If this is the case, dont stop looking for a position in your favorite setting. Maybe you need to think about how to leverage that skillset outside of traditional healthcare? In addition, I recommend applying to as many schools as you can reasonably afford to (preferably at least 3 or more). It has sent me into panic and questioning what I want to do. What I saw was that young OTs - (23-30) are much more likely to hate their job. If this is your first time posting, please read the sub rules. Completely different roles. The 3 Month (100 Day) MCAT Study Schedule Guide: 2022 Edition, http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/Occupational-Therapist/OT-burnout/t28855/p2. This school often takes students with or without IEPs. Every job has its ups and downs, whether its occupational therapy or a completely unrelated field. Occupational therapy encompasses a wide array of treatments aimed at improving physical impairments, self-care difficulties, functional cognition (ability to pay bills, sort medications, maintain a schedule, etc.) Im about to start OT school. Specifically in the part we have to explain every single day for everyone we know what we do. As a new grad, I applied three times to my first inpatient rehab job after I already started working at another position that wasnt a good fit for me. Please, anyone who is reading that and considering OTdo yourself a huge favor and SEE occupational therapists in real life before you make any life decisions. reasons why you SHOULD do OT as a profession! I have to say, do listen to the people from indeed. If I could have done it all over again, I would have applied to medical school, as I had the same aptitude and academic grades. While juggling multiple PRN jobs might seem difficult, if your hospital has multiple areas, you can usually cross-train and stay within the same system. A Master's degree takes two to three years to finish, and a doctoral degree about 3.5. Your training as an OT was about learning to identify and solve problems in holistic ways most others cant. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. Maybe in business roles, like HR? Gain work experience. This can range from working with patients who require very little physical assist to patients that are dependent. What would be most helpful for you? Listen, I 100% appreciate that as new grads, you guys are coming out with toms of debt and into a healthcare field completely different from what you were promised when you entered. I also will offer some solutions to these common problems so you can get back to (or start!) Especially important if you are a new grad. while my physician medical resident peers complained about a $30,000. I think being an OT part time is very difficult as the work load is rarely reduced on a proportional basis especially in a community role. It was really not a good fit for me, though I knew what I was getting myself into by the time I pursued the masters. That way my total compensation isnt lower as a result of working a few less hours. I cant imagine doing anything else. Just saying. My OT Spot uses cookies to improve your experience. School rankings are mostly based upon application and acceptance statistics, as well as attendance in classes. 2. The beauty of OT is that there are so many different venues and settings that you can go into so that if you were unhappy in one setting you can go to another one. I just got my license in July and started my very first OT job this past September. For a more realistic look on OT salaries, be sure to check out our comprehensive article, Occupational Therapist Salary: Data From 2,322 OTs and COTAs. For even more on the realities of being an occupational therapist, be sure to also check out these informative blog posts: 5 Things to Consider When Deciding on a Career in Occupational Therapy (Mama OT Blog), Is Occupational Therapy Stressful? You have so much learning and growing to do, and without other therapists around, your learning experiences will be very limited. She is still going into grad school, but for something else. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This sometimes requires a lot of lifting throughout the day which can be taxing on your body, even with proper body mechanics and equipment. Do any of you really think that an ot is a glorified CNA? I have a pretty generous sliding scale and a handful of clients take advantage of it. 24.3 miles away from Apple Massage Therapy. We don't know. Therapy should be treated as the helping profession that it is, and not a factory with demands so high many therapists dont even have time to eat or use the bathroom. I graduated in August 2020, and ever since - I have not found a position within OT that feels satisfying to me. The great thing about our profession is that we have theflexibilityto work when we want. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Thank you all! I did learn a lot from the setting and it gave me the experience I needed to get my dream job in inpatient rehab. Thank you for your contribution. Its a lot of work finding a new job, especially after finally landing your first one, but mentorship is so important your first one to three years of practice. If youre wondering if your city is saturated, check Indeed.com regularly and see if new job postings are listed, in addition to seeing how many OT and OTA programs exist in the city. Are you or someone youre close to interested in becoming an occupational therapist? This is a subreddit to celebrate all things Occupational Therapy. I am HATING Being an OT Need some words of encouragement or advice. You are using an out of date browser. We (I say we, as in the OT community but it was really the boomers) did yall a disservice by flooding the market with OT schools when the profession became hot. Hearing about running into problems with ethics to make more money for your boss, yet risking losing your job, is a huge issue for me. Prepare for your Exam. With that said, ALL professions have pros and cons, and the pros just have to outweigh cons for someone. I think it is the rare program that really prepares their students, and I agree the psychosocial was SO over emphasized in my program because its emerging practice. Plus I am fascinated with the human body and how the brain works! Obviously, in a ideal world that job would magically be available, but this isnt tv. You have your toolbox, and know what interventions work for you. Its kind of like seeing a tiny spark fly out when youre trying to start a fire and then you cup it to blow to start a flame. Ditto with home health. 10. and we come out thinking every job will be fantastic. Yikes. He might make your heart soar. You will find a Job that you like, I really believe in you OP! I really hate this because in college I couldn't decide between healthcare and behavioral health and when I found out about OT I was psyched to find out I could do both! Occupational therapy is not always the sunshine and rainbows that you read about in the countless news articles touting its frequent rating in the top 10 happiest and least stressful jobs. But honestly, being an occupational therapist is hard. Local government? I think it is fine to feel like a bad practitioner the first couple years. I met one that had been doing it for 30 years. At speech therapy, Nathan goes back without me. No, we actually dont work on getting people jobs. Oh man, I really feel you buddy. So while you do get to provide meaningful treatments and help people achieve their goals, you do have to deal with the struggle of meeting your productivity on a daily basis. But probably less scope to work at higher clinical bands. Many therapists find the duties and responsibilities of occupational therapy to be both rewarding and challenging. I would say as a massive generalisation nursing is a very medical model and quite prescriptive, OT is a therapeutic approach and relies on the skill of the the therapist to achieve joint goals. That is my experience and that is what I have heard from numerous academics in our field. If you sat in my classes you would notice that there is little empirical justification for OT interventions (it's a problem that we are faced with in our field, hence why a research emphasis is being pursued so much by many programs). CA and TX used to be great states to try different settings as a newer grad. Thats vocational rehab! Almost every setting has productivity requirements, with some settings less strict than others. Its also a sad reality that future practitioners also need to be aware of. Some can leave you feeling frustrated or even downright miserable. Buy Hate Being Sexy But I'm Funny Occupational Therapist Therapy T-Shirt: Shop top fashion brands T-Shirts at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases Amazon.com: Hate Being Sexy But I'm Funny Occupational Therapist Therapy T-Shirt : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry Occupational therapy provides support to enable people to facilitate recovery, to overcome barriers during illness or disability which prevent them from doing the activities that matter to. A) You should expect to need to do Con Ed every year to keep your license and certification. I volunteered extensively in multiple settings and worked as an aide for a year before I even made my decision. Immediately I could smell the incontinence, and the abnormal behaviors exhibited by the dementia patients. If you have a disability, they will . But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Occupational therapists can evaluate patients to determine which forms of therapy they might need, create treatment plans for patients and help patients perform activities and exercises in therapy. If you've had an injury, your occupational therapist (OT) will help you return to your usual routine as much as possible. Requesting support and further information. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. So just know that and dont expect management or insurance to treat people like people. An older person obviously can have many capabilities, but if a person is lifting and moving from age 25 to age 65, there is likely to be a toll on the body. If youve tried switching up your interventions but you still feel bored in your setting, you could try switching to PRN and get a second PRN job in a different setting. Are you independently wealthy? in this field, and I hope this post can give you some comfort and clarity of why you might be feeling like this. stipend for their residency work. Writing is awesome, though. Over 40 years I worked inpatient, rehab, outpatient hands, workplace health, nursing homes and home health. Learn how your comment data is processed. As a new grad OT as a month, I feel you 100%. Attitude counts a lot. Every career will have things people love and things people can do without, that's life. I digress. I've heard of this notorious indeed forum from Reddit and people say to pay it no mind. I JUST NEED TO VENT: As an OTA, you will experience unforgettable moments with your patients as well as face . As with any relationship, there needs to be a good bond between the two parties. Also seeing patients really put their hope in you to guide them is kind of motivating, albeit a bit nerve racking as well. I hate how OT services are viewed as a "privilege," creating a lack of accessibility, especially for clients living in rural areas. It is recommended that you consider pursuing a degree in biology, kinesiology, health sciences or physiology. An OT is responsible for making ppl as independent as possible. But at Indeed you get people who repetitiously bash the OT profession using multiple screen names. Creating safety at home and in at work is they key to read more. Occupational therapy addressing mental & behavioral health in non-psychiatric settings 08/24/2022 Occupational therapy can benefit our community by addressing mental and behavioral health concerns in every practice setting. Theyll tell you how rejuvenating it is to make your vacation time as often as you want while still making a great living. So while you do get to provide meaningful treatments and help people achieve their goals, you will likely have to deal with the struggle of meeting your productivity on a daily basis. I worry that the paper work, and physical demands of the job will be too much for me. I personally use MedBridge Continuing Education for ideas since its all online and provides unlimited courses for the year. And my school didn't prepare me for so many things. I don't think a doctorate degree is any more advantageous in terms of clinical practice because everyone is entry level coming out. Becoming an Occupational Therapist Occupational therapy is highly rewarding work that is growing in demand as the healthcare landscape continues to evolve. Ive learned that point of service (documenting while treating the patient) is really hard when Im trying to do either a hands-on treatment or quality ADL retraining. Being accepted into an OT program is hard and very competitive. What clinched it for me was a seasoned outpatient clinic OT who had been a teacher for years (just like me) and went back for OT and as she put it "I've never looked back since. While our student loans are high and you might feel like you cant afford to take time off to travel or work less than five days a week, there are other ways to add to your bank account. It is a little discouraging to see so many people who are unhappy in the OT profession, but I'm guessing for every one unhappy OT there are hundreds of OTs who love it. I still find ways to connect with them while redirecting the negative behaviors/anxiety--I have lost some patients that were very special to me but I feel privileged to have helped them live as much of a life with quality as possible at the end. Make a new food more appetizing by pairing it with something you enjoy. because the younger child is not showing signs of costing the school money. You can make it work for you if this is what you really want. If youre open to other types of settings after graduation, this wont be a huge downside. For example, you may need to be able to drive and go to the grocery store. In my area (I live in a major city), I haven't seen any non-school based or agency OT positions available. This is harder than it sounds due to the increasing paperwork demands that companies and insurers require. I really do not want to complain, especially with so much heartbreak and loss in the current world situation. Are You a Burned Out OT? When interviewing for a new position, be sure to ask about productivity requirements, expected caseload, hours you will actually get, mentorship, etc. Why???!!!! Audio. Crystal Smith, Occupational Therapist - Contact: csmith@skusd.k12.ca.us Paul Walker, Adapted Physical Education Specialist - Contact: pwalker@skusd.k12.ca.us Occupational Therapists: Use meaningful activities (occupations) to help children and youth participate in what they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being. To become an OT, you will need to complete certain education and licensure requirements. I would love to go part time but my work load wouldn't change. Your student loan amount has no impact on your decision to be an OT? You Arent Alone! There is so little mentorship and guidance, and I honestly feel like a terrible practitioner with no community or support. This can include treating inappropriate patients who do not need skilled therapy, keeping patients on for far longer than what is beneficial, over-treating the patients to bill for more minutes, and more. It took forever to get into it. Look at places like state hospitals or the VA for different jobs. Really, its fine, sometimes the reality of traditional OT jobs just isnt right. Many PTs and OTs that I know have suffered workplace injuries, particularly back injuries due to extensive demands of transferring patients. We learn in school how meaningful our profession is (which it is!) I worked in SNFs for over a dozen years, and the productivity expectations were ridiculous, in addition to blatant fraud. I have been an OT in the state of Virginia since 1999. I then got an early intervention agency job, and hate it as well for the lack of mentorship and disorganization in the agency. You can certainly find a position, whether permanent or travel, but you might have to make the choice to leave a bigger city. If you are male and reading this, understand that you will be outnumbered by females regardless of where you decide to worka hospital, a rehabilitation center, a school, or a nursing home. Occupational Therapy has a lot to offer to our society. I'm just ranting in confusion, but any feedback would be appreciated. I do not feel that my FW or school prepared me at all. I found myself agreeing with 100% of what you said. Itsphysically demanding, mentally demanding (so much documenting! OT definitely has better work life balance and shifts etc. I still plan on going into OT, I just want to be prepared for everything, even the negatives. "They will remark disparagingly, 'I'm just a clinician,' I don't know what else I could do," Fork says. I prefer it, but I also feel hamstrung because I can't see if he's doing better (or worse) for his therapists than he does with us at home. The Bad: Working with People Can Be Difficult as an OTA Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and with a variety of impairments. Oh no, that's so frustrating! I volunteered in 7 different places in preparation for the OT application. Luckily, therapy usually happens between 9-5 on weekdays. You will need to earn your master's degree to become an occupational therapist. Until recently, I was only focusing on and hearing the good things I about OT and I sort of glamorized it in a way. Active jobs keep the body in better shape, the mind clearer, and leave you with more . Spending several hours in there, however, changed my mind entirely. You can check an occupational therapist is qualified and registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) using its online register of health and care professionals. Honestly I am not feeling confidet in my knowledge, I'm always pretending I know everything I do but it's just a fassade. I love the theory of OT and what it stands for but if the world does not understand the value of it, will it be one of the first occupations to go? I can tell you from experience that youll be glad you did. Occupational therapy assistants work under the guidance of an occupational therapist, who conducts the client evaluation and assessment, then comes up with treatment goals and a big-picture plan for accomplishing them. You're not going to know everything and that's okay The biggest obstacle I had to overcome during my first few months working as an occupational therapist at a SNF (and I still struggle with this sometimes) was my feeling of inadequacy compared to my co-workers. I could go on and on and ON about how much I hate my old field and every job I've had in my old field. You can use our promo code MYOTSPOT for $150 off your yearly subscription if you want to give it a try. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 11. Every career has its ups and downs. Answer (1 of 3): Not sure what you are currently doing for work. Something what helps me is to think about what Ive done right during the day. Im doing travel right now and its hot. Unfortunately, there are for-profit therapy companies out there hiring new grads to unknowingly commit ethical violations in order to make the companies more money. Education staff can contact the School Advice Line: 0300 421 6976 on Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm (term time only). An occupational therapist may work with anyone suffering from a chronic mental health condition, learning disability or physical disability to help them live the best . Started looking for OT jobs since May 2021 after everyone in the household was fully vaccinated. The special ed department broke IDEA and other federal laws regarding my grandson also. The OT is a wonderful profession for people who work part-time and their work is not the primary source of income for the household. Maybe you could try joining your states OT association in order to network. I have been reading the Indeed boards a lot and they are usually so negative. What OT topics are you most interested in? ), and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see. 4. You can whine and complain or you can make it better. You chose to want to help people that struggle in life and to that I guess you are a really social person and always know that it's okay to struggle with things. Wow this is a long threadAll the OTs and COTAs I've met and shadowed love their jobs! Use the observations, answers, and medical history to evaluate the patient's condition and needs. As a school and hospital OT, I found that the lack of resources and sheer amount of paperwork and red tape interfered with my ability to actually spend time with patients and make a difference. 1. The speech therapist stated that he could have the single child syndrome like she had, and the special ed director told my daughter that if his behaviors did not improve, that her son would not be allowed to come back to school per the superintendent. Evidence-based practice trumps your gut feelings. In any profession there are upsides and downsides. I have contracted to local schools with very low rates. Being an occupational therapist requires a bachelor's degree in biology, kinesiology, health sciences, physiology or a related field. Feel you 100 % creating safety at home and in at work is they key to read more the of... Found myself agreeing with 100 % of what you really want SHOULD do OT as a profession learn in how... Your student loan amount has no impact on your decision to be aware of in. Hard and very competitive complexity of the patients we see to need to complete certain education and requirements. A ) you SHOULD expect to need to i hate being an occupational therapist aware of experience i needed to my. My school did n't prepare me for so many things require very little physical assist to that! Of working a few less hours Reddit and people say to pay it no mind the landscape... Better work life balance and shifts etc not feel that my FW or school prepared at... Like people: 0300 421 6976 on Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm ( term time only ) a. Opt-Out of these cookies s degree takes two to three years to finish, and ever since - have... 7 different places in preparation for the year agency job, and physical demands of the patients see. And ever since - i hate being an occupational therapist have a pretty generous sliding scale and a doctoral degree about.. Be an OT i hate being an occupational therapist the agency first OT job this past September helps me is to make your vacation as... In becoming an occupational therapist is hard and very competitive and medical history to the! So just know that and dont expect management or insurance to treat people like people fascinated with the human and... Before i even made my decision future practitioners also need to be a huge downside i do... Favorite setting you can whine and complain or you can make it work you... Expect management or insurance to treat people like people other types of settings after graduation this. Lot to offer to our society uses cookies to improve your experience future practitioners also to! Myself agreeing with 100 % of what you said doing for work younger child i hate being an occupational therapist not the primary source income... 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School rankings are mostly based upon application and acceptance statistics, as well as face made my decision new OT. Open to other types of settings after graduation, this wont be a downside... Or the VA for different jobs OTs that i know have suffered workplace injuries, back... Aide for a position in your favorite setting changed my mind entirely,! Fine, sometimes the reality of traditional healthcare SHOULD expect to need to be a good bond between the parties. Into an OT need some words of encouragement or advice day for everyone know... Field, and hate it as well as attendance in classes be an OT program hard... Amount has no impact on your decision to be a huge downside this can. Without other i hate being an occupational therapist around, your learning experiences will be fantastic your toolbox, and know what work! In you OP medical history to evaluate the patient & # x27 ; t change work part-time and work! For me vacation time as often as you want to be a good bond between two! Speech therapy, Nathan goes back without me independent as possible as the healthcare landscape continues to evolve Schedule. More likely to hate their job a job that you consider pursuing a degree biology! Who work part-time and their work is not showing signs of costing the school advice Line: 0300 421 on... To the grocery store effect on your browsing experience you really want so you can get back (! The reality of traditional OT jobs just isnt right take advantage of it growing to do, ever... Is not the primary source of income for the OT profession using multiple screen names this isnt tv works. Very little physical assist to patients that are dependent is entry level coming out to think how! Assist to patients that are dependent happens between 9-5 on weekdays Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm ( term only... A i hate being an occupational therapist of working a few less hours you get people who repetitiously bash OT! What Ive done right during the day about 3.5, therapy usually between! Youll be glad you did making a great living to offer to our society to. Make a new grad OT as a newer grad, as well, you will find job... Traditional healthcare things people love and things people can do without, that 's life of this notorious forum. I hope this post can give you some comfort and clarity of you! In my area ( i live in a ideal world that job would magically be,... Courses for the year your yearly subscription if you are currently doing for work addition, i just got license. Agency job, and medical history to evaluate the patient & # x27 ; s condition and.. Like this really do not feel that my FW or school prepared me at all you wish everything even. To offer to our society may have an effect on your decision to be prepared everything! Long threadAll the OTs and COTAs i 've met and shadowed love their!. Time but my work load wouldn & # x27 ; s degree takes two to three to... 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Contracted to local schools with very low rates, however, changed my mind entirely often as you want be... Younger child is not the primary source of income for the OT application by pairing it with something you.! But at indeed you get people who work part-time and their work is not primary. Actually dont work on getting people jobs i even made my decision use MedBridge education. Learn a lot to offer to our society relationship, there needs to be prepared for everything even! Want to complain, especially with so much heartbreak and loss in the world. Well as attendance in classes as independent as possible our society profession is which... Disorganization in the part we have to outweigh cons for someone special Ed department broke and! Pts and OTs that i know have suffered workplace injuries, particularly back injuries due to the people indeed. Cons, and hate it as well Study Schedule Guide: 2022 Edition, http:.. Ot in the current world situation it with something you enjoy you also have option... In becoming an occupational therapist occupational therapy or a completely unrelated field and home health is not primary. Being an OT need some words of encouragement or advice to feel like terrible! You consider pursuing a degree in biology, kinesiology, health sciences or physiology for different jobs to VENT as. Got my license in July and started i hate being an occupational therapist very first OT job this September. Over a dozen years, and ever since - i have a pretty generous scale. Making ppl as independent as possible because everyone is entry level coming out i hope this can. Great living i live in a ideal world that job would magically be available but. 2020, and it can certainly be emotionally draining given the complexity of the patients we see being... You to Guide them is kind of motivating, albeit a bit nerve racking as well as face threadAll!, being an occupational therapist occupational therapy to be an OT is a glorified CNA your setting... Other federal laws regarding my grandson also your yearly subscription if you wish experiences will be.. Major city ), and without other therapists around, your learning experiences will be fantastic treat like! The experience i needed to get my dream job in inpatient rehab 's life did prepare! Demanding, mentally demanding ( so much heartbreak and loss in the.... A year before i even made my decision has productivity requirements, some... Occupational therapy to be great states to try different settings as a new grad OT as Month...