Careers in Occupational Therapy
Fact Sheet
Becoming a registered occupational therapist (OT) in Canada is a fantastic choice. The knowledge and skills you acquire will enable you to take your career in many directions. Few work days are routine! If you are social, compassionate, patient, analytical and a problem solver, then you should seriously consider a career in occupational therapy.
What exactly does an occupational therapist do?
As an occupational therapist you help people to participate in the activities that are important to them regardless of their physical or mental ability. These activities may be work or school related or focused on self-care or leisure activities.
Hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centres are traditional settings for occupational therapy. However, many OTs also work in the community where they can see first hand how and when the activities have to be performed.
For example…
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Consulting in schools to help children with writing difficulties and other learning challenges.
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Assisting seniors in their homes to manage independently and safely.
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Using technology to enable young people to live independently after automobile or other accidents.
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Assisting people with mental illness to learn necessary life skills, such as cooking, banking, etc.
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Working for municipalities to make parks and recreational centres accessible to all.
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Heading up disability management programs for large national corporations.
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Estimating costs for future care in medical-legal disputes.
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Travelling to Third-World countries to set up rehabilitation programs.
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Researching the health effects of participation in meaningful occupations.
How much education is required?
To become a registered occupational therapist in Canada, you must have graduated from an accredited university program. There are 12 Canadian educational programs and each of their curricula includes the required 1000 hours of fieldwork training for accreditation. Some provinces require that you also pass the national certification examination.
Becoming an occupational therapist requires commitment and high marks are important. Most university programs require a grade point average of 70-75% along with a good understanding of occupational therapy.
Educational programs differ. Check each program’s admission criteria carefully. Doing so will also unveil differences in program approach, philosophy and other unique characteristics.
Current entry-level programs are offered at the undergraduate and Master’s level. Many people with an undergraduate degree in arts or science find the Master’s programs very attractive, particularly if they are already working in a health or rehabilitation setting.
If you do not feel you are university bound, you may wish to consider a related community college program and work as an assistant to an occupational therapist.
Is there a future in occupational therapy?
Canada’s healthcare system is in a state of flux, but the demand for occupational therapy services continues to grow. As an OT, you are not restricted to working in traditional hospital settings. In fact, over 50% of OTs work in the community - for schools, businesses, municipalities, home care programs and in private practice. Most provinces and territories report a shortage in occupational therapists.
What type of salary and benefits can I expect?
Salaries for new graduates usually begin at about $40,000 and can grow to more than double that amount depending on the position, as well as where and how an OT chooses to practise. Many entrepreneurial OTs enjoy healthy incomes. Other OTs have moved into related areas where the ceilings on salaries are much higher, particularly in management, administration or consultative positions.
How do I find out more?
Explore occupational therapy on the Canadian Occupational Therapy Resource web site at www.otworks.ca. You can hear from occupational therapists about how they became interested in occupational therapy and how their careers have progressed. Links to both university and college educational programs are also available.
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