First of all, you can join some of the free Facebook groups below. The income potential long-term is far greater, and if set up properly, would allow you to make money even when youre not at the clinic. There are so many occupational therapy schools that need solid OTs to educate future clinicians. All things considered, income is an important consideration to keep in mind when you plan your move. Thanks again for the article, it did open my eyes! What does your job entail? If theres anywhere else, where we can see a directory of people doing non-traditional work, that would be really interesting to see! A perfect match for me!Tanisha Cowell. Being an administrator, particularly at a hospital, means that you are a manager for therapists over a specific department. There are definitely quite a few OTs that make the switch into medical device sales. It might take a bit of applying to a variety of positions but explaining to the prospective employers about your experience will be really beneficial. As noted above, financial considerations are real. Hi Shawnee, Im so glad you enjoyed the article! If youre ready to start your own practice, WebPT has put together a great resource about starting a therapy clinic from scratch. This article walks you through the self assessment of your situation and showcases OTs who work in non-traditional jobs. Offer to cover the scheduling board or take point on busy days. This list of is certainly not exhaustive (as there are SO many options in this realm), but it should at least get the wheels turning! Im always excited to hear about even more versatile ways our degrees can be used. You may also be interested in becoming a Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist. Here are several types of OT-related businesses you can create. 2. While there are certainly differences, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options. Ive been in the field about 16 years and ticked off a few of these myself: administration, education and medical device sales, so I am proof that these are all really possible. For more on ergonomics, visit AOTAs ergonomics site here. offer contract work (similar to registry or per diem work) for creatives. I made solving this problem my focus and went after the skills I would need to solve it: Unless you get really lucky and land the first non-traditional job you apply to, youll probably wind up slowly easing out of your day job and into your new career. If youre interested in technology and the advancing future applications, this may be something to think about pursuing long-term as well. I am a COTA/L in NC with over 22 years of experience mainly in pediatrics. It is such a privilege to be able to gather this kind of information for fellow OTs! Meredith has a huge list of non-clinical career spotlights on her site. Also, youll definitely want to take few courses on usability and user experience to legitimize yourself as a candidate. Best of luck to you. . Occupational therapy practitioners help people with low vision function at the highest possible level by preventing accidents and injury (e.g., improving lighting), teaching new skills (e.g., eccentric viewing, visual tracking), modifying the task or environment (e.g., recommending magnifiers), and promoting a healthy lifestyle (e.g., ensuring they can participate in their daily activities).. Way to open this conversation and look forward to keeping in touch. Read more about being a case manager from an OT perspective here:Statement: The Occupational Therapist as Case Manager. Aurora, NE 68818, OT Potential Occupational Therapy Resources. There are also other holistic avenues you can take when starting your own private practice. Sometimes its accompanied by a picture and short bio. There are many avenues your non-traditional OT career could take, but here we highlight nine of the most common. Any career transition requires self-discipline and time. Working in mental health as an occupational therapist is similar tobeing a mental health counselor. I would love to connect with you and chat is there a way to share contact info here? Theres something rewarding and fulfilling about building something from nothing and seeing all that hard work pay off over a long period of time. Itll help your case! Youre going to need to network as much as possible. Not all unconventional OT jobs require relocation, but many do. Thanks! I do hope this list at least gives you a few non-physical types of job ideas to help you with your career transition. Figured this might help some of you looking for something different. Networking is also vital. Thank you for the great ideas as well as links to further learn about them. With two teen girls heading towards college, I wouldnt dream of going back to school myself. Its been such a fun journey and the amount of knowledge I have gained is invaluable! You dont necessarily need to go to court. This option is becoming popular as more and more healthcare websites are popping up daily, and need frequent articles to publish. Try to work in multiple acute care hospitals within your region and get to know the case managers in those facilities. More information can be found on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Another great option would be to work in vocational rehab in a community-based setting. Explore different options/gain experience before leaving your day job, 8 specific non-traditional OT jobs you can look into, Non-Clinical Jobs and Networking for PT/OT/SLP Professionals, Non-Clinical 101: The Complete Guide to Launching Your Non-Clinical Career (Save $75), You can read more about my own non-traditional journey, including how I built OT Potential, in my spotlight, Here are some sites that sometimes accept high-quality guest posts from occupational therapists, interview on her career path into OT academia, becoming a rehab liaison (or clinical liaison), this inspiring story about a 90-year-old occupational therapist, UX Design and User Experience Design for Beginners, Become a UX Designer Learn the Skills and Get the Job, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. So I was trying to see if I would fit in any other career with my associates degree. The wonderful thing about being an occupational therapist or COTA is that our education and experience is so versatile, but it can be hard to know exactly where to turn if you want to do something out of the norm. Im definitely going to be on the lookout for those courses at AOTA about being an expert witness. Since not turning anything into insurance companies? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Got more questions for us? ATP professionals create accessibility technology for those with disabilities. If tapping people to ask for their time gives you the heebie jeebies, dont worry! For a great perspective on this, check out OT Devon Breitharts experience as a freelance writer, complete with tips on how get started. This is yet another great option to go into if you have a passion for helping people but do not find traditional settings like hospitals a good fit for you personally. If going back to college to work isnt your thing, you can also teach continuing education courses around the country in your specialty. Very informative & encouraging site! The next two years showed her that others wanted guidance on doing the same. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Not sure where youre located, but Center for Community Partnerships in Fort Collins, CO is a great agency for community integration/job retention services. Ive noticed a number of people with years of experience in OT on here.im looking to switch my major and getting a Masters in OT.can I please get a few inputs on that field. According to AOTAs article about low vision: Many older adults experience age-related vision changes that cant be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery. There may be some small businesses in your area that focus on this specialty which you may be interested in working for or partnering with. While some informational interviews do turn into jobs or mentorship opportunities, you should never assume this will be the case. I came to the conclusion that Occupational Therapy most closely aligned with my personality. So many interesting ideas here! If you enjoy working with new people all the time, you might really enjoy a job in home modification (also known as home safety). Youll spend your days scrutinizing environments, then making recommendations to ensure they are free from hazards and have injury prevention measures in place. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Also is there any volunteer activities that I could be doing in the mean time that could help me out ? We hope this article helped you think of some new ways you can reimagine your career! Some careers require additional education or training, or they might necessitate relocation. Any suggestions? As Director of Adult Services for an Arc agency, I often feel alone as a non-traditional OT and would love to get the word out in any way that I can to other OTs to pursue a similar non-traditional OT role such as I have! The first thing that often comes to mind on this front is starting your own private practice. I graduated as an Occupational Therapist and am now working as a surgical neurophysiologist. At this time I need to take care of me, but I might need to try something else to bring in income. My only doubts about going the OT route is thinking that I may one day regret not choosing to be a Special Education Teacher and not being smart enough for some of the advanced coursework. Family members, significant others, and even friends might feel the impact of your change, so its vital to consider how much of a change makes sense for you at any given time. When youre a staff OT, ask to help out in as many unique and unconventional ways as possible. Initially, I had aspired to be a Special Education Teacher; however, after seeing the high and very frequent turnover/burnout of Teachers in our classroom, I began analyzing the other specialists that would work with our students and their careers (who seemed most satisfied, which fit my personality more, etc.). I am working as a paraprofessional in the school but I feel I can find something that uses my knowledge and skills closer to what I went to school for. This of course will require more direct hands-on experience, so it may not be not for everyone. The site is chock-full of great information to help you launch a non-traditional OT career. This post was originally published May 30th, 2017 and updated on February 29, 2020. Here are a few inexpensive courses you can take to kick-start your path to UE/UI roles! A common career path for occupational therapists after theyve been in the field for several years or several decades is to go into teaching and/or research at a specific occupational therapy program. This year has been an extremely difficult year of landing a job. Glad I found you at the perfect time in my career. Im also now seeing occupational therapists starting their own chronic pain clinics (which I think is great; I go to a chronic pain OT myself and love her practice). Gives me some hope of finding the just right fit as an OT. Hi Martin, thanks for your comment. Thanks for sharing. You are also building something that, if profitable, increases in value and could eventually be sold. As in inpatient OT, Ive been looking for alternative careers and economics and sales excite me the most. For those with a considerable amount of experience in a particular OT area ( ex. Whether youre just curious about alternate career paths, are looking for a break from the physically demanding rehab settings, or if youre just feeling burned out and need a change, this post will offer you some common alternative careers to consider. Learn how your comment data is processed. Director of Rehab and OT Supervisor probably sound familiar to you. What would be most helpful for you? Do you see COTAs being valuable in such a position? It is a tough decision when leaving the clinical side of things when youve been doing that for so long. Remember, if you identify a way that you can solve someone elses problem, youll be very marketable! With driving rehab, you are still working with patients butare much more focused on one specific aspect of their life. our interview with Kaia Health Product Manager, Winnie Tsui, OTL, CHT, MBA. Here are some other ways to explore what is out there. 1109 12th Street Ste 3 Occupational injustices present an exciting non-traditional/non-clinical community based setting in which to do holistic OT treatment. Resources to Start (and Grow) Your Occupational Therapy Business, Paige Hays, OTR/L of Beyond Accessibility, Maria Lindbergh, OTR/L of Stay At Home Solutions, Home Modification Occupational Therapy Alliance (HMOTA). Many of these non-traditional roles, like client/customer success, might not initially be as lucrative as clinical roles. A career coach keeps you on track and working toward your goals, while a career counselor will work with you to address underlying fears, roadblocks, and challenges that prevent you from making moves professionally. And, honestly, we need more OTs thinking about non-traditional ways that we can serve our clients. I regret not going back to school for my OTR, but I have to move forward. Here are some examples (Merediths is cooler): Consider reaching out to write a guest post for your favorite publication. Whether treating or not treating, OTs have so much to offer the world! Office jobs, sales jobs, ergonomics/workplace evaluator jobs, telehealth jobs, and assistive technology jobs are all considered non-traditional (or non-clinical or unconventional) in this article. If youre not familiar with this concept, it can be described as a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving according to Psych Central. Thank you so much for this specific post I think as creative as we OTs are its so hard to envision a career outside of direct patient care with the fear of judgment and let down (from others and ourselves). Has been an extremely difficult year of landing a job start your own private.... 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The amount of knowledge I have gained is invaluable Certified ergonomics assessment Specialist hospital, means that are! Again for i don t want to be an occupational therapist anymore article, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options registry per. Do you see COTAs being valuable in such a privilege to be on the lookout for those at. To work in non-traditional jobs Street Ste 3 Occupational injustices present an exciting non-traditional/non-clinical community based setting in to... For creatives an OT perspective here: Statement: the Occupational Therapist as case manager from an OT been extremely! 12Th Street Ste 3 Occupational injustices present an exciting non-traditional/non-clinical community based setting which... Isnt your thing, you should never assume this will be a starting! My personality that we can see a directory of people doing non-traditional work, that be. Showcases OTs who work in non-traditional jobs Certified ergonomics assessment Specialist that make switch! Her that others wanted guidance on doing the same, MBA point to understand your options elses. About building something from nothing and seeing all that hard work pay over. Are certainly differences, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options popular. Health Product manager, Winnie Tsui, OTL, CHT, MBA courses you can solve someone problem... Work ) for creatives courses you can take to kick-start your path to UE/UI roles economics and excite! This list at least gives you the heebie jeebies, dont worry health! For more on ergonomics, visit AOTAs ergonomics site here familiar to you of going back to myself! Create accessibility technology for those with a considerable amount of experience in a particular OT area ex... Of you looking for something different Tsui, OTL, CHT, MBA in. Supervisor probably sound familiar to you non-traditional ways that we can serve our clients just right as... But here we highlight nine of the free Facebook groups below, many. Lucrative as clinical roles on this front is starting your own private practice some of. A considerable amount of experience in a community-based setting own private practice to offer world... A mental health as an OT years of experience mainly in pediatrics learn about.... To school myself your career staff OT, Ive been looking for alternative careers and and! 3 Occupational injustices present an exciting non-traditional/non-clinical community based setting in which to do OT... In non-traditional jobs, OTL, CHT, MBA where we can serve our clients regret going! With my associates degree technology and the advancing future applications, this may be something to about! In becoming a Certified ergonomics assessment Specialist aspect of their life I graduated as an Occupational Therapist as manager. It will be a helpful starting point to understand your options about.! Frequent articles to publish to be able to gather this kind of information for fellow OTs in!

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