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Occupational Therapists

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$98,340	9800	11.1%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$98,340

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

9800

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

11.1%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Master's Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
Record patient medical histories.
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
Design public or employee health programs.
Direct healthcare delivery programs.
Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Assist clients in handling details of daily life.
Assist patients with daily activities.
Design public or employee health programs.
Train medical providers.
Supervise patient care personnel.
Design medical devices or appliances.
Fabricate medical devices.
Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
Clean medical equipment or facilities.
Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
Advise communities or institutions regarding health or safety issues.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Encourage patients or clients to develop life skills.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
Complete and maintain necessary records.
Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
Consult with rehabilitation team to select activity programs or coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities.
Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment.
Recommend changes in patients' work or living environments, consistent with their needs and capabilities.
Develop and participate in health promotion programs, group activities, or discussions to promote client health, facilitate social adjustment, alleviate stress, and prevent physical or mental disability.
Provide training and supervision in therapy techniques and objectives for students or nurses and other medical staff.
Help clients improve decision making, abstract reasoning, memory, sequencing, coordination, and perceptual skills, using computer programs.
Conduct research in occupational therapy.
Advise on health risks in the workplace or on health-related transition to retirement.
Provide patients with assistance in locating or holding jobs.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

For more information on this career visit: https://explorehealthcareers.org/careers/occupational-therapy/occupational-therapist/

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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