Pre-OT
“I’m considering a career in occupational therapy. What kind of qualities/personality traits would best suit me in the profession?”
flexibility, being inquisitive, passion, empathy, altruism, writing skills, communication skills, organizational skills, time management, creativity, being a good team member… just to name a few 🙂
“What’s the difference in Master’s and Doctorate OT programs? Why did you choose the doctorate? What should I choose?”
Though this is a very personal question for everyone, here is a great dialogue of student choices and why they ended up where they did.
As for my story, I ended up choosing my program mainly on location and the way the staff made me feel on interview day; however, looking back, I’m glad that I ended up pursuing the entry-level doctorate. My program was only a semester or two longer than other Master’s programs, yet it led me to my passion project. It also allowed me to have an extra level I fieldwork experience, which I find very valuable. For me, the OTD made sense, because I knew that I’d go back for a doctorate eventually, and it seemed easier to get it out of the way earlier in my life since I had the opportunity. The OTD curriculum has incorporated a lot on research, leadership, management, communication, teaching, and program development that I appreciate and view as valuable experience based on my career goals of opening my own practice. I also want to go into teaching OT at some point, and the OTD allows me to do that. There will always be pros and cons, but the greatest advice I can give you is go with what suits your needs best.
“What are some things I should consider when choosing an OT(A) school?”
– location
– your career goals (degree, specialties at the institution that align with yours, etc.)
– finances (scholarships, loans, tuition cost)
– opinions from current/former students (if possible)
– your intuition and/or the feeling you get when you visit for a tour or interview (the person who interviewed me already knew things about my resume and asked me pointed questions, showing me they cared)
– the professors (and if going after an OTD, if they have current research projects you are interested in or could be a part of)
– the passing rate on the NBCOT
– diversity
– class size
– mentorship available
– the school’s values (and if they align with yours)
– accreditation status
– the fieldwork opportunities they provide, and how a student gets assigned to fieldwork sites (ranking desired locations/practice areas, lottery system, finding their own opportunities)
– online vs. on-campus
– the current needs of a program based on where you are at in your life. Don’t forget to consider yourself and your life when choosing a school.
Those are the main ones that come to mind. 🙂 Here are a list of programs to choose from (separated by degree and accreditation status) according to AOTA: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Find-School.asp
“In the United States, what is the process for becoming a registered occupational therapist (OTR)? What is the process for becoming a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA)?”
OTR: Currently, in the United States, you must obtain (at least) a Master’s degree from an accredited institution to be eligible to become an OTR. After graduation, you register to take a national exam through the NBCOT and must pass in order to become an OTR. Once you pass nationally, you don’t have to take a separate exam per each state to practice, but you must obtain a license which costs money and consists of extra paperwork and time.
COTA: Currently, in the United States, you must obtain an Associates degree in occupational therapy from an accredited institution to be eligible to become a COTA. After graduation, you register to take a national exam through the NBCOT and must pass in order to become a COTA. Once you pass nationally, you don’t have to take a separate exam per each state to practice, but you must obtain a license which costs money and consists of extra paperwork and time
“What is the difference between an OTA and OT?”
This is a great question! I’ve found this link to be a great reference for that question. https://www.topoccupationaltherapyschool.com/ot-vs-ota-difference/
OT Student
“Do you have any suggestions about how to do well in OT school?”
I sure do! Check out my blog for the top 10 tips to navigate and thrive through OT school!
“How do I prepare for Level II Fieldwork in *insert setting*?”
I believe the first step in preparation for Level II Fieldwork has to do with mindset. Therefore, it’s important to know what to expect. You can read my thoughts here on what people don’t always mention about Level II Fieldwork as a start. Then start to feel prepared and think of ways to keep a positive growth mindset.
Then, in order to prepare by setting, I think it’s important to ask your future clinical instructor or site supervisor ahead of time what they suggest.
Think about asking questions like:
(1) What diagnoses are commonly seen?
(2) What assessments are commonly used?
(3) What articles or books should you read ahead of time?
(4) What do they suggest you bring with you every day? (water bottle, snacks, notepad, etc
(5) What is a typical day like, as far as hours, breaks, and treatment times? Are there a mix of evals/treatments, is it a strict daily schedule for patient intervention or does it change day to day?
(Hint: A setting like outpatient pediatrics will be more of a set schedule, and inpatient rehab or acute care will vary more day to day based on patient discharge/daily schedules)
Sometimes, you can even ask directly what they think would be beneficial for you to review/prepare for ahead of time. Some sites/CIs will give you specific things to review before day one, others will tell you they want you to learn as you go. I had both answers/approaches across my fieldwork sites. Either way, you’ll learn as you go no matter how much you prepare ahead of time. It just may give you a leg up to have some basics reviewed that are pertinent to the setting, so you don’t feel like you are playing catch-up!
How do I prepare for Level II fieldwork with adults (especially if I’m focused on peds)? How can I come up with creative, evidenced-based treatment plans with adults?
I’ll tell you right now, this was a struggle for me at the beginning of my adults placement. My advice to you is to use your resources!
After my adult fieldwork experience, I discovered the Seniors Flourish Learning Lab. They are an INCREDIBLE resource! The membership includes many creative treatment ideas, a supportive community that is there to answer questions or just provide encouraging words whenever needed, AND they focus on evidenced-based practice with video demonstrations and more. It’s a no-brainer and I WISH i knew about it during my fieldwork placement.
I’ve teamed up with them as an affiliate to bring this all to you! If you use this link, plus my discount code “TAELOR:108”, you can get either 10% off one month OR a 12-month membership for the price of 9 MONTHS. Y’all. This would have helped me sooo much. Definitely consider it as an option. 🙂 Otherwise, you can always do a lot of the review of research and resources yourself, it just takes more time. Totally up to your preference!
Sign Up For The Learning Lab Here 🙂
“How do I work with children in occupational therapy?” “I’ve never worked with children before and I have a pediatrics placement. What do I do?”
I’ve detailed how to connect and communicate with children to best serve the therapeutic relationship. You can find that here. Part 2 about session planning and management will be posted at a later date.
“Do you have any tips for studying for the OT boards exam?”
Yes,
which I will get into more detail after I enact my own study plan. For
now, I suggest you make a plan/schedule and stick to it. Don’t over
schedule yourself or you’ll get burnt out. When you start studying,
assess your weaker vs stronger areas and start with your weaker areas
and build up per subject. Practice tests are helpful (I like the NBCOT
AOTA Prep) + the PDFs. As far as studying style, do what has always
worked for you throughout school. It got you through, so there’s no
reason to change what already works!
Other/About Me
“Why did you want to become an occupational therapist?”
That is a wonderful question, and one that you can find the answer to here. 🙂
“What is something you don’t like about being in the occupational therapy field?”
This is a tricky question. When I first thought of it, I couldn’t think of anything, but then I remembered! So many people have NO IDEA what we do! The OT profession has been around for over 100 years now and people still don’t know what occupational therapy is. If this is you, I encourage you to take a look at this post about what occupational therapy is (as a very brief overview). I’ll share more and more about occupational therapy throughout this blog, so keep a lookout for new content. 🙂
It will take work for OT to be recognized, but I think if we all work to advocate for our profession, polish our elevator speeches, and really shine the light on occupational therapy, people will soon start to know that we don’t just help people find jobs or work on hands. A huge part of why I started this blog in the first place is to promote this amazing profession and educate my OT and non-OT peers about the scope of things OT clinicians can accomplish!