How To Become a Professional Clinical Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Clinical pediatric occupational therapists help kids overcome physical problems.

If you enjoy kids and thought about a career helping them, then a career as a clinical pediatric occupational therapist may be for you. As a clinical pediatric occupational therapist, you help children to gain better motor abilities by helping them with their disabilities. In order to become a clinical pediatric occupational therapist, you need to gain such skills as hand therapy, sensory integration, and neurodevelopmental treatment.

Instructions

1. Enroll in an accredited college to pursue your career in occupational therapy. Choose a college that is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy education.

   Some accredited colleges offer both a bachelor's and a master's degree in occupational therapy. Getting a graduate degree will create an advantage for you as you pursue a career as a clinical pediatric occupational therapist.

2. Become an intern in the field of occupational therapy. An internship allows students to gain experience. So that is why most occupational therapy college programs require you to have six months of supervised training or participate in a six-month internship.

3. Once you have interned, you will need to become licensed. You are required to take a national certification exam to become licensed as an occupational therapist. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to study for the exam. Apply to clinics and hospitals for jobs in pediatric occupational therapy. Be sure to highlight your internship experience when you apply.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are still in high school, you should start some early planning. While in high school, be sure to take science classes such as biology, chemistry, and physics. Taking these classes will increase your chances of doing well in college while you pursue an occupational therapy degree.

• If you are an older adult going back to school and have other obligations like a full time job, you should consider taking night classes.

References

• American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.: Accredited Occupational Therapy Schools
• American Occupation Therapy Association