About

Occupational Therapy

Requirements for OT

To become an occupational therapist, one must:

  • Earn a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accreddited university

  • Obtain certification with the National Board of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) through passing a rigorous criterion-based exam

  • Obtain and maintain individual state licensures based on individual state requirements

  • Complete mandated continuing education requirements every 2-3 years

Areas of Expertise

Through rigorous schooling and on-site training, occupational therapists are medical professionals with expertise in the areas of:

  • Rehabilitation and habilitation

  • Activity analysis

  • Evaluations and designing interventions

  • Environmental analysis

  • Modification to reduce barriers

  • Universal Design

  • Holistic integration of populations, environments, and occupations

25% of Occupational Therapists in the United States work in pediatric settings (AOTA, 2024)

Practice Setting Matters

  • Occupational therapists take on different roles and work with clients on different skills depending on the setting that they work in; i.e. hospital, school, private practice, home, rehabilitation center, etc.

    Different models of practice are implemented in different setting; i.e. Caseload and Workload models

  • Caseload models are practice models that determine staffing and time allowance by the number of students receiving services or on a caseload. Caseload models are used in medical models of practice.

  • Workload models consider all work duties including direct and indirect caseload numbers, documentation, staff training, collaboration, evaluations, meetings, travel, and more, when determining hiring needs. Workload practice align with public health practices.