| Spa Wellness Articles :: Program Descriptions & Career Overviews |
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| Occupational Therapy Studies - Occupational Therapy Programs |
| by CB Staff |
occupational therapy is a health care field that helps people regain control over their lives by assisting them in their physical and mental capacities. Depending upon a patient's needs, an occupational therapist will do anything from helping them regain their basic motor skills to teaching them how they may perform various daily activities despite physical disabilities. Occupational therapists also help patients improve their cognitive functions, where needed, through the use of instruction and computer programs. The main goal of occupational therapy is to bring patients to a point where they can handle the day-to-day tasks of living alone.
What You'll Learn
By enrolling in an occupational therapy program students will learn about the behavioral, physical, and biological sciences as well as how to properly guide patients through the therapy process so that they may emerge with an increased ability to care for themselves and/or interact with the world.
Degree Types
In order to begin their career in the field, a student must have attained at least a master's degree in occupational therapy. Bachelor's degrees and doctorates are also available in occupational therapy.
Career Paths
Occupational therapists may go on to work in hospitals, physician's offices, nursing care facilities, home healthcare businesses, outpatient care centers, and even start their own offices.
Job Outlook
Employment within the occupational therapy field is projected to grow by 23 percent through the year 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Licensing and Accreditation Information
In order for a student to legally practice occupational therapy s/he must first graduate from an occupational program that has been accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association's Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), and then pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy's (NBCOT) certification exam.
About the author:

Genevieve M. Blaber is a staff writer for The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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