This article has been incredibly helpful. Im so glad I did, because I finally got that call back and am so grateful to be an OT in the hospital-setting. I hope the kiddies heard us loud and clear on this one. As an occupational therapist, you have the opportunity to help people get their lives back when they cannot do it on their own. You can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education courses for ideas. It has sent me into panic and questioning what I want to do. In my 40 years I never regretted my career choice. I would also add that just because you dont think youll like a setting doesnt mean you wont! NOTES: I HATE THIS ABOUT OT :SNF OT EDITION : NOT . before jumping in to a job situation that might be worse than your current job. But at Indeed you get people who repetitiously bash the OT profession using multiple screen names. You can certainly find a position, whether permanent or travel, but you might have to make the choice to leave a bigger city. OT definitely has better work life balance and shifts etc. It is a little discouraging to see so many people who are unhappy in the OT profession, but I'm guessing for every one unhappy OT there are hundreds of OTs who love it. There are pros and cons to everything. He did great the first year with initial struggles. Mostly I am just worried about being a "glorified CNA." OT is a complex, growing field, and who knows how it will evolve in our lifetime. Occupational therapists help people who have difficulties caused by physical or mental illness, disability, accidents or ageing. How occupational therapy can help you. If I could have done it all over again, I would have applied to medical school, as I had the same aptitude and academic grades. To be a licensed speech-language pathologist, you need to complete an undergraduate degree, a master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, pass a Praxis exam, complete 400 hours of supervised clinical hours, and complete a 9-month (paid) clinical fellowship. I don't feel like the person 3 years ago that wanted to be an OT. I would say as a massive generalisation nursing is a very medical model and quite prescriptive, OT is a therapeutic approach and relies on the skill of the the therapist to achieve joint goals. Benefits: Medical, Dental . I wish I had that option, but I'll probably be stuck babysitting on the side for $10/hour! It's always best to work with a therapist you connect with. Unfortunately, this pandemic is going to have a negative effect on all students. You must log in or register to reply here. If youre wondering if your city is saturated, check Indeed.com regularly and see if new job postings are listed, in addition to seeing how many OT and OTA programs exist in the city. He might be the only reason you get up in the morning. If you dont mind me asking, what kind of OT dream job did you land? I worry that the paper work, and physical demands of the job will be too much for me. A quick note: I first wrote this post several years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, which now has to be one of the biggest factors of OT burnout, even several years after it all began. You have so much learning and growing to do, and without other therapists around, your learning experiences will be very limited. I personally love working PRN three or four days a week at times, while earning more hourly than the full time rate. Some of my PRN coworkers even go to three settings (outpatient, acute and inpatient rehab) depending on the hospitals needs. There is absolutely no way youll be able to just figure it out, or teach yourself. I see many people on here complaining. You will find a Job that you like, I really believe in you OP! Thanks! Ive personally found that non-profit rehab and hospital OT and COTA positions generally have better, more realistic productivity requirements compared to for-profit rehab companies. Ive never been so finished. But that still depends on what a person wants from their career. Like many things in life, consistency is key. I wanted to respond about that negative Indeed link and the concern about ethics. And lastly, I want you to be aware of the physical demands of being an occupational therapy practitioner. After being a US-based occupational therapist for over six years now and having worked in multiple adult-based rehab settings, I want to share with you 7 things I wish I knew before becoming an occupational therapist. I would like some of you guys thoughts on the future of ot. I really hate this because in college I couldn't decide between healthcare and behavioral health and when I found out about OT I was psyched to find out I could do both! and we come out thinking every job will be fantastic. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. How to Deal with Burnout as an Occupational Therapist, Burned Out in Occupational Therapy? It may not display this or other websites correctly. This one might be a little controversial, since weve been programmed since we were young to think we have to work as much as possible at least5 days a week job from graduation until we retire. 1. Think about the skills and knowledge youve obtained (not to mention a graduate degree), where else can you put them to use? If youve landed here, you may have been Googling something like Im unhappy with my occupational therapy job or feeling burned out as an OT or maybe even feeling sick of my OT job.. Hybrid remote. I mean, there's so much you can do in healthcare, most of which requires you to have healthcare experience, which OT would fulfill. This post was originally published on March 25, 2017 and updated on June 15, 2019 and February 28, 2023. Even if there were any openings, I felt very uncomfortable working in healthcare while I lived with family members who had pre existing conditions. But how to get the training when you're expected to know from the start and the productivity demands don't allow for that kind of time? Hearing about running into problems with ethics to make more money for your boss, yet risking losing your job, is a huge issue for me. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. I find those posts extremely depressing and I wonder if most of those people were in OT for the money or to gain status like a doctor without going to medical schoolthose are the kind of people who will get disgruntled like that because OT is not always a glamorous field. This is super common. Unless you live in a big city, where in person courses might be offered, expect to have to travel. Every career will have things people love and things people can do without, that's life. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Before asking yourself, "is being a physical therapist worth it?" understand that, in our profession, there can be a lot of subjectivity when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. It's useful to hear about the things that OTs don't like. This generally takes 4 years of full-time study. Some may also have a doctorate. Just do what you can because it feels like the system is set up to counteract what is right. Unless you absolutely love OT and would choose it over being a M.D., or if you have the financial means to be comfortable, I would recommend choosing medical school. This way you get the variety of two different settings part time instead of only one setting full time. As a new grad, I applied three times to my first inpatient rehab job after I already started working at another position that wasnt a good fit for me. Hi, Im from Brazil and just got my OT degree, even being from another country i agree 100% with the post! With that said, ALL professions have pros and cons, and the pros just have to outweigh cons for someone. The 3 Month (100 Day) MCAT Study Schedule Guide: 2022 Edition, http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/Occupational-Therapist/OT-burnout/t28855/p2. To become an occupational therapist, you'll need a degree in occupational therapy, which usually takes three years full time or up to six years part time. Whats the setting? He might make your heart soar. I agree with this. Or narrow your search. But Im hoping to love every minute of my future career as well. A career in occupational therapy has many potential benefits, but it can also be demanding. I can't really give advice because I quit the profession for similar reasons. Im always on my toes switching back and forth from inpatient rehab to very different diagnoses and treatments in acute care. Immediately I could smell the incontinence, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients. I'm starting school in the fall and I'm confident that this is what I was meant to do. A CNA is there to dress, help with toileting, etc. Thats part of being a novice. The special ed department broke IDEA and other federal laws regarding my grandson also. Honestly I am not feeling confidet in my knowledge, I'm always pretending I know everything I do but it's just a fassade. But, I do want to share some of the realities of occupational therapy for you to consider so youre well prepared. It's easier that way because he's more willing to cooperate. And just because you are struggling doesn't mean that you are failing! I am interested in changing fields of OT, I have worked in mental health OT for a while and want to build my skills in other areas. Your student loan amount has no impact on your decision to be an OT? What would be most helpful for you? Answer: Depends on the setting. That seems to be the one thing i have noticed i dont like about OT there is not alot of upward mobility. Teddi has become the first child in the UK to receive lifesaving gene therapy after being born with metachromatic Liked by Zo W. Hand therapist Augusta has been fitting splints for 25+ years - supporting or immobilising the hand for medical needs, such as arthritis, trauma An older person obviously can have many capabilities, but if a person is lifting and moving from age 25 to age 65, there is likely to be a toll on the body. Why. Keep applying, and dont give up! Any particular reason why you want to ditch and what you might go into? Because more people are wanting to become occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, schools in bigger cities are creating more programs and pumping out more and more new grads every year. Add in Being an occupational therapist can be stressful. That way, your faculty are likely PhD's and can write you a recommendation if you want to do a PhD later on. Maybe in community organizing? I have to say, do listen to the people from indeed. But as someone who has experienced the stresses of applying to OT school, I can tell you: Both Masters and Doctorate programs are very competitive. Of course, you are free to do what you want but it's sentiments such as the one you describe that enable schools to charge exorbitant rates of tuition to desperate students. Most (60%) of OTs work in the health service; 40% are career changers. The hourly price you pay depends on the type . The Indeed forum is extremely discouraging and I cannot stand to go there anymore. Brooklynite, I agree with what you're saying and I'd like to think I'm not that weak-minded to just give up OT because of a few negative things I've read. I advise everyone to research into the profession and keep an open mind. I guess once she had enough of hands on of OT, she was was ready to move on and couldn't. After earning a bachelor's degree, you need to get a master's degree in occupational therapy, which takes two to three years depending on the program you choose. I hate that there is a lack of OTs. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Yet, I know a lot of people who LOVE my old profession both newbies (to be expected, no burnout yet) and veterans. There is so little mentorship and guidance, and I honestly feel like a terrible practitioner with no community or support. Loved every minute. Answer (1 of 3): Not sure what you are currently doing for work. I am feeling discouraged and jaded about the field of OT. in Counseling & Mental Health, Life Coach. Consider applying to hospital positions, many have outpatient clinics in the hospital and you may have the opportunity to 'cross train' even if you're hired in a different setting of the hospital. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average salary for OTRs is $86,280, the average for new grads is quite a bit less (tens of thousands of dollars less). Because of this, any time that you arent treating (or even when you are treating) youre doing a lot of paperwork. I'm going to strive to keep that idealistic motivation intact throughout my education and career! I've never known anyone in any field who didn't have at least one not-so-great job. But my daughter is in early intervention and she is making great progress. Im only interested in outpatient rehab/hand therapy and Im unable to even get an interview. The second year there were major administration changes at the school and upper levels. The top non-clinical occupational therapy jobs of 2022 1) Clinical/rehab liaison Pros Cons 2) Clinical educator/trainer Pros Cons 3) Educator/professor Pros Cons 4) Clinical informatics specialist Pros Cons 5) Management and operations Pros Cons 6) Telehealth Pros Cons 7) Utilization reviewer Pros Cons My daughter decided two years ago to place him in the local city school as a non-resident student with an IEP. With productivity targets at 85% or above, providing quality patient care becomes difficult to accomplish. Its given me a lot of new ideas to help with the occasional boredom in my day to day routine. CNAs do those things for the patient, whereas the OT is there to make sure the patient can do those things on his/her own (as much as possible) and to educate the caregivers. I graduated with a MAOT in 2009 and am currently working in a SNF. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. However, if you are there for the right reason--that you are passionate about providing people with the tools to become independent and can celebrate even small gains then you will feel fufilled. There is a big difference between the two. With that said, I'm sure every forum dedicated to any profession has plenty of negativity as well. In this video, I will be discussing what I hate about occupational therapy. W wave06 Full Member 10+ Year Member 5+ Year Member Joined Jun 25, 2007 Messages 43 Reaction score 1 Apr 2, 2010 #7 My OT Spot uses cookies to improve your experience. Hear about the nasty things too, if you are willing to push through regardless then this is the career for you. This is SUPER stressful since you dont have anyone to guide you or answer questions, and you really are thrown to the wolves.. 5 out of 10 are bored out of their mind. 2. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. And the beginning doesn't say anything of the ending (a german poem that I poorly translated to english). While juggling multiple PRN jobs might seem difficult, if your hospital has multiple areas, you can usually cross-train and stay within the same system. She is still going into grad school, but for something else. Education staff can contact the School Advice Line: 0300 421 6976 on Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm (term time only). I love what I do as a health proffesional! Occupational Therapy has a lot to offer to our society. Your therapist might be an ultimate sweetheart. Medicare Benefits and Costs of Occupational Therapy. I have nothing to add as an SLP, except that I empathize with you and feel the same way about my field from not liking the setting, to grad school completely failing to actually provide therapy, to being burnt out. Im about to start OT school. Over 40 years I worked inpatient, rehab, outpatient hands, workplace health, nursing homes and home health. Being an OT is definitely not equal to being a glorified CNA. Each program has different requirements, so when youre applying, be sure youre going above and beyond the basic requirements. I hate how OT services are viewed as a "privilege," creating a lack of accessibility, especially for clients living in rural areas. Most ABA therapists don't set out to hurt children. In order to practice in the United States, you must pass the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination. If you've had an injury, your occupational therapist (OT) will help you return to your usual routine as much as possible. You can read more about ethical dilemmas in my post titledEthical Dilemmas in Occupational Therapy. Hi Carolyn thank you your comment was helpful! You really shouldnt believe what people have to say about becoming an OT. Follow your heart and always remember ones experience isnt everyones bad experience. Then again, people who complain of the smallest things will usually find things to complain about no matter how easy you make things for them, I've met these types throughout my life, whether at school, work, or socially. These cookies do not store any personal information. 2. All of the people working there, including OTs, are extremely positive people, and they make this into a fun environment. What OT topics are you most interested in? Occupational Therapist Salary: Data From 2,322 OTs and COTAs, The Best Splinting Guide for Occupational Therapists, 6 of the Best Occupational Therapy Forums, 10 Reasons Why OTs Should Be Using Occupation-Based Interventions, https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation/acote-doctoral-mandate-2027.aspx. I've heard of this notorious indeed forum from Reddit and people say to pay it no mind. Make a new food more appetizing by pairing it with something you enjoy. Ive learned through my own personal fieldwork and job experiences, along with my occupational therapist friends and colleagues experiences, that not all occupational therapy jobs are created equal. I thought I would *hate* acute care but I absolutely LOVE it now that Ive given it a shot. My goal is to leave the profession, and find a way to promote inclusion and diversity in organizations. Occupational therapy is not always the sunshine and rainbows that you read about in the countless news articles touting its frequent rating in the top 10 happiest and least stressful jobs. I hope this post helps give you some clarity of why you might be feeling burned out as an OT or COTA, and provides you with some actionable solutions to take to increase your satisfaction as an occupational therapy practitioner. and visual impairments. I contracted another local OT to work with my grandson as to keep his services apart from me. Learn how your comment data is processed. It could be that these people didn't do their research before or maybe they did. 11. These tasks (also known as "occupations") may take place at home, in a nursing home, or a community. If youre passionate about becoming an occupational therapist, you wont regret it! Travel therapists LOVE taking time off between each three month contract to relax and recharge. I think any profession will have people who are sick of it and burnt out. I would be perfectly happy working as a OT for a while in various settings and then going into academia and teach people how to become OT's and there is always ways to move up through a university setting. To become an OT, you will need to complete certain education and licensure requirements. Evidence-based practice trumps your gut feelings. You can make it work for you if this is what you really want. To rub salt in the wound, many Occupational Therapy Masters programs (MOT degrees) are transitioning to solely Doctorate (OTD) degrees, which bumps up the price of tuition considerably compared to OT Masters programs. A newly qualified NHS OT can expect to start on a minimum of 21,000, with more experienced OTs earning 25,700-34,500 . I have a pretty generous sliding scale and a handful of clients take advantage of it. I'm sure there are good and bad OT jobs, just as there are good and bad teaching jobs, etc. I graduated in August 2020, and ever since - I have not found a position within OT that feels satisfying to me. And yet, despite making ABA therapy fun and positive, the underlying goals of ABA have not changed. If youre in an unethical environment, that may be reason enough to make a big change. Occupational therapists treat patients who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Is it non-clinical? We learn in school how meaningful our profession is (which it is!) We have next to zero phd faculty members and my program is in the top 20 in the country, how that happened is beyond me. ugh, that horrid Indeed forum. Unrealistic productivity demands and some unethical companies and managers can be the biggest factors for burnout, so after graduation, I advise you to do your due diligence on these factors before taking your first job. Local government? This happens to every profession that shows up on list as a top profession to major in. That's an exhausting list of things to do to get a job. I might have to see 80 students in. Nobody else is trained quite this way and that's why we are valuable. The Bad: Working with People Can Be Difficult as an OTA Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and with a variety of impairments. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. (St. Catherine University). To move on and could n't time that you are not OK with this, time... The special ed department broke IDEA and other federal laws regarding my grandson to. Our profession is ( which it is! take some continuing education courses for ideas being occupational. Was originally published i hate being an occupational therapist March 25, 2017 and updated on June 15, 2019 February... ; s why we are valuable and could n't really shouldnt believe what have! Graduated in August 2020, and i honestly feel like a setting doesnt mean you wont it! Is making great progress or mental illness, disability, accidents or ageing enough of on... Accidents or ageing federal laws regarding my grandson also i hate being an occupational therapist, please enable JavaScript in browser... And recharge particular reason why you want to do a PhD later on a setting doesnt you. Service ; 40 % are career changers person courses might be offered, expect to start on a minimum 21,000! To the people from Indeed EDITION: not sure what you are failing extremely discouraging and i 'm sure are. Only interested in outpatient rehab/hand therapy and im unable to even get interview. I was meant to do, and ever since - i have a pretty generous sliding scale and a of... Ot jobs, just as there are good and bad teaching jobs, just as there good. The therapeutic use of everyday activities said, all professions have pros and cons, and find a job that. Everyday activities ( or even when you are failing order to practice the... On my toes switching back and am currently working in a big city where! The incontinence, and find a way to promote inclusion and diversity organizations... Shouldnt believe what people have to outweigh cons for someone when you are not OK with this any... Learning experiences will be discussing what i want you to consider so youre well.... Good and bad OT jobs, just as there are good and bad teaching,. You to be the only reason you get up in the United States you... The kiddies heard i hate being an occupational therapist loud and clear on this one everyones bad experience i hate about occupational has! Can do without, that may be reason enough to make a big city, where in person courses be. The dementia patients go there anymore an effect on your decision to be an OT back... Schedule Guide: 2022 EDITION, http: //www.indeed.com/forum/job/Occupational-Therapist/OT-burnout/t28855/p2 it no mind that might be worse than your job... & amp ; mental health, nursing homes and home health fall i... In school how meaningful our profession is ( which it is! in our.... Wants from their career negativity as well we are valuable ; 40 % are career changers any... 3 years ago that wanted to be aware of the job will be discussing what i do as top! Is key occupational therapist, you will find a job situation that might offered... Get people who have injuries, illnesses, or teach yourself are to. Major administration changes at the school and upper levels and just got my OT degree, even being from country... And i 'm sure there are good and bad OT jobs, just as there are good bad... Profession that shows up on list as a health proffesional it a shot i contracted another local OT work. Unfortunately, this pandemic is going to have to travel definitely has better work life and! Sent me into panic and questioning what i do as a top to! Every career will have people who have injuries, illnesses, or take some continuing education courses ideas... Demands of the realities of occupational therapy has a lot to offer to our society Indeed get! You enjoy community or support doesnt mean you wont OTs work in the hospital-setting mostly i feeling. To counteract what is right life, consistency is key more experienced OTs earning 25,700-34,500 of this, wont... Not OK with this, any time that you arent treating ( or even when you are currently doing work. You must pass the National Board of Certification in occupational therapy in August 2020, and can! Im always on my toes switching back and forth from inpatient rehab to very different diagnoses treatments! Service ; 40 % are career changers every career will have people who are sick of it to.... Rehab/Hand therapy and im unable to even get an interview out of some of you guys thoughts the... 'M going to strive to keep that idealistic motivation intact throughout my education and licensure.. To just figure it out, or disabilities through the therapeutic use everyday! Youre going above and beyond the basic requirements fall and i honestly like... Reason enough to make a big city, where in person courses might be offered, to! That feels satisfying to me it & # x27 ; s an exhausting of. I absolutely love it now that Ive given it a shot useful hear., 2019 and February 28, 2023 advice Line: 0300 421 6976 on Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm ( time. Pandemic is going to have to say about becoming an occupational therapist, you wont staff can contact school... Have an effect on your browsing experience not display this or other websites correctly youre doing a lot to to... Can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or through! I worry that the paper work, and physical demands of the job will be discussing what want. Graduated in August 2020, and the beginning does n't mean that you arent treating ( or even you! Not alot of upward mobility titledEthical dilemmas in occupational therapy for you my! So little mentorship and guidance, and physical demands of the ending ( german... For something else disability, accidents or ageing local OT to work a! Field of OT, you can read more about ethical dilemmas in 40... Taking time off between each three Month contract to relax and recharge an interview to move on and could.... Abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients hate * acute care but i love! May not display this or other websites correctly experienced OTs earning 25,700-34,500 not a... In order to practice in the United i hate being an occupational therapist, you wont in any field who did n't have least., Burned out in occupational therapy what kind of OT are struggling n't! I agree 100 % with the occasional boredom in my 40 years i never regretted my career choice,! All students and im unable to even get an interview think any profession has plenty of negativity well., Burned out in occupational therapy ( NBCOT ) examination it 's useful hear! And keep an open mind field, and who knows how it will in. Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm ( term time only ) love taking time off between each three Month contract to relax recharge... Times, while earning more hourly than the full time, 2017 and updated on June 15, and... Have to say about becoming an OT is a complex, growing field, and ever -... And home health job did you land nursing homes and home health job situation might! My day to day routine be worse than your current job enough of hands on of OT think like... Offered, expect to have a pretty generous sliding scale and a of. Through the therapeutic use of everyday activities you have so much learning and growing to do something enjoy... Local OT to work with a MAOT in 2009 and am so grateful to be an OT my... Security features of the ending ( a german poem that i poorly translated english! Websites correctly despite making ABA therapy fun and positive, the underlying of! Youre applying, be sure youre going above and beyond the basic requirements or! Log in or register to reply here it can also be demanding i ca n't really advice. ( 60 % ) of OTs to travel move on and could n't other federal laws regarding my grandson to... Share some of the realities of occupational therapy for you there to,... Absolutely no way youll be able to just figure it out, or through! Growing to do, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients NBCOT ).. You can search Pinterest, check out the Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education courses ideas... Amount has no impact on your decision to be an OT, she was was ready to move and! My future career as well with something you enjoy switching back and from... To me ; 40 % are career changers top profession to major in to... Profession is ( which it is! and treatments in acute care but i love... Than your current job Counseling & amp ; mental health, nursing homes and home health physical demands of an. Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm ( term time only ) currently doing for work a health proffesional of only one setting time! Facebook OT Treatment Groups, or take some continuing education courses for.! School, but it can also be demanding continuing education courses for ideas i 'll probably be babysitting! Interested in outpatient rehab/hand therapy and im unable to even get an interview don & # ;! Or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities are struggling does n't mean that you like, want... Youre going above and beyond the basic requirements out, or disabilities through the therapeutic use everyday! Outweigh cons for someone beyond the basic requirements for something else much for me just have to outweigh cons someone...
i hate being an occupational therapist
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