Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a type of rehabilitation in which the therapist helps a person regain certain basic physical skills, such as walking, dressing or tying their shoes, often after the patient has experienced a stroke or brain injury. A major in occupational therapy teaches students how to work as part of a health care team in order to help bring about the best patient outcomesóincreasing a patient’s independence and minimizing or preventing disability. The initial coursework in an occupational therapy major is science-heavy, but students are also required to work with patients, participating in hands-on clinical training as part of their coursework. Occupational therapy courses might include: research methods in OT, anatomy & physiology, sociology and psychology.

If you’ve ever wanted to join a growing profession in which you play a major role in patient recovery as part of a health care team, occupational therapy might be the major for you. You may find yourself working with patients with a variety of disabling challenges, or you may decide to specialize, working only with patients with specific disabling conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient rehab centers, schools, hospitals, mental health facilities or home health care.