Occupational Therapy Degree
Occupational Therapy focuses on a person’s ability to perform and participate in the normal day to day activities of life. An occupational therapists role is to either improve, maintain or restore one’s personal skills that have been diminished due to injury, illness, social barriers or as the result of either acquired or congenital disabilities. It is a field of health care that is primarily concerned with restoring the social inclusion of clients at any age.
As an occupational therapist you will be helping clients either learn or re-learn such tasks as dressing, walking, showering, talking, etc. in an attempt to allow them as much independence as possible. The work of an occupational therapist can be preformed either in a client’s home or in a hospital or clinical setting and can include such venues as:
- Recreations Facilities
- Group homes
- Boards of health
- Private practice
- School vocational programs
- Home care
- Mental health centres
- Hospitals
The demand for professionals who hold an Occupational Therapy Degree is on the rise in both Canada and the United States. The reasons for this increase in demand include the fact that our population is aging, that society is more aware of the needs of people dealing with a disability and because there are a greater percentage of people who are surviving serious injuries as a result of an accident. Developing and implementing creative solutions to the every day problems that clients come across as they strive for greater independence is an important area that occupational therapists are involved in.
Whether you are looking to earn your Bachelor’s Occupational Therapy Degree or are considering advancing on to a Masters Occupational Therapy Degree, your course work will include either entry level or advanced level training in the following areas:
- Orthoses and Rehabilitation Science
- Musculoskeletal Function and Structure
- Clinical Procedures
- Neuroscience
- Ergonomics and Safety
- Clinical Counseling
- Health and Occupational Safety
- Neuropsychiatry
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Pediatrics
- Gerontology
Students earning their Occupational Therapy Degree will be taught the strong connection between a person’s overall health and well being and their ability to perform day to day tasks with greater independence. They will be able to devise and implement simple changes within a home to enable a client to function on their own as much as possible. These changes can be as simple as rearranging items in a kitchen from a top shelf to a lower one or placing other every day items within reach. When working with children, an occupational therapist can provide valuable suggestions to parents and caregivers that will be of great benefit in a therapy program.
Occupational therapists who wish to play a more active role in management and program development can go on to earn their Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy through any number of accredited online colleges or universities. This program of study would include advanced courses dealing with the theory and practice of orthopedic, psychiatric, medical and neurological issues that adversely affects the normal functioning of individuals.
Before enrolling for any certificate or degree program in occupational therapy it is important to ensure that the college you are considering is recognized by either the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists or if studying in the United States, by the American Occupational Therapy Association Inc.
