Occupational Therapist

Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.

On the job, you would:

Complete and maintain necessary records.
Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate those impaired because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.

Important Qualities

Adaptability. Occupational therapists must be accommodating when working with clients. They must be able to change treatment plans based on clients’ needs.

Communication skills. Occupational therapists must listen closely to clients. They also must be able to explain treatment plans and goals to clients, clients’ families, and other members of the healthcare team.

Compassion. Occupational therapists work with patients who may struggle with life’s daily activities. Because of this, they must be empathetic and sensitive to a client’s needs and concerns.

Interpersonal skills. Occupational therapists spend much of their time interacting with clients and explaining treatment. They must be able to develop a rapport with clients.

Patience. Occupational therapists work with clients who have problems with everyday activities. Therapists must remain calm in order to provide quality care.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		99%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		97%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		96%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		93%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		93%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		90%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		86%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		85%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		85%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		82%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		81%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		80%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		76%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		76%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		72%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		66%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		56%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		100%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		83%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		81%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		67%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		56%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		75%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		72%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		72%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		72%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		69%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		69%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		60%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		56%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		56%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		57%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		57%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
		57%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		55%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		55%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		55%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		54%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.

Record patient medical histories.

Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.

Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.

Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.

Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.

Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.

Design public or employee health programs.

Direct healthcare delivery programs.

Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.

Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Design public or employee health programs.

Train medical providers.

Supervise patient care personnel.

Design medical devices or appliances.

Fabricate medical devices.

Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.

Clean medical equipment or facilities.

Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.

Advise communities or institutions regarding health or safety issues.

Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.

Encourage patients or clients to develop life skills.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		98%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		96%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		93%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		92%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		88%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		86%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		85%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		84%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		84%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		81%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		80%	Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
		78%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		74%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		72%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		67%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		66%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		66%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		65%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		64%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		56%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		68%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		93%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		91%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		86%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		85%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		82%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		82%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		82%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		81%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		81%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		78%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		76%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		75%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		75%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		72%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		72%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		71%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		71%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		71%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		68%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		68%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		67%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		65%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		65%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		62%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		61%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		61%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		60%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		59%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		57%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		52%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		52%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		51%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

What Occupational Therapists Do

Occupational therapists help people, such as those with disabilities, live independently.

Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. They help clients meet goals to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for daily living and working.

Duties

Occupational therapists typically do the following:

Evaluate clients' conditions by reviewing their medical history, interviewing them, and observing them perform various tasks
Develop and implement treatment plans that have specific activities to help clients work toward their goals
Help clients relearn and perform daily living tasks, such as teaching a person who has had a stroke how to get dressed
Demonstrate exercises—for example, stretching the joints for arthritis relief—to help relieve clients’ pain
Evaluate a client’s home, school, or workplace to identify potential accessibility improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for an older person with poor memory
Educate a client’s family about how to accommodate and care for them
Recommend special equipment, such as mobility aids and eating aids, and instruct clients and families on how to use it
Assess and record clients’ activities and progress for client evaluations, billing, and other purposes

Occupational therapists work with people who have permanent disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, and may need help with daily tasks. They recommend options and show clients how to use appropriate adaptive equipment, such as leg braces, wheelchairs, and eating aids. These devices help clients live their lives more independently.

Some occupational therapists work with children in inpatient, outpatient, or educational settings. They may provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers or work with school-aged children to encourage engagement, such as participating in academic activities.

Therapists who work with older adults help clients live independently and improve their quality of life. They assess clients’ abilities and environment and make recommendations to improve the clients’ everyday lives. For example, therapists may identify potential fall hazards in a client’s home and recommend their removal or help clients attend social outings.

Occupational therapists help clients create functional work environments. They evaluate the workspace, recommend modifications, and meet with the client’s employer to collaborate on changes to the client’s work environment or schedule.

Occupational therapists also may work in mental health settings, where they help clients who have developmental disabilities or mental health conditions. Therapists assist and educate clients on improving skills such as managing time, using public transportation, and doing household chores. In addition, therapists may work with individuals who have problems related to drug or alcohol abuse, depression, or trauma.

Some occupational therapists, such as those employed in hospitals, work as part of a healthcare team along with doctors, registered nurses, and other types of therapists, including physical therapists. They may work with patients who have chronic conditions, such as diabetes or arthritis, or help rehabilitate a patient recovering from a stroke or spinal cord injury. Occupational therapists also oversee the work of occupational therapy assistants and aides.

Work Environment

Occupational therapists held about 139,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of occupational therapists were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private	29%
Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists	28
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private	12
Home healthcare services	8
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)	7

Occupational therapists may spend a lot of time standing while working with clients. They may be required to lift and move clients or heavy equipment, which can cause injuries. To limit the risk of injury, occupational therapists must use proper body mechanics and lifting techniques.

Therapists sometimes travel between multiple locations, such as between a hospital and a client’s home.

Work Schedules

Most occupational therapists work full time, but part-time work is common. They may work nights or weekends, as needed, to accommodate clients’ schedules.

Getting Started

Education:

86%

Master's Degree

14%

Bachelor's Degree

How to Become an Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists must be sympathetic to clients' needs and concerns.

To enter the occupation, occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy. All states require occupational therapists to be licensed.

Education

Occupational therapists typically need a master’s degree in occupational therapy to enter the occupation. Occupational therapy programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.

Admission to graduate programs in occupational therapy requires a bachelor’s degree, although it may not need to be in a particular subject. However, master’s degree programs frequently require applicants to have completed coursework in biology, psychology, and other sciences. Some programs also require applicants to have volunteered or worked in an occupational therapy setting. To learn about specific requirements, applicants should contact the program in which they are interested in enrolling.

Master’s degree programs usually take 2 to 3 years to complete and typically include courses such as kinesiology, neuroscience, and anatomy. Additionally, these programs require a specified number of hours of supervised fieldwork during which prospective occupational therapists gain clinical experience.

Some schools offer a dual-degree program in which the student earns a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree upon completion.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require occupational therapists to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, but at a minimum, candidates must pass the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). To sit for the NBCOT exam, candidates must have earned a degree from an accredited occupational therapy program that includes fieldwork.

Therapists must pass the NBCOT exam to use the title “Occupational Therapist Registered” (OTR). They also must complete a specified number of hours of continuing education to maintain state licensure and NBCOT certification.

The American Occupational Therapy Association offers board and specialty certifications in a number of areas, such as gerontology, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.

Some employers require candidates to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or basic life support (BLS) certification.

Job Outlook

Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 9,600 openings for occupational therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, autism, or the loss of a limb.

The need for occupational therapists is expected to increase as the large baby-boom generation ages and people remain active later in life. Occupational therapists help older adults maintain their independence by recommending home modifications and strategies that make daily activities easier.

People will continue to seek noninvasive outpatient treatment for long-term disabilities and illnesses, and they may need occupational therapy to become more independent. Therapists will continue to be needed to assist people with autism spectrum disorder in improving their social skills and accomplishing a variety of daily tasks.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about occupational therapists, visit

American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

For more information about the certification exam for Occupational Therapist, Registered, visit

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

For information regarding the requirements for practice as an occupational therapist in schools, contact state occupational therapy regulatory agencies.

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of occupational therapists.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides	Occupational therapy assistants and aides help patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.	See How to Become One	$63,450
Physical Therapists	Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.	Doctoral or professional degree	$97,720
Recreational Therapists	Recreational therapists plan, direct, and coordinate recreation-based medical treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses.	Bachelor's degree	$51,330
Speech-Language Pathologists	Speech-language pathologists assess and treat people who have communication disorders.	Master's degree	$84,140
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners	Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.	Master's degree	$125,900
Physician Assistants	Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician.	Master's degree	$126,010

Occupational Therapist

What they do: