MSOT and OTD Information Sessions

What is OT?

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

The Profession Of Occupational Therapy

The practice of occupational therapy means the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided to those who have or are at risk of developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or other participation restriction. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory and other related aspects of performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, wellbeing, and quality of life (AOTA, 2004).

Job Outlook

Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, autism, or the loss of a limb. However, demand for occupational therapy services is related to the ability of patients to pay, either directly or through health insurance.

The need for occupational therapists is expected to increase as the large baby-boom generation ages and people remain active later in life. Occupational therapists can help senior citizens maintain their independence by recommending home modifications and strategies that make daily activities easier. Therapists also play a role in the treatment of many conditions and ailments commonly associated with aging, such as arthritis and stroke.

Occupational therapists also will be needed in a variety of healthcare settings to treat patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes. Patients will continue to seek noninvasive outpatient treatment for long-term disabilities and illnesses, either in their homes or in residential care environments. These patients may need occupational therapy to become more independent and to perform a variety of daily tasks.

Demand for occupational therapy services also will stem from patients with autism spectrum disorder. Therapists will continue to be needed in schools to assist children with autism in improving their social skills and accomplishing a variety of daily tasks.

The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $86,280 in May 2020. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,330, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $122,670.

Reference

Occupational Therapists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)

MSOT Information Sessions

If you are interested in the upcoming MSOT program but have not made your decision, this is the Information Session for you.  Capacity will be first come, first served, and will remain at 100 for in-person sessions and unlimited for Zoom sessions. If capacity is reached for a specific date/time, attendees will need to register for another one of the stated dates. RSVP is required. 

NOTE:  Information Session Certificates are program-specific.  When applying to the MSOT program, a Certificate from the MSOT Info Session is required (a Certificate of Attendance at an OTD Info Session is not accepted for an MSOT application). 

Attendance to an MSOT Information Session is required prior to submission of an application packet and the OT Department is not responsible for information shared to others if it did not originate from the OT Program Representative.

Click here to RSVP for a specific MSOT Information Session. (You will receive the Zoom link via email 24 hours prior to the Information Session.)

WH = Welch Hall, I&I = Innovation & Instruction