Requirements to become a Occupational Therapist
Modern society is now placing a lot of emphasis on meeting the needs of people who are facing difficulties in their lives. Among those tasked to offer such assistance, are occupational therapists and they play an important role in society.
According toProspects, the Uk's official graduate careers website, an occupational therapist is defined as someone whose aim is to help people who face everyday challenges due to mental, physical or social disabilities. They work with children and adults of all ages. There are a number of requirements you need to attain if you want to become an occupational therapist.
The first requirement is to graduate with the necessary educational qualifications. It is crucial to prepare to become an occupational therapist starting from high school. It will make it easier if you study for science subjects that include biology, chemistry, psychology and health. After High school one has to study for a Bachelors degree
Education-Portal.Comstates that there is no specific major that is needed for undergraduate study. Most prospective students though choose to study for majors in social or physical sciences that include biology, psychology and sociology.
After attaining a bachelor’s degree you should enrol for a masters program to complete your studies. The masters program must be fully accredited by the Council for Occupational Therapy Education. At this level you will now be studying occupational therapy in depth. You will be studying rehabilitation, research planning, clinical reasoning and neuroscience among other courses. You should also undertake fieldwork under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist.
After passing the masters program together with the certification exam you will then become an Occupational Therapist who is registered. As an occupational therapist it is important that you should continue to advance your education so that you earn credits to enable you to renew your licence.
It is not only education that makes you a good occupational therapist; there are also skills and qualities that you would require. You will be dealing with people who are physically, mentally or emotionally challenged. It is critical therefore that you are able to exercise patience. It will be difficult for the patients to follow your instructions but you should be in a position to understand that.
You should also have a genuine liking of people and good communication skills since the job involves interaction with people. Often you will be asked to help patients do even the basics like walking or assisting them to use the toilet. This requires an occupational therapist who will offer the best service not because it is part of work but rather the fact that they have a genuine liking of helping people.
It is crucial also to be a quick thinker in case of problems. Occupational therapists must be able to find solutions to a problem quickly. When a patient is admitted the occupational therapist must be able to quickly formulate a rehabilitation plan at the shortest possible time. You should also be a reliable worker who is always present at work to ensure that you give your patients the best possible service.
As a conclusion being an occupational therapist is demanding in both attaining the educational qualifications and the work involved. It is however a rewarding career especially for people who enjoy assisting the vulnerable.
