2. Introduction
Occupational Therapists:
Use new skill development as well as helping
patients to adapt to the environment
Promote performance and participation in life after
an injury, stress, or a chronic health condition
Can work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers,
outpatient clinics, home health agencies, private
practices, schools
3. History
Began to emerge during “Age of Enlightenment” in
1700’s
Phillipe Pinel and William Tuke challenged the widely
held beliefs about the mentally ill
Encouraged patients to learn by engaging in a variety of
leisure activities best adapted to their level of functioning
Treatment began to disappear after the Civil War
Returned in early 1900’s with Susan Tracy
1980’s OT became more focussed on person’s quality of
life
4. Statistics
Entry-level education: Master’s degree
Median Salary: $75,400
$26.28 per hour on low end to $46.22 on the high
end
Number of jobs in 2012: 113,200
82% of OT’s are female
5. Growth Potential
The Burea of Labor Statistics is expecting OT job
outlook to have a rate of growth that is 33% faster
than the average economic sectors
Largely due to Baby boomers
Expected to be a 29% growth from 2012 to 2022
Expected to be 36,400 additional OT jobs created by
2020
6. MUSC
Ranked #21 nationally by U.S. News and World
Report
Overall pass rate of 100% the past three years
Two fulltime 12-week rotations at facilities
throughout the country
7. Radford
9-14 credit hours each term for seven consecutive
terms
Opportunities for service activities
43 students admitted between 2010 and 2012
90% graduated with an MOT degree
8. East Carolina
Graduated its first class in 1974
Curriculum follows guidelines by American
Occupational Therapy Association
Three main themes:
The use of occupation as a unique health giving tool
The interactive view of man and his environment
The importance of common values in the profession
9. My Qualifications
Over 200 hours of shadowing hours at
Excel Rehab
Health Science major
Psychology Minor
Member of Eta Sigma Gamma
10. Research Project
Semester long research project on behavior change
in a Health Promotion of the Aged Class
Spent three months working with “patient” to help
relieve stress due to traumatic brain injury
Studied meditation and heart rate variability
Met weekly to discuss the effects of the meditation in
her day to day life
Saw great heart rate variability improvements at the
end of the three months
11. My O*Net results
• Occupational Therapists should be:
• Social – Need to have good therapist-patient
relationship and be able to promote personal
development
• Artistic – Need to think of creative activities, stretches,
exercises that will be help the patient
• Investigative – Need to study patients to think of
ways to best reduce their setbacks or limitations
12. Conclusion
The very beginnings of occupational therapy began
as early as the 1700’s
Occupational therapy is a great field for people who
love to help others
A typical Salary ranges from $26.28 to $46.22
A master’s degree is necessary, and there are many
great program options in the southeast
