Career ResearchKatie SutcliffeHealth 4190Spring 2015

Clemson University

Introduction The career I have chosen to do research on is Occupational Therapy. Occupational Therapy is involved in helping other people through the use of therapeutic methods. It is a common goal to improve a patient’s quality of life and to function at their best within their everyday environment. Since this career is growing, I have decided to research and present the facts for this profession.

The History of Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapy was originally called

“Occupation Work”. The National Society for the Promotion of Occupational

Therapy was established in 1917. This organization was later named the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Occupational Therapy grew dramatically in the 1920s and 1930s. After the start of World War I, therapists were vey much needed to care for soldiers.

Occupational Therapy obtained more awareness in 1947 because of the military, which allowed federal funding for therapy education.

The profession of Occupational Therapy became more centered around “prevention, quality, and maintaining independence” through the 1980s and 1990s (Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com, n.d.).

Work Environments and Professional Responsibilities

Occupational Therapists tend to work in hospitals, outpatient care facilities, long-term care facilities, doctor’s offices, schools, and home health.

Occupational Therapists are medical providers who usually work with patients with an illness or some form of injury or disability. They develop treatment plans that allow the patients to be functional in their day-to-day routines (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).

SalaryThe median annual income for

Occupational Therapists is $74,400.The lower portion of the profession

(10%) earns a salary below $50,500 while the upper portion (10%) earns over $107,070 (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2014).

Growth PotentialOccupational Therapy has an

expected career growth of 29% within the years of 2012-2022.The future job availability for Occupational

Therapy is 32,800 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).

Education and Licensure A Bachelor’s Degree

and prerequisite classes are required before entry into a Master’s Degree in

Occupational Therapy. Occupational Therapy require students to take

and pass a State Licensure Exam (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).

Why I am Qualified I am a senior at Clemson University majoring in

Health Science with a concentration in Preprofessional Health Studies.

My cumulative GPA is a 3.65 out of a 4.00. My experience of learning and working with the

human body has been gained through the following: I was an undergraduate lab assistant for

Anatomy and Physiology for the Fall of 2014. I have observed therapists at Oconee Memorial

Hospital for 67 hours (2014) and volunteered at Sports Plus Physical Therapy for 78 hours (2013).

I have also shadowed medical professionals for 120 hours at The Regional Medical Center (2012).

Why I am Qualified (Continued)

I have a hard work ethic and am very determined to learn as much as I can. I believe that the following honors showcase this: I have been an Enhanced LIFE Scholarship Recipient since

2012. In 2014, I became a member of Eta Sigma Gamma National

Health Education Honorary, Alpha Epsilon Delta Health Preprofessional Honor Society, Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization.

I also earned a spot on the President’s List (Fall 2013, Spring 2014) and the Dean’s List (Fall 2014).

The love that I have for helping others can be seen through the following: I have been involved in Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service

Sorority since 2013. I was also a Health Science Major Mentor in the Fall of 2014. Lastly, I am a member of the Student Health Advisory

Committee as of Spring 2015.

Relevant Coursework(completed so far)

Introduction to Public Health

Overview of Health Care Systems

Human Health and Diseases

Determinants of Health Behavior

Medical Terminology and Communication

Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs

Introduction to General Psychology

Introduction to Sociology

Statistical Methods I

*An A was earned in all courses listed above

O*Net Interest Profiler Results

Interest Area Scores

SocialArtisticInvestigativeConventionalRealisticEnterprising

(O*Net, n.d.)

My Skills The top score I obtained in my O*Net Interest Profiler Results was

in the Social area. I thought this was very appropriate as a top score for myself because I am very personable and friendly. I have been volunteering for Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority since I was a freshman at Clemson. I believe this shows my love of service, helping others, and meeting new people. I was also a Major Mentor for Heath Science, which I shows how I am able to connect and relate to others in order to be helpful to them.

My second highest score was in the Artistic area. I have always

enjoyed creating and designing things. I recently went to an art studio to create coasters for my apartment. I was able to create something beautiful as well as practical. This quality is especially important for Occupational Therapists from what I have witnessed as a volunteer in the past.

My Skills (continued)

The third highest score from my interest profiler was in the Investigative area. This score was actually one point lower than the Artistic score I received. I have always been a curious person. I am a Health Science major, which includes knowing “how?” and “why?” type questions relating to the public’s health. I am also currently considering a minor in Psychology because I love studying how the mind works. As a medical provider you have to be able to know not only what a patient's diagnosis is, but you have to be able to listen to the patients and find out information that way. Being investigative is definitely necessary in the medical field.

I scored very low to none in the Realistic, Enterprising, and Conventional interest areas. I realized what my interests are as I have grown older and gained more experience, therefore having a low score is appropriate for these areas.

Conclusion

Overall, Occupational Therapy is an expanding field with a lot to offer. The profession has its own rewards and benefits, but there are negative aspects as well. Each career has its own unique concerns that should also be taken into consideration. As far as choosing a career in the medical field, much thought should be given to the educational training, salaries, responsibilities, and overall interests in order make a final career decision.

Works Cited

Bureau of Labor and Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational

Outlook Handbook. (2014). Occupational therapists. Retrieved

January 25, 2015 from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/

occupational-therapists.htm

O*Net. (n.d.) O*Net interest profiler. Retrieved January 15, 2014 from

http://www.onetcenter.org/IP.html?p=3

Sensory-Processing-Disorder.com (n.d.) The history of occupational

therapy…Where did we come from?…How did we get here?.

Retrieved January 26, 2015 from http://www.sensory- processing-disorder.com/history-of-occupational-therapy.html