Your online Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree program will prepare you for taking the required examination presented by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Upon passing, you can apply for licensure within your state. As a licensed generalist in occupational therapy, perhaps you would like to specialize in a particular age group of patients or those who suffer from a specific illness or disability.
After you have received your online doctoral degree in occupational therapy and your license, if you choose to select a specialization, you’re not alone. Often therapists will change concentrations several times within the span of their career. After some real-world work experience, you may determine that you have a passion for a specific type of therapy.
A licensed occupational therapist may choose to obtain voluntary certifications to work within the fields of pediatrics, gerontology, physical rehabilitation, mental health, environmental modification, or in the area of feeding, eating, and swallowing. Occupational therapists are also needed in our school systems and for those with vision impairments, who are autistic, or who have neurological disorders, such as brain or spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s disease.
If you have a genuine desire to work with those who have physical limitations or illness is preventing them from performing the everyday tasks that most of us take for granted, a career in occupational therapy is for you. This job offers a lucrative living, along with the self-satisfaction of assisting others in living their best life. How awesome is that?
To learn more, please see our list of the Best Online Schools for Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree programs that we have created for your review.