Occupational Therapy Training - Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapy Training - Why Do You Need It

Occupational therapy training is an absolute must if you want to pursue a career in this profession. You should start your journey by understanding what's required as training in order to become therapist. Occupational therapy is a rapidly growing profession in the United States and according to statistics released by the US Department of Labor, there are more than 160,00 certified therapists. Occupational therapy training is received at a university level.

In the United States, since 2007, the minimum requirement to practice occupational therapy is a master's degree in the field. But the master's degree on occupational therapy is not easily earned, because these programs are highly competitive and typically require a high overall grade point average in college, above a 3.3 GPA. There are universities that offer combined bachelor's/master's program on OT. Once you earn your master's degree, your hustle still doesn't end as you will have to become certified by the NBCOT.

NBCOT stands for National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and it's an institution that's responsible for providing the society with highly-qualified and well training specialists, so basically they set the standards. If you've earned a master's or doctorate in occupational therapy from an accredited college or university you are allowed to take the NBCOT exam. Bottom line is that earning a master's degree is the most common path of entry to the occupational therapy profession. Then, after practicing for several years you might choose to earn a doctorate degree on OT.

During your days as an occupational therapy student, you will study subjects such as medical terminology, physiology, mental health and gerontology. Occupational therapy training also includes 6 months of supervised fieldwork in clinics or community organizations so that candidates can gain real-life experience before finishing the program. On an average basis, a master's degree program takes two and a half years to complete. During the first year and a half, students have to complete the required course works in a classroom environment. In the last year, students gain experience in a clinical setting. In this last period, under the guidance of a registered occupational therapist, students learn how to assess and treat patients and towards the end of the program, every student will have to treat their own small case-load under supervision. Once you graduate from a given university and earn a master's degree, and pass the NBCOT exam, you will be able to start practicing.

The main benefit from occupational therapy training is that you will be able to earn a living while helping out people. The real reward is when you help people out and see how they improve and make their way into society. Demand for occupational therapists is growing all the time and there are plenty of job vacancies so once you finish your occupational therapy training, you won't find it hard to get a job in the field of OT.

Toys are often used as an aid for children's occupational therapy treatments. There is a lot of work in Texas for occupational therapists and the salaries in this sector are above the average.

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