Occupational therapists, or OTs, are health professionals who work with individuals of different ages to help them regain their ability to perform their normal daily activities such as dressing, bathing, performing household chores and other work-related duties. These patients have normally lost their abilities to perform these activities due to mental, physical or developmental or emotionally disabling conditions. According to the website Degreefinders, “Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow much faster than average for all professions, increasing 23 percent from 2006 to 2016. An aging population and the increased need for occupational therapy services will drive job growth.”
Although massage therapy is usually associated with day spas and medical facilities, human massage techniques are also used on ranches and race tracks, and in equestrian sports associations. In the equine massage therapy field, equine massage therapists treat horse athletes. These professionals help high-performance horses improve muscle tone, reduce muscle spasms, relieve tension and increase agility. Because there are no formal educational requirements for an equine massage therapy career, salaries depend on professionals’ level of training and job qualifications. Equine massage therapists commonly work on a client basis and charge an hourly fee.
Conditions such as strokes and learning disabilities can rob individuals of the ability to speak; however, people suffering from these problems don't have to live the rest of their lives in silence. Speech pathologists are professionals who work with individuals wrestling with speech and language problems. Those who plan to become speech pathologists must set goals to pursue education in communications and physiology.
As the perceived boundaries between "can" and "can't" shift for those with physical or developmental limitations, science and society are recognizing the need for trained occupational therapists to make wants and needs a reality for this growing demographic. These educated professionals are in demand across the United States, particularly as the population ages, and those looking to get a job in the field in a particular city like Tampa, Florida can take a number of steps to ensure success.
Speech-language pathologists, often known as speech therapists, work with individuals with speech and language difficulties. Their work can be challenging and rewarding. To become a certified speech pathologist, one must undergo years of study and hands-on training. College students, or those considering college, that are drawn to the field can get a head start by taking the necessary courses to prepare for a career as a speech pathologist.
Occupational therapists work with patients who are recovering from illness or injury. An occupational therapist helps a patient to develop or regain lost motor function or reasoning abilities. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that college training and licensure is a must for any aspiring occupational therapist.
An emerging field, equine physical therapists treat horses before and after surgery, and after injury to restore physical movement, similar to human therapy. They design individually tailored plans to treat soft-tissue injuries, joint problems, poorly healing wounds and muscle wastage. Rehabilitation methods include joint and soft-tissue manipulation, exercise therapy and electrotherapy. An equine physical therapist without a veterinarian degree works under a licensed veterinarian's supervision.
Nonprofit organizations provide grants and scholarships to help occupational therapy professionals pay for postgraduate or continuing education coursework. To qualify for these programs, you must be accepted to a postgraduate school and currently practicing in the occupational therapy field. Minimum GPA and work experience are also considered during the grant selection process.
Physical therapist professionals who are looking for work or exploring a career can contact a physical therapist recruitment service. The service's staffing managers know which facilities have appropriate openings for full-time and part-time positions based on the applicant's qualifications. Beyond staffing, the manager can act as a guide to help a physical therapist's career evolve from a temporary placement to a permanent position.
Music therapists use music to treat patients of all types, whether or not the patient has any musical prowess. Music has the power to help people express themselves and even access emotions and thoughts that were previously inaccessible. While music therapists do not necessarily need to have a master's degree, having one may qualify them to earn higher salaries and take on more privileged positions, like teaching at a college level.
Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, perform a variety of services in helping people speak. With clients ranging from small children, injured clients and elderly stroke patients, the field requires a diverse educational background with a minimum of a master's degree. The salary of members of this valuable field can vary due to certain factors.
Individuals with speech difficulties such as stuttering or voice problems that prevent them from speaking clearly can receive treatment from a licensed speech pathologist. The speech pathologist diagnoses and treats individuals who cannot speak clearly or at all because of voice disorders or cognitive impairments. In Texas, speech pathologists must obtain a license from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Speech pathologists, or speech therapists, work to diagnose and treat speech and language disorders, including stuttering, swallowing disorders and cognitive impairments. As with all jobs, there are benefits and drawbacks of being a speech pathologist. For some, the biggest drawback will be the amount of training and education needed to qualify as a speech pathologist. Others may find working with people a drawback.
Speech pathologists work with people with speech disorders to develop, implement and evaluate customized treatment plans. They typically work for health care institutions or educational organizations and focus on children, adolescent or adult populations. Speech pathologists can also choose to pursue academia and research. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 48 percent of speech pathologists were employed in educational services in 2008 with the remainder employed in a variety of health services. The educational, licensing and training requirements for speech pathologists are specific and rigorous.
Although pharmacists in the United States earn relatively high wages, the job often requires working nights, weekends, holidays and/or irregular hours. The salary a pharmacist earns will be based on employer type, as well as location and experience.
The national average salary for educational, school, guidance and vocational counselors is $55,870 with a corresponding hourly wage of $26.91. The BLS notes elementary school counselors primarily focus on students' learning abilities, behavioral, social challenges and developmental issues, which aligns them with school psychologists and specialized therapists. School districts may also provide school psychologists; the BLS notes that the average annual salary for clinical, counseling and school psychologists is $72,540 and $34.87 hourly. Counselors and psychologists working in schools typically receive benefits including health insurance, retirement and paid leave.
Play therapists, or recreational therapists, use play therapy to teach educational, physical, behavioral, emotional and social skills to children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Play therapists need to complete a bachelor's or master's degree in therapeutic recreation. In some states, recreational therapists must be licensed by the state before working with patients. Many facilities prefer play therapists to be certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Median annual wages of all play therapists was $38,370 in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
One way to combine your love of sports and medicine is to become a professional sports physical therapist. A sports physical therapist, also called a PT, is responsible for assisting athletes and patients with sports-related injuries. For instance, you create a treatment plan tailored to help patients prevent sports injuries. Also, you work to rehabilitate patients with injuries so they can return to their daily activities or to playing sports. Thus, sport physical therapy isn’t a career you can enter quickly. You must perform the tasks necessary to work in the field.
Counseling therapists provide therapeutic services for those with a variety of different problems. Some work as marriage and family therapists, while others work as rehabilitation counselors or substance abuse counselors. The salaries for those working in these fields tend to vary by location and employer.
Speech language pathologists work to improve the lives of people with communication disorders. Speech pathologists work in schools, private clinics, nursing homes and hospitals. Whether you are a client of a speech language pathologist or are friends with one and want to give a gift that a speech pathologist will enjoy, there are many options available. Aside from a generic gift card, more personalized gift options make memorable tokens of appreciation and love.
A neonatal occupational therapist provides care for premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU is a special unit in a hospital specifically designed for premature infants with medical complications, including respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The neonatal occupational therapist monitors the development of the nervous system and provides therapy to infants with symptoms of developmental delays. You must have at least a master's degree to become an occupation therapist.
California law requires aspiring speech pathologists to complete a master's degree program approved by the state's Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Speech pathologists must also complete supervised practice and pass an exam to obtain a license. License renewal requires ongoing continuing education.
Pharmacists must complete six years of undergraduate education to earn the doctor of pharmacy or Pharm.D degree, which is a requirement for licensure, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Two years of undergraduate education must be in professional studies and the remaining four years are in a Pharm. D degree program. The education provides pharmacists with the knowledge and skills to dispense medication and counsel patients on issues such as proper dosage and potential interactions with other medications.
Elementary school occupational therapists evaluate the abilities of disabled children, provide therapy and help children take part in activities. They coach these children on improvements in daily living tasks and on ways to interact with other children. About 75 percent of all elementary school occupational therapists earn at least $23 per hour as of 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Speech pathologists assist clients in managing physical and mental communication difficulties involving speech and language, often due to genetic disorders, developmental issues and accidents. In California, speech pathologists must earn certifications from a national exam service and the state’s Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, or SLPAHAB. Obtaining these credentials involves years of education and training.
Occupational therapists working in North Dakota made an average of $27.00 per hour or $56,170 per year as of May 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salaries for occupational therapists in the state were 23 percent below the nationwide average, which was $35.28 per hour or $73,380 per year. Wages for occupational therapists in North Dakota varied greatly throughout the state's metropolitan and rural areas.
Home to just 1 percent of the country's total activity therapists, the state of Arizona offered median salaries for professionals in this industry on par with or slightly below the country's median wages, depending on the area within the state. Activity therapists, more formally called recreational therapists, may choose a single activity, such as sports, drama, art or music, and work with people overcoming addiction, emotional issues and other problems.
Some occupational therapists regularly work with autistic children, helping them learn to function normally within the school system and within society. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 100,000 occupational therapists employed in the United States in 2010. Occupational therapists typically work with autistic children in a school setting. The bureau reports that over 13,000 occupational therapists were employed in schools throughout the nation. Salaries for these therapists tend to vary by location and other factors, such as education level and experience.
Occupational therapists working in schools focus their work on students who need help building skills to aid them in performing tasks in different aspects of their lives. This is a good field to get into, though there are a lot of requirements to make it into the field. Occupational therapists working in schools can also find employment working with many other sections of the population -- particularly the elderly, if they chose to change jobs.
Music can bring joy to most listeners, but it can also have more therapeutic effects on individuals who have suffered some kind of impairment. Music therapists are recreational therapists who use the playing of music instruments and singing to help patients who have suffered a physical or mental disability, whether temporary or degenerative. Playing music can help individuals improve physical coordination, develop social skills, and provide a means of personal expression. Salary levels for music therapists are comparable to those for recreational therapists using other art forms.
Muscle therapists, more commonly known as massage therapists, often obtain clients from doctors or other medical professionals. These workers knead muscles of the back, shoulders, arms and legs, helping clients relieve pain and tension. They also help clients with sports or occupational injuries get back to their activities or jobs. Massage therapists work in many types of entities, including hospitals, fitness centers, private offices and nursing homes. They usually get paid annual salaries.
A music therapist uses musical instruction to help her clients. In some cases, such as adults with learning disabilities, the help is limited to keeping the client active and engaged. In others, musical training can help a client recover from a physical or mental trauma. In both cases, a musical therapist with a master's degree won't become fabulously wealthy but can earn a good living wage.
An occupational therapist is a licensed health care professional who assists individuals in learning tasks or regaining the ability to perform functions independently. Individuals who require the assistance of an occupational therapist often suffer from debilitating conditions or injuries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the average salary for occupational therapists in the Pensacola, Florida area in May 2010.
Occupational therapists may work with autistic children, helping them learn to adapt and function in every day situations, and improve their ability to perform basic tasks for living. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 100,300 occupational therapists employed in the United States in 2010. Of these, 13,390 worked in elementary and secondary schools. These therapists earned salaries that were typically below the national average for all occupational therapists.
Work as a speech or speech-language pathologist, or SLP, involves providing services to individuals who have a variety of acquired, congenital and developmental disorders and conditions. For example, SLPs work with autism, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, mental retardation and hearing loss. Individuals who choose this career must be patient, have good communication skills, approach problems objectively and be supportive of their clients. Speech-language pathologists enjoy several benefits, including career portability as many states recognize the SLP certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The SLP career was also rated as one of CNN Money's "Best Jobs in America" in 2009.
Students come in every shape, size, color and ability to focus. Some students demonstrate great difficulty maintaining focus on tasks, instructions and especially lectures. Very often when focus is lost, learning suffers. Lengthen the attention span of inattentive students through purposeful room arrangement, lesson cues and closure ideas. Teach students to conquer a lessened ability to focus in the classroom and improve their learning potential.
Canine physical therapists are often human physical therapists, veterinarians, veterinary technicians or physical therapist assistants trained in canine physical therapy. Their salaries are often close to what each of these three professions generally offers. A canine physical therapist's salary will depend on an individual employer, education, experience and location, among other factors.
Applying for a job is something that requires you to have your resume ready to hand out and the ability to begin work at any given time. Applying for a state or federal job with the Food and Nutrition Service's Women, Infants and Children division requires you to apply with your state agency. Any time a WIC job is open in your state it is posted with the state agency's office. When you come across a WIC job opening that interests you, be prepared to submit your resume and meet with WIC officials for an interview.
Public Act 55 of 2009 allowed for licenses to be issued to physical therapy assistants, or PTAs, under the United States Health Code. Before you can become a licensed PTA, you must submit an application to the Bureau of Health Professions in the state of practice. In order to gain a license for Michigan State, each PTA in the practice must submit an application, a criminal background check and a completed examination. All applications are reviewed by 11 board members including physicians, physical therapists and PTAs before they are approved or rejected.
A speech presentation is publicly speaking to an audience with intent to inform, demonstrate, explain or persuade. The presentation is normally written, then performed and includes an introduction, a body consisting of main focal points and a conclusion. The subject matter, choice of words and delivery all depend on the audience. Visual aids are often incorporated into the presentation, if meaningful and relevant. Nearly all types of speeches fall into three main categories -- informative, persuasive and motivational.
Adding a speech language endorsement to your teaching license will expand the number of teaching jobs you are licensed for. As a speech/language teacher, you will work with individual students or very small groups, rather than doing whole-group instruction in the classroom. Being a school specialist will give you more control over your schedule and more breaks during the school day than a regular classroom teacher is afforded. You will still have the early dismissal and summers-off schedule as regular teachers.
Speech pathologists are therapists or health care professionals who treat speech issues and disorders. They help with problems including diagnosis, rehabilitation, swallowing issues, expression skills, language problems, voice concerns, speech disorders and other speech pathology issues. Someone who dates a speech pathologist may have numerous reasons for doing so.
An IV therapist, also known as an infusion nurse, is a highly skilled nursing professional trained in the process of administering liquid (food, fluids or medications) directly into a patient's vein. A career as an IV therapist is challenging and financially rewarding. IV therapists learn new nursing skills and work with ever-evolving innovative infusion technology.
Knowing about food and nutrition is not only beneficial for you and your family but also can serve you well in your professional life. If you have specialized training about food and proper nutrition, a number of jobs are available to you. Most positions require a bachelor's degree, although some jobs in the field require only specialized training.
Chiropractors are medical professionals who use a physical approach to the relief of pain by focusing on the musculoskeletal system and the spinal cord in particular. The practice is based on a belief that the body can best heal itself if the nervous system is functioning; therefore, many ailments and pain stem from a malfunction in the vertebrae of the back. With proper manipulation, this can be relieved and the condition -- or potential condition -- resolved.
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms. This includes both single-celled organisms and very small clusters of cells. These organisms are usually so tiny that scientists need to use microscopes to see them. Given the diversity of this part of the world, scientists divided their discipline into different branches so they can specialize in specific areas of microbiology.
Social workers try to help people overcome obstacles in their lives. They serve public agencies, private businesses, hospitals, police departments, schools and all levels of government. Social workers are required to have a degree in social work. The wide variety of positions available for social workers makes it difficult to gauge a salary for this profession. Each employer has a different pay scale. The type of degree also dictates how much the social worker is paid. Fringe benefits are included in most salary packages but vary depending on the employer. Some benefits are more common than others and are usually…
A symposium speech is a talk given by someone that involves the audience participating in discussions and making their own speeches or presentations. Symposiums are often held by universities, colleges, government organizations and private, public and nonprofit groups. The topics for a symposium speech are as varied as your imagination.
You might have many goals for yourself that you wish to accomplish throughout your life. Some of these goals will be short term, which means you complete them within a few days, weeks or months. However, you probably also have annual goals. Annual goals can usually be completed within one year. If you take the time to articulate these annual goals and make a plan for accomplishing them, your possibility for success will likely increase.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 47 states require practicing speech-language pathologists to obtain professional licenses, but licensing is a bare minimum for professional practice. Many speech-language pathologists also obtain a particular type of voluntary certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which is what the CCC behind a practicing speech pathologist's name represents.