Have you always wanted a career that lets you help people directly–something akin to a doctor or nurse, but not quite the same thing? You’re not alone! With the healthcare service industry leading employment growth in the US, you may be wondering what kinds of jobs you can train for beyond the usual suspects of counseling, medicine, and nursing. As a matter of fact, the options are expanding day by day! This article is part of a series that explores different graduate programs–and alternative options– that can lead to promising careers in the ever-growing, highly humanitarian industry that is healthcare service.

In this first part, we’ll take a look at one of the fastest healthcare occupations leading the surge. Boasting an impressive median salary of around $80,000, occupational therapy deserves growing recognition as a promising path popularly paved by obtaining a graduate degree or higher.

Occupational therapists assist those who have experienced major losses of daily functioning due to injury, disability, aging, and other life changes. The occupational therapist, or OT for short, works alongside the client to retrain them in areas that will benefit their lives the most, whether it’s around learning, socializing, household tasks, or physical function.

OT workplaces include but are not limited to hospitals, home healthcare settings, and clinics. You’ll find OT programs under the health sciences umbrella at most universities, alongside physical therapy, speech therapy, nursing, and exercise science.

Those seeking to enter the OT workforce must obtain a license to practice, made possible by graduating from a program accredited by ACOTE, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. Depending on existing qualifications, you can choose from numerous degree options ranging from associate’s (for OT assistants) to varying levels of PhD. 

For those who have earned an undergraduate degree in any field, the choice is typically between an the entry-level master’s degree or a entry-level Doctorate.

A Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy (2-3 years) is offered by 214 universities in the US as of 2020; this includes several that are in process of transitioning to the entry-level doctorate program, which usually spans 3 years. Meanwhile, 173 universities, including many of the same schools, already offer the Doctorate program. Many of these programs are pending accreditation from ACOTE, so it’s always wise to check their current status on the official school listings. Although you cannot complete an OT degree fully online as of yet, the more common hybrid (weekend) programs are worth considering.

Application processes for both the master’s and doctorate call for similar requirements, with an emphasis on undergraduate GPA and demonstration of interest through shadowing practicing OTs. Course prerequisites vary by university, but schools usually require you’ve covered anatomy and physiology, lifespan psychology, abnormal psychology, sociology or anthropology, and either physics or chemistry. 

See US News rankings for top occupational therapy programs. 

Interested in exploring other healthcare service professions? Learn more about the education and training options for physician assistants, physical therapists, speech therapists, health care administrators, audiologists, and beyond.

I hope you enjoyed this post! In it, I am merely dipping my toes into the style of an education website, in an attempt to highlight a field that interests me currently.