Pre-Occupational Therapy
Career and Major Information
Related Career Titles
Web Sites
Salary Information
The Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Occupational Therapy
is intended to fulfill the freshman and sophomore level preadmission
requirements for a program of occupational therapy. The curriculum in the WSCC
catalog is not designed for transfer to any specific school. Students will
need to talk with a faculty advisor about a particular college or university’s
course requirements and transfer. The link for the Natural Science Division at
Walters State is:
http://www.ws.edu/science/default.asp
Career and Major Information:
Occupational
therapists (OTs) help people improve their ability to perform tasks in their
daily living and working environments. They work with individuals who have
conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally
disabling. They also help them to develop, recover, or maintain daily living
and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their
basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for
permanent loss of function. Their goal is to help clients have independent,
productive, and satisfying lives.
Occupational
therapists assist clients in performing activities of all types, ranging from
using a computer to caring for daily needs such as dressing, cooking, and
eating. Physical exercises may be used to increase strength and dexterity,
while other activities may be chosen to improve visual acuity and the ability
to discern patterns. For example, a client with short-term memory loss might be
encouraged to make lists to aid recall, and a person with coordination problems
might be assigned exercises to improve hand-eye coordination. Occupational
therapists also use computer programs to help clients improve decision making,
abstract-reasoning, problem-solving, and perceptual skills, as well as memory,
sequencing, and coordination—all of which are important for independent living.
Therapists
instruct those with permanent disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries,
cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, in the use of adaptive equipment,
including wheelchairs, splints, and aids for eating and dressing. They also
design or make special equipment needed at home or at work. Therapists develop
computer-aided adaptive equipment and teach clients with severe limitations how
to use that equipment in order to communicate better and control various
aspects of their environment (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005).
Related Career Titles:
|
Audiologists |
Chiropractors |
Physical
Therapists |
|
Recreational Therapists |
Rehabilitation Counselors |
Speech
Therapists |
Web Sites:
American
Occupational Therapy Association, 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. Internet:
http://www.aota.org
Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2004-05 Edition, Occupational Therapists, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm
Salary figures
quoted are based on national figures. Local or regional salaries may be lower.
Salary Information:
Median annual
earnings of occupational therapists were $51,990 in 2002. The middle 50 percent
earned between $42,910 and $ 61,620. The lowest 10 percent earned less than
$35,130, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,390.
Citation: Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2004-05 Edition, Occupational Therapists, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm
