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Considering a Career in OT?

OT may suit you if. . .

you relate well to all sorts of people
you enjoy solving practical problems
you want to belong to an active profession
you like the idea of diverse roles and opportunities
you have a track record of self directed learning and initiative
you have keen observation and analytical skills

OT Clients

OTs promote occupational performance and well-being with all sorts of people - in all sorts of situations!

Across the lifespan

Babies and toddlers (eg attachment skills)
School aged children (eg play skills)
Young adults (eg eating disorder recovery)
Adults (eg refugee settlement)
Older adults (eg home modifications for safety)

Across life roles

productive roles (eg return to work)
self care roles (eg "self management" of chronic condition)
community living roles (eg case managing community integration)
leisure roles (eg assistive device to enable hobby)
relational roles (eg supporting carers)

Across health conditions

Any health condition that impacts how a person engages in their daily life roles:

physical health (eg burns)
mental health (eg depression)
acute (eg head injury)
hospital rehabilitation (eg hand injury)
community integration (eg intellectual disability)
palliative care (eg cancer)

OT Work Contexts

You can work in any context whilst addressing occupational dysfunction of individuals and communities. For example:

In your own private practice
In a state health service
In a non government health service
In the multicultural sector
In the employment sector
In the education sector
In aged care sector
In supported accommodation sector
In the workplace health and safety sector
In clients home
In community outreach
In university or clinical education

A Snapshot of Diversity

A "day in the life" depends on how the OT is promoting occupational well being:

with individuals (eg a child), families (eg home program routine) or communities (eg a school)
directly (eg clinical, grass roots) or indirectly (eg project, research, education, managerial)
primary intervention with the person (eg rehabilitation exercises)
primarily intervention with the occupation (eg life skills workshops)
primarily intervention with the environment (eg access issues)

Occupational Therapy Training

In Queensland, to become an occupational therapist requires completion of a four-year Bachelor Degree at The University of Queensland (Brisbane), James Cook University (Townsville) or the University of the Sunshine Coast (Sippy Downs). The University of Queensland also offer a two-year full-time Graduate Entry Masters Program - applicants must have completed a relevant bachelor degree. For information on studying occupational therapy at The University of Queensland, see this YouTube video clip.

Areas studied include:

human anatomy, kinesiology and physiology
social and behavioural sciences
occupational therapy - theory and practice
communication skills
normal human development and problems that can occur in human performance
research skills and Honours studies.

Before graduation, occupational therapy students undertake extensive clinical fieldwork activity.

Postgraduate education at Masters and Doctorate levels is also available in a range of speciality areas.

Fieldwork experiences
Occupational science
Social & behavioural science
Human biological science
Lifespan development
Communication
Extensive clinical placements
Research skills

Registration

Before a person may practice as, or hold them self out to be an Occupational Therapist in Queensland, he or she must first register with the Occupational Therapists Board of Queensland - 07 3225 2509

(The Board is the statutory authority established to enact the provisions of the Occupational Therapists Registration Act 2001, Occupational Therapists Registration Regulation 2002 and the Health Practitioners (Professional Standards) Act 1999)

What are my OT prospects?

OT is listed as a "skills shortage occupation" in all states of Australia - Job Guide 2008

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