Best Careers 2009: Occupational Therapist

Overview. We take for granted our ability to button a shirt, use a computer, or drive a car. But many people—injured adults, children born with disabilities, elders beset by aging—cannot assume those skills. The occupational therapist helps such people live as fully and independently as possible. Thirty percent of OTs work in schools, helping, for example, autistic kids learn how to interact with other children. The majority of OTs work in hospitals or visit patients in their homes.

Most older adults wish to remain in their homes as long as possible, so OTs often help elders avoid long-term-care facilities. An OT might, for example, recommend a robot that can climb stairs to retrieve needed items, help develop workarounds that enable stroke patients to feed themselves, or suggest memory aids and computer programs to help an Alzheimer's patient. This is a challenging career that's best for creative, practical people who find satisfaction in small successes.

A Day in the Life. Your day starts at the hospital, teaching a man who suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident how to use a wheelchair. Next, you evaluate an older woman who suffered a stroke. In talking with her, it's clear that her priority is to look good again, so you develop a set of exercises that will help her brush her hair and take care of herself in addition to helping her recover. You leave the hospital to visit the home of an older woman who is losing her vision. You've brought along some devices that will help, such as a software program you install on her computer that enlarges text automatically. Your next stop is your most difficult: the home of an Alzheimer's patient. His 90-year-old wife is mentally sharp but physically weak, so she can't help much. You discuss various social service options, from adult day-care centers to assisted-living facilities. By 5 p.m., you feel exhausted but rewarded.

Smart Specialty

OT Consultant. As people age, their reaction time, night vision, and peripheral vision decline. A person might hire an OT consultant to assess an aging parent's driving and perhaps offer training or recommend devices to help keep him safely behind the wheel. Some OT consultants may never see a patient. For example, a real-estate developer might hire an OT to assist in designing a senior housing development.

Salary Data

Median (with eight years in the field): $63,800

25th to 75th percentile (with eight or more years of experience): $58,000-$77,700

(Data provided by PayScale.com)

Training

• Until recently, a bachelor's degree was acceptable. Now, a master's degree is required.
• U.S. News publishes a ranking of training programs.
• The American Occupational Therapy Association lists training programs and its accreditation status.

Learn More

• Department of Labor profile: Occupational Therapist
• American Occupational Therapy Association (Prospective student's portal)