occupational Therapists employed, we are constantly needing more”
Observing therapy assistants in the field and seeing what they do in their jobs was an eye opener for me. Getting to experience on-the-job shadowing helped me to identify the roles of a therapy assistant better than reading or talking to people about the job description. First, I shadowed at Athletico Physical Therapy, an outpatient facility in Festus, MO. Paul Kohler is the Occupational/Hand Therapist that I shadowed during my experience. There were several different injuries that I saw, ranging from people with work related injuries to jamming fingers in machines. After observing Mr. Kohler throughout the day, I got to see him interact with patients and perform activities that helped his patients in their rehabilitation phase of recovery. He told me that the improvements he sees first hand from his patients is rewarding and he feels achieved when he sees patients make steady recoveries. From this experience, I also learned that occupational therapy offers a diverse number of avenues for employment. I was pleased to know that I can specialize in a specific area if I desire to do so in the
Occupational therapy is also known as the dynamic and developing healthcare profession that deals with people in ways of regaining their skills required for the every days of life. For a very long time I have always had the desire to achieve my dreams in becoming an occupational therapist. I am very well equipped with creativity, flexibility and the ability to aid people in solving their every day’s life challenges they get involved in. Occupational therapy is quite involving and needs good strategies and skills for one to be successful in the program.
The need for Physical Therapists Assistants is growing faster as are the kinds of locations and facilities where assistants can work hospitals , clinics , rehabilitation centers , trained nursing facilities and more. The wage that Physical Therapists Assistants earn is $46,000. As a Physical Therapy Assistant, you are in constant motion as you help people exercise, gather all therapy gear , keep the patients area clean and ready. You can also work career advancement as an assistant manager. A Physical Therapist Assistants help people of all ages medical problems , or other health related conditions that limit their ability to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.
Occupational therapy is projected to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the upcoming years. This job has the potential to be an exciting career for someone interested in a healthcare profession. One of the rewarding things about being an occupational therapist is the ability to help people reach their goals while earning a good salary and benefits. Occupational therapists help people across their lifespan by increasing their range of motion on their joints and helping people get back to their daily lives. Learning more about the origins of occupational therapy, what an occupational therapist does, how to become an occupational therapist, and what the job outlook is for this career may help someone make an informed decision about their potential career path.
My work experience helped me confirm my interest when I got to see the roles of Occupational Therapists first hand. I was able to spend time shadowing an individual from a special needs school, which moved onto being able to run sessions with minimal help in gross and fine motor skills with the children who have a wide range of disabilities. It was a great experience to observe how everyday objects could be used to help build up these skills and how much the children enjoyed the activities. I was also able to shadow an OT within the Early Intervention in Psychosis team, this
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
I moved to the united states of America on February 14 2002, I came here to start afresh and begin a new life of opportunity, I must admit I never knew what to really expect other than what I've seen on television as such, it was a dream come through for me. However upon my arrival I realized and experienced that it was really as expected but in order to live a good life I had to work hard to achieve it. In my family I am the first son of my father and that automatically puts a lot of responsibility on me, responsibility on me to care for my parents, siblings and even my grand parents this has been hammered repetitively in me, we are an African family and the culture is different even the norms as well,
When my grandmother woke up not able to move one morning, she was rushed to the hospital and received help from the doctor. He explained why this happened and what to do next. The doctor introduced us to a physical therapist that would help my grandmother. She met with her frequently and my grandmother’s mobility improved significantly. Physical therapists help patients of all sorts with their physical disabilities and pain. I chose to research this career because I want to help other people in need and continue spreading the assistance.
When I was 15, my grandmother suffered from a severe stroke and was advised to go to a rehabilitation center. At that time I had not ever heard of the profession called occupational therapy. Upon visiting my grandmother, I had the opportunity to witness several health care professionals working together to help rehabilitate her. I have always wanted to engage in a career in which I could attribute to helping people, and at first I thought physical therapy would best compliment my natural abilities but then I encountered the occupational therapist. So as I watched her work with my grandmother diligently I realized that I had found exactly what I was looking for.
Occupational therapy was based off of psychology; we evolved from treating mentally ill patients with isolation as an efficient treatment plan. We must never forget we are known to be “the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well being through engagement in valued occupations” (Crepeau, Cohn, & Schell, 2008). To other professional disciplines this article explains the difference between each of us, yet can also express our relation to one another. The basic goal of all therapeutic disciplines is to better our clients life, through physical, speech or occupational therapy. Every discipline targets different goals, may it be body mechanics, reducing a stutter or buttoning a shirt, at the end of the day our clients well being may it be through science, art or both is all that matters. To the occupational therapy field this article means progress for what we do. Reading this article today in the year 2015 did not seem like old information to me, it is still relevant, I am proud that our field is not only evolving with contemporary time but it is also maintaining its
Occupational therapy (OT) theory offers valuable contribution to support professionalization since possessing a unique body of knowledge is essential to define a profession (Cooper, 2012). To utilize theory effectively, it is essential to differentiate between generic and specific theory as knowledge of the core theory helps to form OT identity and action as a practicing practitioner. In this essay, OT theory refers only to philosophy and OT specific models. Frame of references (FOR) will not be included since it can be shared with the other professions (Boniface & Seymour, 2012).
The career I have chose is Physical Therapy(PT). Physical Therapist do many different things, but their main function is to help impaired or physically disabled people enhance their movement and handle their pain. Physical Therapist are a main source in the rehabilitation, medical care and prevention of people with long lasting illnesses or damage. The reason I chose this career is because I love helping people and enjoy seeing people be motivated and succeed at their task. To help someone gain full strength in their limbs or maybe even learn how to walk again is my lifelong dream. It is important to understand the education or training requirements, skills or talents needed, salary and benefits offered, and the duties for a particular career
The occupation of physical therapy has been around for centuries. Throughout time it has evolved greatly as a medical practice and an area of study. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2012, there were 204,200 physical therapists employed throughout the United States of America.
I want to help people regain the pieces of their lives they feel they’ve lost. I am confident that with a quality education from this institution I will be able to achieve, excel, and provide quality therapy. Occupational therapy has provided a purpose for me. I believe that it is one of few ways you can help people regain their belief in themselves. I always believe the best in others, and I never give up on them. Occupational therapy is about helping individuals see the best in themselves, and putting that in action. By helping people come forward mentally and physically you help make them stronger and their whole life is altered . I want to change lives, and I know if I receive a quality education then that can become a reality. If I am considered for the occupational therapy program I will continue to grow in both work ethic and determination. I will showcase my willingness to work and my desire to see transformed lives. I will allow my passion to drive me through the obstacles before me and become the ultimate student I can be. My leadership qualities and dedication to the community along with those that reside in it , will be my
As a result of my experience, it is my main goal in life is to help others the same way the team of therapists have helped me. In order to impact the lives of these patients through the career as an OT, I will need to further my education by earning a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Therefore, admission into the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program at Texas Tech University Health Science Center (TTUHSC) will allow me to reach my