How to Become an Occupational Therapist: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Become an Occupational Therapist: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hey there! So, you wanna be an occupational therapist, huh? That’s like being a superhero but instead of capes, you get to wear scrubs. Sounds fun right? You help people do stuff they gotta do every day like brushing their teeth or doing the cha-cha. It’s pretty cool. But hold up! Before you start wearing your invisible cape and saving the day one rehab session at a time, let’s go through how to become an OT. Grab your popcorn and let’s dive into this wild ride!

Step 1: Get Your Brain Ready

First things first, you need to get a degree. I know it sounds boring, but hear me out. You gotta go to college (Like Hogwarts but without all the magic). You don’t have to be a super genius either; just a decent student will do. Most OTs go for something like health science or psychology. This means taking classes about bodies and brains and stuff—so no more procrastinating those assignments.

Step 2: Get All Nerdy with Graduate School

Once you finish college, time for graduate school! Yep, more studying because we can never have enough tests in our lives 🙄. You’ll need a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Think of this as level two on your journey to becoming an OT wizard. Don’t worry too much though; there are even online programs if you wanna stay in your PJs during class.

Step 3: Practicum Time!

Okay now comes the fun part—practicum! It’s basically hands-on training where you actually help people! Yay! You’ll learn how to get them outta bed and into life again while giving really good pep talks like “You got this!” It’s kinda like being on a reality show called “The Real Therapists of Somewhere.”

Step 4: Take the Big Scary Exam

Now that you think you’re ready to change lives, it’s time for the big exam…dun dun dunnnn! The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam is what stands between you and your dream job. It sounds scary and it might feel like taking a test on space llamas at 3 AM—but just study hard and show that test who’s boss!

Step 5: Get Your License (and Maybe A Fancy Certificate)

Guess what? Assuming you didn’t spontaneously combust during that exam, you’ll want to lick some envelopes cause it’s LICENSE TIME! Every state has different rules so check yours carefully unless you wanna end up working as an ice cream taster instead of helping people recover 💁‍♂️.

Step 6: Find Your Special Place in the World

Time to become an OT superstar! Look for jobs in hospitals, schools, or even fancy wellness centers with nice chairs where people drink herbal tea. What types of patients do ya wanna work with? Children who can’t color inside the lines or older folks who need help knitting scarves? The options are endless!

Step 7: Always Keep Learning

Last but not least—you gotta keep learning through continuing education courses because medicine changes like my mood when I see pizza🍕 . So yes keep that brain of yours pumped full of new ideas and cool techniques that make rehab feel less boring than watching paint dry.

FAQ Section

Question:
Is being an occupational therapist hard?

Answer:
Well it’s not like climbing Mt Everest but it does take some work! The studying part can give ya headaches but helping people is totally worth it!

Question:
Do I have to wear scrubs every day?

Answer:
Not really! Some places let ya wear snazzy outfits as long as you don’t forget you’re still working with clients!

Question:
Can I specialize in something unique?

Answer:
Heck yeah! There are specializations from pediatrics to geriatrics so find what makes your heart go pitter patter!

Question:
How much money can I make?

Answer:
Oh boy—OTs make pretty decent cashish; usually around $75K a year give or take depending on experience kinda sounds good right?

Question:
Do I have to lift heavy stuff?

Answer:
Yup sometimes but mostly not like lifting cars off someone unless you’re secretly super strong which is totally cool too!

Question:
Can I work from home?

Answer:
Mostly no but sometimes after COVID folks started doing teletherapy so maybe there’s hope for couch therapy while munching on chips!

Question:
Is it all about helping old people?

Answer:
No way Jose—OTs work with kids too plus everyone else needing support so variety is the spice of life!

And there ya have it folks—your step-by-step guide on how to become an incredible occupational therapist all wrapped up nicely! Now go forth and help those brushing-their-teeth warriors live their best lives ever!