Occupational Therapy

Health Professions:

Occupational Therapy

• Pre-Requisites

• Application Process Timeline • Admission Exam- GRE

• Additional Requirements • Overview of OT School • Important Websites Overview of Profession: (source: www.bls.gov) 1. Overview:

o Occupational therapists help patients improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments. They work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling condition.

o Occupational therapists use treatments to develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of their patients.

o The therapist helps clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. The goal is to help clients have independent, productive, and satisfying lives.

o Occupational therapists help clients to perform all types of activities, from using a computer to caring for daily needs such as dressing, cooking, and eating. Physical exercises may be used to increase strength and dexterity, while other activities may be chosen to improve visual acuity or the ability to discern patterns.

o Occupational therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular age group or with a particular disability.

2. Working Conditions:

o Occupational therapists working for one employer full-time usually work a 40-hour week. Around 31% of occupational therapists worked part-time. o It is not uncommon for occupational therapists to work for more than one employer at multiple facilities, which may involve significant travel time. Those in schools may participate in meetings and other activities during and after the school day.

3. Earnings:

o Median annual wages were $66,780 in May 2008. The middle 50% earned between $55,090-$81,290.

o The lowest 10% earned less than $42,820, and the highest 10% earned more than $98,310.

4. Job Outlook:

o Employment is expected to increase by 26% between 2008-2018. o The increasing elderly population will drive growth in the demand for

occupational therapy services. The demand for occupational therapists should continue to rise as a result of the increasing number of individuals with disabilities or limited function who require therapy services.

o Hospitals will continue to employ a large number of occupational

therapists to provide therapy services to acutely ill inpatients. Hospitals also will need occupational therapists to staff their outpatient rehabilitation programs.

o Employment growth in schools will result from the expansion of the school-age population and the federally funded extension of services for disabled students. Therapists will be needed to help children with

disabilities prepare to enter special education programs. 5. Employment:

o The largest number of occupational therapist jobs was in ambulatory healthcare services, which employed about 29% of occupational

therapists. Other major employers were hospitals, offices of other health practitioners (including offices of occupational therapists), public and private educational services, and nursing care facilities.

o Some were employed by home healthcare services, outpatient care centers, offices of physicians, individual and family services, community care facilities for the elderly, and government agencies.

o A small number were self-employed in private practice. These practitioners treated clients referred by other health professionals. o They also provided contract or consulting services to nursing care

facilities, schools, adult day care programs, and home healthcare agencies.

Pre-requisites:

The table on the next page shows the courses that are most commonly completed by UC Santa Cruz Students to fulfill Occupational Therapist program pre-requisites. The Career Center recommends that students complete the courses sequenced listed in this table.

NOTE: Pre-requisites can differ slightly from school to school. It is important to look at

Course Subject # Quarters UCSC course sequences most students use to fulfill

requirements

Human Anatomy Nearly all schools require 1 quarter of human anatomy, with laboratory

Biol 135/L

Human Physiology Nearly all schools require 1 quarter of human

physiology, with laboratory

Biol 130/L

Physics Some schools require 1 quarter of physics

Phys 6A/L Or

Phys 5A/L Statistics Nearly all schools require 1

quarter of statistics

AMS 5, AMS 7/L, Psych 2, etc.

English Composition Nearly all schools require 2-3 quarters of English Composition

Courses that satisfy the Core Course and

Composition requirement at UCSC will fulfill two quarters of the schools English coursework requirements. An additional course in Literature will usually satisfy the remaining quarter*. * Save your course syllabi in case any schools express concern that you did not complete their English requirement.

Social Science Some schools require introductory courses in sociology and cultural anthropology

Psychology Nearly all schools require 1 quarter of each of the

following courses: -introductory psychology -developmental/ lifespan psychology -abnormal psychology 170

3D Art Some schools require 1 quarter of three-dimensional art (e.g., ceramics)

Art 40

Medical Terminology Some schools require 1 quarter of medical terminology course.

Not offered at UCSC

Application Process Timeline:

1. OTCAS:

o Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service allows you to apply to participating occupational therapy programs with one online application.

o Not all programs subscribe to OTCAS. To apply to these programs, applicants must apply directly to each program.

2. Prior to applying

o Consider these factors when deciding upon where to apply:  Location

 Cost  Size

 Licensure exam passage rates  Faculty interests and reputation

 Job placement history of program graduates

 Talk with recent occupational therapist graduates, as well as ask occupational therapist employers about various programs’

strengths and weaknesses.

o Research each program you wish to apply to before submitting your application.

 Admission requirements  Pre-requisite coursework  Deadlines

 Amount and preferences for letters of recommendations o Register and take GRE, if necessary

o Write your personal statement

o Request your transcripts o Arrange letters of evaluation

o In addition to California schools, consider applying to some public or private schools outside of California that accept many (20+) non-resident or non-contract state applicants.

3. The application cycle for OT master programs varies significantly for each school. Check each schools websites or contact their admissions department to learn more about their application timeline.

Admission Exam:

1. Overview of Graduate Record Exam (GRE):

o Some occupational therapy master programs require applicants to submit GRE exam scores.

 To see if the schools you’re applying to require the GRE, check their websites in the admission requirements section, or contact their admissions department, to learn if they require the GRE. o Approximately a 4 hour standardized multiple-choice computerized-based

exam.

o Scores are usually available 10-15 days after completion of the exam. o No GRE scores older than five years will be accepted.

o Sections

 Verbal Reasoning - Measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, analyze relationships among component parts of sentences and recognize relationships among words and concepts.

 Quantitative Reasoning - Measures problem-solving ability, focusing on basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis.

 Analytical Writing - Measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills, specifically your ability to articulate and support complex ideas clearly and effectively.

o Score:

 The Verbal and Quantitative reasoning sections are out of 800 points, for a maximum score of 1600.

 The Analytical writing section is out of 6.0  The maximum score is a 1600 with a 6.0 AWA. 2. When should students take the GRE?:

o You should take the GRE well in advance of applying to OT school but definitely at least one year prior to your intended start date.

o Students should take the GRE when they can do their best.

 If they can be preparing for the GRE and be taking courses, and do well in both, then they should do that.

 If the student will compromise their grades and/or score by doing both at the same time, the student should prepare for the GRE during the summer or after they have graduated.

3. Dates for exam: o Offered daily Additional Requirements:

1. Most schools require applicants to have a minimum of 40-100 hours of observing occupational therapists.

o Contact local facilities that employ occupational therapists and/or occupational therapy assistants (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or school systems). You can find these phone numbers in the Yellow Pages under Occupational Therapy or

Rehabilitation. These requests are made quite frequently and you will find most facilities accommodating. Be prepared to discuss your reason for the request and your availability.

2. Most schools require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from an occupational therapist who supervised you in a paid or volunteer worker in an active clinical setting.

Overview of Occupational Therapy School:

1. Overview:

o A master's degree or higher is the typical minimum requirement for entry into the field. In addition, occupational therapists must attend an academic program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in order to sit for the national certifying exam.

o In 2009, 150 master's degree programs or combined bachelor's and master's degree programs were accredited, and 7 in California. o Master degree programs typically lasts 2-3 academic years. 2. Licensure and Certification:

o All States regulate the practice of occupational therapy. To obtain a

license, applicants must graduate from an accredited educational program and pass a national certification examination.

o Those who pass the exam are awarded the title “Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR).” Specific eligibility requirements for licensure vary by State; contact your State’s licensing board for details.

o Some States have additional requirements for therapists who work in schools or early intervention programs. These requirements may include education-related classes, an education practice certificate, or early intervention certification.

o Certification is voluntary. The National Board for Certifying Occupational Therapy certifies occupational therapists through a national certifying exam. Those who pass the test are awarded the title Occupational

Therapist Registered (OTR). In some States, the national certifying exam meets requirements for regulation while other States have their own licensing exam.

3. Specialty:

o They also can advance by specializing in a clinical area and gaining expertise in treating a certain type of patient or ailment.

o They may specialize in gerontology, mental health, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.

Important Websites:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook • Explore Health Careers

• Directory of Master-level OT schools-www.aota.org Education & Careers Find a School

• Directory of Doctoral-level OT schools-www.aota.org Education & Careers Find a School

• Apply to OT schools-portal.otcas.org

• American Occupational Therapy Association-www.aota.org • Occupational Therapy Assistant