What is Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is about helping people have a higher quality of life and improve the way they deal with their everyday tasks. By studying an Occupational Therapy degree you will learn how to help patients deal with physical, cognitive, or emotional problems by using different techniques aimed at making them become more independent.
Occupational Therapy specialisations
Here are some of the most popular Occupational Therapy specialisations:
- Rehabilitation and Disability;
- Gerontology;
- Paediatrics;
- Assistive Technology;
- Low Vision.
What will you learn during an Occupational Therapy programme
An Occupational Therapy degree gives you the chance to learn how to help people. If you're wondering why Occupational Therapy is a good degree, here's what you'll gain:
- knowledge of human development;
- awareness of how disabilities or injuries affect a person's daily life;
- abilities to use interventions to improve independence and well-being;
- better understanding of empathy and how it can support others.
Common courses include:
- Enabling Participation: Musculoskeletal and Neurological, a class that teaches you how our muscles, bones, and nerves work;
- Enabling Participation: Children, is a course where you learn therapies specific to children;
- Contemporary Health and Social Care Contexts for Occupational Therapists, which helps you be aware of the practice of healthcare in today's world;
- Humans as Occupational Beings, a way of understanding humans through their work and activities;
- Developing Professional Practice Skills in Occupational Therapy, a course where you focus on the skills you need in your actual work as an occupational therapist.
There will also be practical components, including fieldwork placements where you will apply your knowledge in real-life settings. The program also trains you in professional skills such as communication and collaboration to become a competent and compassionate occupational therapist.
Skills required to study Occupational Therapy
To become a good Occupational Therapist, you need communication and interpersonal skills, empathy, and critical thinking. These are essential skills to be successful in this career. Moreover, problem-solving abilities, adaptability, creativity, and a desire to help others are also important and will help you greatly while studying for this degree.
What can you do with a Degree in Occupational Therapy?
If you're wondering what you can do after an Occupational Therapy degree, know that you can get jobs in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, schools, and community settings. Some of the most popular jobs in Occupational therapy include:
- Paediatric Occupational Therapist;
- Mental Health Occupational Therapist;
- Geriatric Occupational Therapist;
- Hand Therapist;
- Assistive Technology Specialist.
Occupational therapists also have opportunities in research, academia, program development, and management roles.
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