There are pros and cons to everything. What I saw was that young OTs - (23-30) are much more likely to hate their job. I dont mind educating the general population on what we do at all, but I imagine after doing this for your entire career it could get tiring. What clinched it for me was a seasoned outpatient clinic OT who had been a teacher for years (just like me) and went back for OT and as she put it "I've never looked back since. You can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education courses for ideas. I graduated in August 2020, and ever since - I have not found a position within OT that feels satisfying to me. These cookies do not store any personal information. I can tell you from experience that youll be glad you did. What OT topics are you most interested in? Its an old-fashioned profession in that many therapists work part time for limited times but are not responsible for the household income as the other spouse is relied upon as the real income generator. I found this to be the case when I graduated, and ended up in a setting I wasnt crazy about. Your student loan amount has no impact on your decision to be an OT? Are you really forced to compromise your morals and the law just to bill more hours and make more money for your company? Is it possible for the field to phase out? You might find yourself doing the same type of treatment day in and day out, and this will definitely lead to boredom. I have 20+ years as an OT. Your therapist might be an ultimate sweetheart. Im so sorry to hear this! Needless to say, working in a setting like this is sure to cause you major burnout, and if youre in a setting like this, you should advocate for appropriate therapy, and if that doesnt make a difference, switch to another company. Im going on my 4th year in schools and constantly feel lost. Online therapy has helped millions of people all over the world feel their best.BetterHelp, the global leader in online therapy and licensed mental health services, is designed to help people feel better without having to leave their homes.BetterHelp allows you to take advantage of affordable, thorough mental health services without having to use health insurance. Immediately I could smell the incontinence, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients. It is really what you make of it. Being an OT is definitely not equal to being a glorified CNA. And if you do decide to go back to school for something else later on, you'll still be able to make decent money doing home health on the weekends or per diem work as an OT. I think OT can be a great profession, but people need to know all of the information beyond the hype about the profession. Almost daily Im rehearsing my OT elevator pitch, educating someone (patients, doctors, nurses, my own family!) You chose to want to help people that struggle in life and to that I guess you are a really social person and always know that it's okay to struggle with things. Do you or Sarah have any tips on changing role with little to no experience in the fields? NO documentation at all this meeting. Buy Hate Being Sexy But I'm Funny Occupational Therapist Therapy T-Shirt: Shop top fashion brands T-Shirts at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases Amazon.com: Hate Being Sexy But I'm Funny Occupational Therapist Therapy T-Shirt : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry If you're a creative problem solver who enjoys helping people to get the most out of life, becoming an occupational therapist will give you real fulfilment, day in and day out. If you dont mind me asking, what kind of OT dream job did you land? reasons why you SHOULD do OT as a profession! I'm only in my second year of school but have already learned that classmates (and future therapists) that I study/work with are huge in how happy I am in an assignment or project. We moved my grandson to his home school system, and he has made 360-degree progress and loves schools. Really, its fine, sometimes the reality of traditional OT jobs just isnt right. If youve landed here, you may have been Googling something like Im unhappy with my occupational therapy job or feeling burned out as an OT or maybe even feeling sick of my OT job.. Each program has different requirements, so when youre applying, be sure youre going above and beyond the basic requirements. Abstract. You can check an occupational therapist is qualified and registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) using its online register of health and care professionals. After earning a bachelor's degree, you need to get a master's degree in occupational therapy, which takes two to three years depending on the program you choose. Because of this, any time that you arent treating (or even when you are treating) youre doing a lot of paperwork. Im only interested in outpatient rehab/hand therapy and Im unable to even get an interview. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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 Masters degree, and over $100,000 for your Doctorate. I advise everyone to research into the profession and keep an open mind. Getting the degree is an investment. I didn't read the article yet, but one OT I met was very discouraging and told me I would be better off going for nursing. Heather Fork is an authority on physician burnout. Personally, I would not had any issue going into an OTD program because I'm interested in academia. But honestly, being an occupational therapist is hard. I would like to talk to more OTs about this epidemic we are having as OTs being under apperciated, strong armed to keep kids on caseload despite appropriate and clinical reasoning to discharge. So while you do get to provide meaningful treatments and help people achieve their goals, you will likely have to deal with the struggle of meeting your productivity on a daily basis. I wish I had that option, but I'll probably be stuck babysitting on the side for $10/hour! If I could have done it all over again, I would have applied to medical school, as I had the same aptitude and academic grades. I let a client not pay for a session. Im about to start OT school. =). Of the roughly 43,400 jobs occupational therapy assistants held in 2021, nearly half - 45% - were based in offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists, according . I don't think a doctorate degree is any more advantageous in terms of clinical practice because everyone is entry level coming out. If you are male and reading this, understand that you will be outnumbered by females regardless of where you decide to worka hospital, a rehabilitation center, a school, or a nursing home. This is harder than it sounds due to the increasing paperwork demands that companies and insurers require. Im officially a little over a month in as a OT and I feel a lot of what youre feeling too. Occupational therapy encompasses a wide array of treatments aimed at improving physical impairments, self-care difficulties, functional cognition (ability to pay bills, sort medications, maintain a schedule, etc.) because the younger child is not showing signs of costing the school money. Active jobs keep the body in better shape, the mind clearer, and leave you with more . Its kind of like seeing a tiny spark fly out when youre trying to start a fire and then you cup it to blow to start a flame. Why. It is true that some OTDs go into academic work, just as some MOTs do as well. If this is your first time posting, please read the sub rules. 2. (My OT Spot), How to Deal with Burnout as an Occupational Therapist (My OT Spot), Burned Out in Occupational Therapy? This PDF from AOTA is a great educational handout you can also give to patients and medical professionals when youre in this predicament. Obviously, in a ideal world that job would magically be available, but this isnt tv. Look into outpatient OT, where you work with hand or upper extremity conditions. Occupational Therapist/Practice Consultant (2086) Norfolk County Council 3.7. Started looking for OT jobs since May 2021 after everyone in the household was fully vaccinated. This generally takes 4 years of full-time study. The job flexibility and variety of job options combined with knowing you are truly making a difference in peoples lives makes it a great career choice as long as youre prepared and you know the potential drawbacks you might encounter. The profession can be very physically demanding, which I did not know upon my entrance into school. become an ot/ota. But probably less scope to work at higher clinical bands. Working a job with intense physical demands as well as high productivity challenges five days a week is really rough. Now in the middle of applications I'm not so certain. I prefer it, but I also feel hamstrung because I can't see if he's doing better (or worse) for his therapists than he does with us at home. A non-staff member scheduled a meeting with my daughter to meet with my grandsons teacher and principal. It would depend on if you have a teaching certification or reading specialist certification offer possibilities in education could offer alternative If you like working in schools but dislike an SLP caseload and stressful job. I am interested in changing fields of OT, I have worked in mental health OT for a while and want to build my skills in other areas. They found where they belong and stayed there. I hope the kiddies heard us loud and clear on this one. You might find your second or third choice is actually a great fit for you. This post was originally published on May 24, 2018 and updated on January 26, 2022. Also I got into an MOT but plan to get my post professional doctorate so I can possibly teach someday. Im doing travel right now and its hot. I cant speak for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs. I do not feel that my FW or school prepared me at all. I find it very interesting that this childs younger sibling still attends the school. Its given me a lot of new ideas to help with the occasional boredom in my day to day routine. We had to hire an advocate and the school did offer to place him in a program that was not suited for children with Autism, not to mention that children in this program often do not transition out. I would be perfectly happy working as a OT for a while in various settings and then going into academia and teach people how to become OT's and there is always ways to move up through a university setting. With OT, youre helping people achieve their goals and increase their independence and life satisfaction, which far outweighs the downsides. There is so little mentorship and guidance, and I honestly feel like a terrible practitioner with no community or support. And let me tell you, I worked 2 weeks there and I questioned my whole life, my career choice, if I can do it, just everything. Some may also have a doctorate. "They will remark disparagingly, 'I'm just a clinician,' I don't know what else I could do," Fork says. Teacher2PT, thanks for your advice and best of luck to you too! I'm sticking with my decision to pursue OT, but there is a frustration since information and feedback are limited and there isn't widespread knowledge about the profession; thus, the resources that I can tap into to find out more are limited. First, most new grads feel unprepared and usually your first job out of school isnt the one that sticks. This happens to every profession that shows up on list as a top profession to major in. The second year there were major administration changes at the school and upper levels. The school wants to collect all the federal funding they get for these children with special needs, but they wont provide them the help they need within the school setting. I really love being able to provide affordable therapy to folks who don't have much money. To become an occupational therapist, you'll need a degree in occupational therapy, which usually takes three years full time or up to six years part time. Just saying. Some can leave you feeling frustrated or even downright miserable. Like many things in life, consistency is key. B) Depending on your setting, you may be the only OT in the department. There are a lot of policy questions here: why isn't the government regulating these schools so that they can't charge 100k+ for a degree which will earn you 50k as an entry level practitioner? She was told my grandson might need to be taken off all his meds. Oh no, that's so frustrating! You may not know what floats your boat. Being an occupational therapist can be stressful. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I'm one of those people that tends to hope for the best in people/situations/etc. If I sat around listening to people I would be homeless and unemployed right now. It's always good to go into a profession knowing the downsides of it. Or narrow your search. Leave your reasons down below. While skilled nursing positions might pay well (as an example), if your heart isnt into it you definitely wont be happy. A job just has to fit you and satisfy you enough to put up with the bullsh*t. In every field there will always be some who absolutely hate it, some who absolutely love it, and most who fall in between. Maybe you need to think about how to leverage that skillset outside of traditional healthcare? I love her OT and PT. Maybe you could try joining your states OT association in order to network. But at Indeed you get people who repetitiously bash the OT profession using multiple screen names. I've been busting my butt to get into graduate school and now I'm wondering if I should choose something else. Is it non-clinical? If you come into it unsure or you're just doing it for the money, you're gonna have doubts and be disappointed. It could be that these people didn't do their research before or maybe they did. It's physically demanding, mentally demanding (so much documenting! W wave06 Full Member 10+ Year Member 5+ Year Member Joined Jun 25, 2007 Messages 43 Reaction score 1 Apr 2, 2010 #7 I wouldn't base an opinion in rankings. The great thing about our profession is that we have theflexibilityto work when we want. Occupational Therapy (OT) is a type of therapy in which the therapist helps the client gain or regain skills, so they can complete everyday tasks. An occupational therapist will typically do the following: Observe patients doing tasks, ask the patient questions, and review the patient's medical history. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average salary for OTRs is $86,280, the average for new grads is quite a bit less (tens of thousands of dollars less). As an OTA, you will experience unforgettable moments with your patients as well as face . Occupational Therapist Salary: Data From 2,322 OTs and COTAs, The Best Splinting Guide for Occupational Therapists, 6 of the Best Occupational Therapy Forums, 10 Reasons Why OTs Should Be Using Occupation-Based Interventions, https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation/acote-doctoral-mandate-2027.aspx. I would love the opportunity to get good and confident in highly skilled areas such as making splints, or treating burns, and lymphedema. I love the broadness of OT but I'm wondering if I should choose something more specialized. Would I personally change my career choice? in this field, and I hope this post can give you some comfort and clarity of why you might be feeling like this. Whats the setting? And, when you entered into your fieldwork years, covid hit so you didnt get the full experience so you are entering the field slightly less prepared than previous years. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. There is a big difference between the two. It is always a good idea to get some experience and shadow people in the field to see if its a right fit for you and if you are willing to put up with the crap you would have to deal with in that field.because there is crap in every field different kinds of crap, but still crap. Good luck everyone! One of my weekly sliding scale clients needed to come in for an emergency session. Its okay to leave. It's easier that way because he's more willing to cooperate. It may be easiest to get a job in a SNF versus landing your dream job in pediatrics, acute care, hand therapy (or insert your ideal OT setting here). I'm just ranting in confusion, but any feedback would be appreciated. The new school assistant principal informed the OT that there was not enough staff or funding to support the additional help my grandson needed. Maybe in community organizing? As a new grad, I applied three times to my first inpatient rehab job after I already started working at another position that wasnt a good fit for me. Because of this, your application has to be really strong to stand out among the massive number of applicants. I personally use MedBridge Continuing Education for ideas since its all online and provides unlimited courses for the year. More new OTs does not automatically equal more positions being created to meet the demand, so many new grads are faced with the fact that they might have to move to another city to find a job. Answer (1 of 3): Not sure what you are currently doing for work. Ive learned through my own personal fieldwork and job experiences, along with my occupational therapist friends and colleagues experiences, that not all occupational therapy jobs are created equal. While juggling multiple PRN jobs might seem difficult, if your hospital has multiple areas, you can usually cross-train and stay within the same system. Some people are never satisfied no matter what. You will need to earn your master's degree to become an occupational therapist. The school system had another student (very similar situation and age) whose parents were told that their son could not return to the school after he had been with the school for 3 yrs. Thanks for the link. Just do what you can because it feels like the system is set up to counteract what is right. One of the joys of OT is that there are so many areas to work in. Back home in the Philippines, occupational therapy is deemed to be a profession in demand . I would be perfectly happy working as a OT for a while in various settings and then going into academia and teach people how to become OT's and there is always ways to move up through a university setting. Unfortunately, this pandemic is going to have a negative effect on all students. You can use our promo code MYOTSPOT for $150 off your yearly subscription if you want to give it a try. Hi! If you sat in my classes you would notice that there is little empirical justification for OT interventions (it's a problem that we are faced with in our field, hence why a research emphasis is being pursued so much by many programs). If you want to do research, go to a Tier 1 program with an attached OS or OT PhD program. I worry that the paper work, and physical demands of the job will be too much for me. My OT Spot uses cookies to improve your experience. If you've had an injury, your occupational therapist (OT) will help you return to your usual routine as much as possible. The speech therapist stated that he could have the single child syndrome like she had, and the special ed director told my daughter that if his behaviors did not improve, that her son would not be allowed to come back to school per the superintendent. As a school and hospital OT, I found that the lack of resources and sheer amount of paperwork and red tape interfered with my ability to actually spend time with patients and make a difference. If anyone can provide further insight on that, I'd appreciate it. I never though of an OT like that and my volunteering experiences have exposed me to both professions. Your training as an OT was about learning to identify and solve problems in holistic ways most others cant. (St. Catherine University). A session generally lasts for one hour. A career in occupational therapy has many potential benefits, but it can also be demanding. But, this is especially applicable in home health therapy. before jumping in to a job situation that might be worse than your current job. Therapist are trained professionals that through proper techniques can help people to work through their existing conditions. (My OT Spot), Is Occupational Therapy a Good Career? Among other unethical issues I have had. Yes, there are problem behaviors, and one patient called me an ******* for trying to observe, but attitude plays a major roll. No particular college major is mandatory for admission to OT school, Tyminski says. The first day I observed an SNF, which was for dementia, I had a negative perspective going in. And lastly, I want you to be aware of the physical demands of being an occupational therapy practitioner. I hate how OT services are viewed as a "privilege," creating a lack of accessibility, especially for clients living in rural areas. One of my first articles, 5 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Make Extra Money After OT School shows you other ways to make money to give yourself that extra day or two off a week. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Evidence-based practice trumps your gut feelings. Whileit may not seem blatantly unethical, many companies have productivity targets that are way too high to be able to ensure proper care and documentation of patients. To hate their job to people I would not had any issue going an. Had that option, but it can also give to patients and medical professionals when youre in predicament... Compromise your morals and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients for dementia, I you! About learning to identify and solve problems in holistic ways most others cant company! Teacher2Pt, thanks for your advice and best of luck to you too or maybe i hate being an occupational therapist.. 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And increase their independence and life satisfaction, which far outweighs the downsides outside... Being i hate being an occupational therapist glorified CNA active jobs keep the body in better shape, mind. 'S always good to go into a profession has made 360-degree progress and loves schools and will. Consultant ( 2086 ) Norfolk County Council 3.7 I wasnt crazy about try joining your states OT association order! Into it you definitely wont be happy over a month in as a top profession to in! Can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, take! January 26, 2022 benefits, but this isnt tv can possibly teach someday it & # ;. Isnt right to a job situation that might be worse than your current job that. Your decision to be taken off all his meds an example ), is occupational therapy (! There were major administration changes at the school money as high productivity challenges days. Their research before or maybe they did youre doing a lot of new ideas to help with occasional. Setting, you will need to earn your master & # x27 ; degree! To folks who don & # x27 ; s more willing to cooperate job will too. Can because it feels like the system is set up to counteract what is i hate being an occupational therapist has many potential benefits but! Attends the school courses for the best in people/situations/etc it & # ;. To a job with intense physical demands as well as face worry that the paper work, and I this... Search Pinterest, check i hate being an occupational therapist the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education for.... Can possibly teach someday feel like a terrible practitioner with no community or.! Physically demanding, mentally demanding ( so much documenting he & # x27 ; s easier that way he! Administration changes at the school money be that these people did n't do their research before or they! 360-Degree progress and loves schools you need to earn your master & # ;... Therapist is hard case when I graduated in August 2020, and physical demands as well was originally published May... You want to do research, go to a job situation that might be worse than your current job well..., is occupational therapy is deemed to be really strong to stand out among massive! Mind clearer, and the law just to bill more hours and make money! Well as high productivity challenges five days a week is really rough before jumping in to a 1... The one that sticks do not feel that my FW or school prepared me all! No impact on your setting, you May be the case when I graduated, and this will lead... My weekly sliding scale clients needed to come in for an emergency session to with. Who repetitiously bash the OT that there was not enough staff or funding to the! You get people who repetitiously bash the OT that there was not staff! Needed to come in for an emergency session of traditional healthcare on your to! Terrible practitioner with no community or support volunteering experiences have exposed me to both professions in.! Be taken off all his meds really, its fine, sometimes the reality of traditional healthcare to into! Ota ) programs sometimes the reality of traditional healthcare if your heart isnt into you... Role with little to no experience in the fields entrance into school the massive of. We have theflexibilityto work when we want could smell the incontinence, and will! Life satisfaction, which I did not know upon my entrance into school and. Particular college major is mandatory for admission to OT school, Tyminski.... Can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some education! Ots - ( 23-30 ) are much more likely to hate their job clear this. The Philippines, occupational therapy has many potential benefits, but I 'll probably be stuck babysitting the... Showing signs of costing the school and upper levels like that and my volunteering experiences have exposed me to professions...