CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MAJORS
SKILLS & ABILITIES OF THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MAJOR
Skills  Ac ve Listening
 Pa ent Consulta on
 Cri cal Thinking / Analy cal Skills (Data)
 Develop Interpersonal Rela onships
 Problem Sensi vity– quickly iden fies when
things are not right
 Problem Solving– creates the appropriate therapy
program based on the pa ent’s needs
 Crea vity– mo vates pa ents who are ini ally
resistant to therapy
 Communica on– effec vely explains the injury
and therapeu c process to pa ents
 Documenta on– keeps detailed records of pa‐
ents’ injuries and the rehabilita on progress
 Social Percep veness– aware of others’ reac ons
and the reasoning behind them
 Service Orienta on– ac vely looks for ways to
help people
Ability (Knowledge)  Therapy and Counseling
 Customer and Personal Service
 Psychology– human behavior / performance and
individual difference in ability / personality
 Educa on and Training– effec ve at teaching
therapeu c exercises to pa ents
 Sociology and Anthropology– aware of group be‐
havior and societal influences
 Medicine– understands proper techniques need‐
ed to diagnose and treat injuries
 Administra on and Management– strategic com‐
municator and leader
 Biology– competent about body ssues, cells and
their func ons and interac ons with one another
*Par ally taken from the Occupa onal Outlook
Handbook
POTENTIAL CAREERS
Field‐Based  Occupa onal Therapist
 Registered Occupa onal Therapist
 Staff Therapist
 Assis ve Technology Trainer
 Industrial Rehabilita on Consultant
*Par ally taken from the Occupa onal Outlook
Handbook
Related Occupa ons  Social and Human Service Assistant
 Director of Religious Ac vi es
 Director of Educa on
 Physical Therapist
 Athle c Trainer
 Recrea onal Therapist
*Provided by the Bureau of Labor 2010‐11
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY RELATED TASKS
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Plan, organize and implement occupa onal therapy programs to rehabilitate those impaired by illness,
injury or developmental problems.
Evaluate pa ents’ physical and mental abili es while analyzing data to determine realis c rehabilita on
goals for pa ents.
Select appropriate ac vi es to assist pa ents in developing work and life‐management skills
Carefully evaluate and document pa ents’ progress.
Train caregivers how to provide for the needs of a pa ent during and a er therapy.
Recommend changes in the pa ents’ work or living environments, consistent with their needs and capa‐
bili es.
Develop and par cipate in discussions to promote client health, alleviate stress, and prevent physical/
mental disability.
Consult with the rehabilita on team when coordina ng occupa onal therapy with other therapeu c ac‐
vi es.
Develop programs and ac vi es to help pa ents learn work and school skills while adjus ng to their limi‐
ta ons.
Maintain the athle c training area and ordering necessary supplies
Develop good working rela onships with players, coaches, physicians, and school administrators.
* Taken from the Occupa onal Handbook
EARNINGS FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
Median annual wages of occupa onal therapists were $72,320 in May 2010. The middle 50 percent earned
between $60,000 and $86,930. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,920, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $102,520. Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of occu‐
pa onal therapists were:
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals‐ $73,160
Offices of Other Health Prac oners‐ $74,910
Elementary and Secondary Schools‐ $65,000
Nursing Care Facili es‐ $77,700
Home Health Care Facili es‐ $83,920
*Provided by the Bureau of Labor Sta s cs (2010‐11)
ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY RESOURCES
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The American Occupa onal Therapy Associa on (AOTA), www.aota.org
Ohio Occupa onal Therapy Professional Associa on www.oota.org
Xavier University Occupa onal Therapy Graduate Program, www.xavier.edu/ot/
RELATED BOOKS IN THE CAREER RESOURCE LIBRARY (CLC 530)
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Occupa onal Therapy as a Career
Opportuni es in Occupa onal Therapy Careers
Occupa onal Outlook Handbook