What is Occupational Therapy? 

Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that promotes participation for people of all ages in activities that they want and need to do. “Occupation” relates to everyday doing and meaningful engagement in life which supports one’s physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health. Occupational therapists use occupation to empower people to engage in productive lives despite illness, injury, disability or other limitations.

Occupational therapy services may include comprehensive evaluations of an individual’s home or other environments (e.g., workplace, school), recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use, modifications to routines or environments and guidance and education for family members and caregivers. Occupational therapy practitioners focus on adapting the environment or the activity to fit the individual, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team.

What is the Job Outlook for Occupational Therapy?

United State Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statics provides the following quick facts for Occupational Therapists. 

Quick Facts: Occupational Therapists
2018 Median Pay	$84,270 per year  $40.51 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education	Master's degree or Entry-Level Doctoral Degree
Number of Jobs, 2016	130,400
Job Outlook, 2016-26	24% growth (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2016-26	31,000                                                                         https://www.bls.gov/

Future employment of occupational therapy professionals is extremely positive. The most recent BLS report predicts a much faster than average growth for the occupational therapy profession nationally (24% from 2016 to 2026), while the 2018 U.S. News & World Report lists occupational therapist as the 9th best career in health care and 11th best career among its top 100 “Best Jobs.”  Additional sources indicating a favorable job outlook for occupational therapy include, 4^th of “50 Best Jobs in America” (Glassdoor 2018), and one of “Ten Best Jobs to Apply For” (Forbes 2017).

Where Can I Find More Information About the Occupational Therapy Profession?

If you are considering a career as an occupational therapist, you can learn more by visiting the American Occupational Therapy Association.