MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Occupational therapy (OT) is a flourishing field which many graduate students pursue as a career. Towards the end of a graduate OT program, students prepare to take a board certified test. These certification tests are broken down into four categories: Gerontology, Mental Health, Pediatrics, and Physical Rehabilitation (AOTA, 2015). The specialty the student wants to pursue dictates which of the tests they should take. If the examination is passed, these OTs may become hand OTs, pediatric OTs, geriatric OTs, or psych OTs. Given this many career options, it can be stressful for students to decide which certification test to take. Some student might not even realize how many specialties are available to them. This lack of information could cause a student to miss out on pursuing a career that best suits their interests and passions. In order to help students decide which career path they want to pursue, this guide explains the different work settings, patients, and therapy practices of each OT specialty.
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Reader Profile: An experienced occupational therapist who doesn’t believe reading a guide is the best way to decide a future career.

Reader’s Response: A guide may be interesting to learn how many different career choices an OT student has, but it is not a good way to decide their career choice. Students should get in-person experience with specialties they find most interesting. No one can truly decide what profession fits them best without immersing themselves in the environment. A student should find a therapist within their preferred profession and ask them questions, learn about the equipment they use, experience the atmosphere they work in, and interact with the patients they treat.

L -- address this reader with a section on shadowing, information interviews, and even perhaps Youtube videos on OT. You can include a brief note on your experience that is related (children and sports).