Why Occupational Therapy?
It’s almost April, or as I like to call it: Occupational Therapy Month! With this in mind (and the #abcsofOT on my Insta planner), I decided to reflect on why exactly I decided to become an OT and what I love most about my career.
In my previous life (my early 20s), I was a television producer, and I grew to be very unhappy in that career path. If you look at some of my fellow television dropouts, most of them go on to second careers in public relations, communications, publishing — all areas where a degree in English or Comm are the norm. I took it upon myself to make my life a little more… interesting. Why go right back to work when you can take three-and-a-half years off and return to school? I mean, lots of reasons, but when you find what you love, you do what you have to do to make it a reality.
What is it about occupational therapy that made me decide to put my previous life behind me and move onto this next chapter? Let’s start with the fact that I get to (for better or for worse) work with people every single day. This is quite the opposite from my producing days where I was primarily tethered to my computer, my phone, and my desk. I am generally extroverted, so I enjoy interacting with people, and the computer life didn’t agree with me. In addition to working with patients, I also get to work with fellow medical professionals, and that is so much fun! In my experience, in the hospital setting, the opportunities to collaborate are seemingly endless. You can co-treat and plan treatments with physical or speech therapists; you get to collab with nursing: NP, RN, LPN and CNA. I can’t forget social work and case management! There are the mental health doctors, different types of surgeons, primary care physicians, and so many other specialties that there are too many to list! You find yourself in a good place, and you can find yourself working hand-in-hand with many different experts, playing a huge role in a patient’s plan of care.
Something I really enjoy about occupational therapy is getting to problem solve — and a lot of the time, people take me seriously! Not every time, but most times. And this is fun! I like that I have an area of expertise and can make real-time, practical suggestions to people who need the assistance. I like the hands-on trial and error. I like finding additional ways to approach a single problem. And I love when all the pieces come together, and I get to watch my patient gain their independence.
And lastly… I love the ongoing opportunity to expand my body of knowledge on the subject! Between conferences, continuing education, certificates, and — ahem — advanced degrees, there is seemingly no end in sight to what an OT can learn about literally anything related to OT. And if there is a question that seemingly has no answer, why, you can grab that opportunity to try and create one.
So after all of that, is there any wonder why I wanted to be an occupational therapist? For me, that’s a rhetorical question, and if you’re a fellow OT, it probably feels that way to you, too! If you’re thinking of a potential career in OT or in therapy services, I hope this tipped your hat our way. We always need passionate, curious, and skilled clinicians in our field. Any questions, please shoot them my way (thatot.momlife@gmail.com). Happy treating!