why do you want to be an ot

by Elaina Ritchie Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

7 Reasons to Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

Increasing Quality of Life. Most people don’t value their ability to do the normal day-to-day functions; they just do them. ...
Working with the Whole Person. Plenty of health care professionals don’t have the kind of quality time to deal with their patients as people.
Working with Anyone. ...
Responsibility and Oversight. ...
Creative Potential. ...
High Demand. ...

Full Answer

Why should I become an occupational therapist?

Becoming an occupational therapist will not only change your life; it will make a positive impact on others’ lives too. According to the Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OT is one of the fastest growing careers, and it is almost recession-proof.

Why are there so many occupational therapists in bigger cities?

Because more people are wanting to become occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, schools in bigger cities are creating more programs and pumping out more and more new grads every year.

Why did you choose OT as a career?

“I was very excited about a field that uses the activities that are most important to people as the basis and end goal of therapy. OT has many diverse opportunities, so there are many great options for careers within the field of OT. It is a field that encourages creativity and lets me do what I love.”

What are occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants?

Two main professionals provide occupational help to patients - occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs).

Why do you want to become a occupational therapist?

You want to support public health: Occupational therapists perform an important role in society by supporting public health and enabling people to complete daily tasks and return to their careers. You may want to become an OT to support social functions overall and help people live fulfilling lives.

What is unique about OT?

Occupational therapy differs from other healthcare professions like physical therapy or nursing in its focus on treating the whole patient, rather than treating a particular injury, ailment, or disability.

What do you feel are the 3 most important skills to become an occupational therapist?

Key skills for occupational therapistsPatience.Determination.Enthusiasm.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.An interest in working closely with people.Good teamworking skills.Ability to find solutions to problems.

How do you answer tell me about yourself occupational therapy?

“Tell me about yourself.” This is a purposefully open ended question. The interviewer wants to see if you are able to provide relevant information about your skills and talents for the job. Keep it to this format: Present / Past / Future. Present: Normally, you would talk about your current position and what you do.

What makes a good occupational therapist?

A great occupational therapist listens to their clients with patience, empathy, smiles, and maybe even a little humor throughout their time together. Additionally, while some clients may meet their goals quickly, it may take years for a different client to make the same progress.

What occupational therapy means to me?

Occupational therapy works to improve the life skills or vocational path of their clients/patients. It is a form of rehabilitation that helps people overcome or adapt to their functional deficiencies so they can live as independently as possible.

What are the core skills of occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy core skills required in practice will focus on core skills of enablement, collaboration, environmental adaptation, assessment, problem solving, group work and the use of activity as a therapeutic tool as defined by the College of Occupational Therapist (2009) Briefing 23 Definitions and Core Skills ...

What makes a good OT assistant?

well-developed oral and verbal communication skills in order to develop a therapeutic relationship with your patients. interpersonal skills to connect with others and develop rapport with your patients. compassion and empathy. the ability to explain, encourage and build confidence.

Do you have to be creative to be an OT?

Despite the importance of creativity to OT, the word “creativity” and the concept of creativity is conspicuously absent from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF).

What are your career goals occupational therapy?

Goals and functions of occupational therapy Occupational therapy is a health-related profession using selected activity to prevent and overcome many physical, emotional or social disabilities in people of all ages. The objective is to promote, maintain and/or restore functional independence in daily living skills.

How do I prepare for an occupational therapy interview?

Common job interview questions include:Why should we hire you? Best answers.How long do you plan to work for this clinic/hospital/company? Best answers.What are your salary requirements? Best answers.What's your greatest strength? ... What's your greatest weakness? ... Why are you looking for a job? ... Tell me about yourself.

What should I wear to an OT interview?

From top to bottom, spend time looking professional, clean, crisp and conservative. You can personalize your look a little, but in the healthcare field, traditional business attire still trumps personal style, at least initially. If you want to wear jeans, consider switching to technology.

What's the meaning of OT?

Definition of occupational therapy : therapy based on engagement in meaningful activities of daily life (such as self-care skills, education, work, or social interaction) especially to enable or encourage participation in such activities despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning.

What is OT elevator speech?

What is An Occupational Therapy Elevator Pitch? An elevator pitch is a brief but descriptive way to summarize a company, idea, or product. It's traditionally used in the business world so that entrepreneurs can quickly catch the attention of potential investors.

What do you call an occupational therapist?

Occupational therapists (OTs) are health care professionals specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science. OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) use scientific bases and a holistic perspective to promote a person's ability to fulfill their daily routines and roles.

Who is Dave Bockhorn?

Dave Bockhorn, a COTA from Mountainview Care Center in Las Vegas, said he chose to become an occupational therapist assistant “as a result of taking the Myers Briggs Personality Type indicator.”.

Is occupational therapy recession proof?

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Essay

During that time I got involved with research and started working at the childcare center as a counselor. I truly enjoyed working with children helping them to learn new skills, planning different activities, motivating and engaging them.

Becoming A Physical Therapist Essay

As long as I can help them achieve their goals and I can be there every step of the way through their rehabilitation and learning process, then that is all that matters to me.

Reflection On Dignity In Nursing

It has given me more confidence in delivering care and enlightened me to always support patients as individuals. I have grasped a competent understanding of the benefits of reflecting on practice and will endeavour to reflect on all my practice placements in the

Career Analysis: Pediatric Occupational Therapy

My hardiness will drive me to face each patient’s need with the stability and strength I need. This career will allow me personal happiness and to utilize skills I already have or want to gain. I have worked with children since I was 17, and have a personal connection to children with disabilities.

Essay: A Career As A Nursing Assistant

I am able to prioritize work, demonstrate organizational and time management abilities. I display strong interpersonal skills, patience and confidence while working with patients and families. I have also learned to offer empathy, compassionate care and optimism in my work and life.

Essay On Neurodiagnostic Technician

Being a Neurodiagnostic technician it will allow me to work with patients and be able to help them reach a full recovery which is auspicious. Furthermore, I always love to help people out with anything in life whether it is homework or if they need help with changing a tire, I am always there to help them out.

Lyndhurst Placement Reflection

I am lucky to have work with such a diverse group of people who treated me as a fellow worker rather than “just a student”. My placement helped my realize the value of occupational therapy and made me realize how much I appreciate OT practice.

When will occupational therapy be a doctorate?

Occupational therapy is heading toward the entry-level doctorate by 2027 , but I feel lucky to have gotten licensed at a time where I could receive a similar education to my doctoral degree counterparts and contend for the exact same positions.

Is OT part of team approach?

Doctors typically sign off on our treatment plans and OT is almost always part of team approach.

Do OT recruiters send voicemails?

I receive voicemails and mailings at least weekly from OT recruiters. These keep me from feeling trapped in my job. There is great comfort in knowing that there are other OT jobs out there and, ultimately, I am making a choice to stay in my current position.

Is OT a growing industry?

OT is a growing industry globally and it is so fun to connect with colleagues from around the world. In college, we talked a lot about becoming global citizens. I never would have dreamed that becoming more invested in my local work would lead to global connections.

Do you have to have a doctorate to become a physical therapist?

I received my masters in occupational therapy and was able to get a full-time job lined up before I even passed my boards. To be a physical therapist you have to have a doctorate (more school and more debt).

What is the focus of OT?

With rehab-based occupational therapists, a big focus is transfer training. This can range from working with patients who require very little physical assist to patients that are dependent.

How much does it cost to become an occupational therapist?

If you’re going for the OTR (Master’s or Doctorate) route, you can expect to pay anywhere from $40,000 to well over $100,000 for your degree. Less expensive state schools are harder to get into, so you may have to choose a private school and pay an average of $80,000+ for your Master’s, ...

Why are big cities saturated with OTs?

How much does an OTR make?

Lastly, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average salary for OTR’s is $84,640, the average for new grads is quite a bit less ( tens of thousands of dollars less ).

Why do I have to do due diligence after graduation?

Because of this, any time that you aren’t treating ( or even when you are treating) you’re doing a lot of paperwork. Unrealistic productivity demands and some unethical companies and managers can be the biggest factors for burnout, so after graduation, I advise you to do your due diligence before taking your first job.

Is occupational therapy a rainbow?

Occupational therapy is not always the “sunshine and rainbows” that you read about in the countless news articles touting its frequent rating in the top 10 happiest and least stressful jobs. Almost every setting has productivity requirements, with some settings less strict than others.

Can I speak for OTA?

I can’t speak for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. But as someone who has experienced the stresses of applying to OT school, I can tell you: Master’s and Doctorate programs are very competitive.

What does an OT do?

An OT may also assess a patient's mental abilities to find out how the brain processes certain information or stimuli - as well as what it can't process. Armed with this information, the occupational therapist then evaluates the patient's environment and how they navigate through it.

Why Would Someone Need Occupational Therapy?

Anyone who struggles to perform everyday tasks may need occupational therapy. This can include individuals who have had a history with or are currently experiencing:

What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?

While assistants help the therapist with some parts of treatment, the occupational therapist is in charge of assessing the patient during a first visit and creating therapy plans based on what the patient is struggling with.

What Does the First Visit With an Occupational Therapist Look Like?

On a first visit, an occupational therapist will come to the patient's home or another specified location to better understand the patient's current situation and circumstances. They'll do a physical assessment by asking the patient to perform certain tasks, and then they will evaluate what they have trouble with, what parts of the body aren't moving correctly, and how long it takes to complete the tasks.

Where Does Occupational Therapy Take Place?

Occupational therapy can take place in any setting that is proving difficult for the patient. Therefore, you can find occupational therapy assistants performing their work in the following locations:

What are occupational therapists responsible for?

You now know that occupational therapists are responsible for adapting an environment or set of tasks to better fit their patient's needs , but here are a handful of other things OTs and OTAs may do on the job:

Why is occupational therapy important?

Occupational therapy is great for those who are unable to take care of themselves, move easily, or perform a normal function in school or at work because of illness, pain, injury, or disability. The patient may be able to perform tasks with or without assistive devices, and an occupational therapist can evaluate whether one is needed ...

Why do you need to be a certified occupational therapist?

If you still need convincing, here are a few of the many great reasons to become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). 1. Increasing Quality of Life . Most people don’t value their ability to do the normal day-to-day functions; they just do them. Occupational therapy assistants help patients who have been injured, disabled, ...

What is occupational therapy assistant?

Occupational therapy assistants help patients who have been injured, disabled, or otherwise lost function through age or disease. And when their patients are able to perform even the most basic functions—which contribute so much to quality of life—it is a major victory.

Do COTAs work with OTs?

A lot of jobs give you tons of responsibility, but very little oversight. COTAs work closely with OTs, which means they almost always have help, while still directing much of their own one-on-one work with their patients.

Is an OTA dull?

An OTA never finds their job dull. It requires a great deal of creative thinking and guarantees that no two days will be the same. There are even a wide range of toys and smartphone apps to help both patient and provider.

Can COTAs work with anyone?

3. Working with Anyone. COTAs are not restricted to working only with one age group. They’re able to work with pediatrics, geriatrics, and everything in between.