Occupational Therapy

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Occupational Therapy Career Choice
Helping people attain their potential
Photographers (top to bottom) D Brook, J Smith,
J Higgins, P Eaton
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• What is an Occupational Therapist?
• Occupational therapists work with people of any
  age to promote health, prevent disability, and
  develop or maintain abilities.
• They can
• help people learn new ways of doing activities
• adapt equipment or materials used every day
• make changes to the places people live and work

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unique training enables occupational therapists
to understand not only the medical and physical
limitations of a disability or injury, but also
the psycho-social factors that impact on an
individuals ability to participate in the
activities that are important to them (Ref
www.caot.ca website viewed 13/09/07)
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Occupation is seen as

• self care-bathing, dressing, shopping, cooking
  and eating

Photographer L East
Photographer C Smith
Photographer J Swan
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productivity- paid or unpaid work, housework,
child's play and school
Photographer A. Harland
Photographer G Tull
Photographer P Eaton
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leisure- hobbies, extracurricular activities,
social activities
Photographer Janet Ivey
Photographer J Smith
Photographer E Dickinson
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• As an OT you may
• Use equipment or technology to enable someone to
  live independently after a spinal cord injury
• Consult in schools to help children with writing
  or attention skills and learning challenges
• Help someone experiencing depression return to
  the workplace
• Travel to third world countries to set up
  rehabilitation programs

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Where does an OT work?

• Occupational therapists are often part of a
  multi-disciplinary team and work in different
  settings like hospitals, schools, local community
  services, universities and workplaces
• Occupational therapists can work in different
  roles for example as a Manager, Practitioner,
  Consultant, Lecturer or a Researcher
• Occupational therapists earn competitive
  salaries, and there are immediate job vacancies
  in the UK and abroad
• Working in Occupational Therapy is

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Rewarding
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Photographer T Tyre
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Challenging
Photographer C Swift
Photographer J Atkinson
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Diverse
Photographer P Eaton
Photographer T Trye
Photographer J Smith
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How can you become an OT?

• A range of occupational therapy courses are
• available at 34 universities in the UK,
  including
• Full-time courses lasting three years for
  school leavers (four years in Scotland)
• Full-time courses lasting two years for people
  with a first degree
• Four year part-time
• In-service programmes for Support Workers

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Meet some Occupational Therapists
Community Practice
Driving Assessor
Hospital
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Jo Learning Disability Community Team
Jo has been an occupational therapist for four
years, helping people who have learning
difficulties   "My job is really challenging,
and I genuinely love it. I am so lucky to work
with a great team of people, and to have so many
wonderful patients. It is so rewarding to be
able to work together in achieving goals that
will hopefully enable them to lead independent
and rewarding lives.
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Barry Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Barry looks at vehicle access and at equipment
and techniques to make cars accessible to
passengers or drivers. Its really great when
we can tell people they can drive again thanks to
the work we have done. This gives them a huge
part of their life back, and gives them the
freedom to go where they want to go without
relying on other people Working as an
occupational therapist is about providing support
in all areas of a person's life. It's a very
flexible career option.
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Denise Hospital
Denise is the professional head of all
occupational therapy staff in a large acute
teaching hospital. Occupational therapy gives
me an opportunity to work with people and
provides variety. I manage a staff of about 100
people, and no two days are the same. After 20
years I'm still excited by the job and never
bored. There are always new things to learn and
develop. There's now a need for more
occupational therapists, to help people come out
of hospital and back into their homes and to
people to stay independent in their homes.
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• Are you interested in
• Biological and behavioural sciences
• Helping people of various ages
• Creative problem solving

• Are you
• A good communicator?
• Adaptable and flexible?
• Self motivated and a team player?

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• If youre interested in a career that is
• Rewarding
• Challenging and
• Diverse

Photographer T Trye
Photographer J Smith
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Then to find out more about Occupational Therapy
Visit the College of Occupational Therapists
website www.cot.org.uk
For a Careers Handbook, send a self-addressed,
stamped (to the value of 80 pence) envelope
to Careers College of Occupational
Therapists 106-114 Borough High
Street Southwark London SE1 1LB