Occupational therapist
Also known as: vocational rehabilitation counsellor, expert occupational therapist, practitioner of occupational therapy, rehabilitation counsellor, expert practitioner of occupational therapy, rehabilitation therapist
About this occupation
Occupational therapists assist individuals or groups who have occupational limitations due to diseases, physical disorders, and temporary or permanent mental disabilities, in regaining their ability to perform daily activities. They provide treatment and rehabilitation to enable them to actively participate in society, to live their lives according to their wishes and to perform those activities that are meaningful to them.
Essential skills and knowledge
- apply context specific clinical competences
- professional documentation in health care
- general medicine
- follow clinical guidelines
- use computer programs to improve patients' skills
- orthopaedics
- adhere to organisational guidelines
- psychology
- occupational therapy theories
- geriatrics
- psychiatry
- vocational rehabilitation
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Occupational Therapists (O*NET 29-1122.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
- Complete and maintain necessary records.
- Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
- Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
- Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
- Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
- Typical education (US)
- Master's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Investigative, Realistic
Top skills: Active Listening, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking
US median pay: US$100,330 a year (2025), 162,450 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (4.5)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.1)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (3.5)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Master's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Occupational Therapy Aides
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Therapist Assistants
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
- Recreational Therapists
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.