How to Become a Registered Occupational Therapist OTR
Do you have a passion for helping people? Would you like to help people re-learn every day life skills after an injury? Then maybe a career in occupational therapy is for you. Occupational therapists can work in a variety of settings to help people develop skills for everyday living and working. Here's how to become a Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR).
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Things You'll Need
- A High School Degree
- Admission to a College or Univeristy that has Occupational Therapy as a major
- Admittance to the professional Occupational Therapy program
Instructions
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Once you've completed high school or your GED, enroll at a university that has Occupational Therapy as a major. Do your research and ensure that the program is nationally accredited. This is an important question to ask the university. Consult the American Occupational Therapists Association for more information.
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Once you've enrolled at the university, visit your academic advisor. This is critically important! Your advisor will set you on the correct path to achieveing your goal of become an occupational therapist. They will advise you in a way to meet all requirements and get your degree in the shortest amount of time.
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After completing all of the pre-professional program credits, apply to the Occupational Therapy professional program. Within the university, the occupational therapy school application is a competitive process. You will be required to maintain a high grade point average and also pass interviews to get in. You may also need volunteer hours completed in order to apply. Don't slack off in your early college years. This could hurt your chances of becoming an occupational therapist.
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Complete the requirements of the professional program in order to graduate and get your diploma. You will now have a Bachelor's of Science in Occupational Therapy. Many programs are set up as master's programs now. If this is the case at your university, you will graduate with a Master's of Occupational Therapy or MOT.
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Take the national exam to become a Registered Occupational Therapist or OTR. Once you've passed, you may begin practicing. From here, you will need to maintain your registration by completing regular continuing education. The learning never stops!
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Tips & Warnings
Seek the advice of your academic advisor immediately upon arrival at college.
You must do well learning the sciences for this degree.
