Occupational therapy helps people participate in everyday activities through therapeutic activity. The author is interested in becoming a pediatric occupational therapist based on a positive shadowing experience in middle school. She is pursuing a degree in health science at Clemson University which offers courses aligned with OT program prerequisites. Upon graduation, her goal is to attend an occupational therapy doctorate program to work as a pediatric occupational therapist, ideally in a hospital or clinic setting.

1. Occupational Therapy
Margaret Stacy
HLTH 4190
Clemson University

2. Occupational Therapy is science and
evidence-based and helps people
participate in the things they want and need
to do through the therapeutic use of
everyday activities or occupations.
Occupational Therapists can treat patients
of any age.1
What is
Occupational
Therapy?

3. History1
● During WWI, soldiers were returning home and
receiving help from volunteers in resuming their
daily lives
○ The need for training was recognized and
women began to graduate as occupational
aides qualified to instruct in bedside
occupation in military hospitals
● Eleanor Clarke Slagle, the “mother” of OT,
proposed habit training as an OT model of
treatment. She believed that engagement in
meaningful routines shapes a person's
wellbeing.
○ In 1915, she opened the first OT training
program in Chicago.
● In 1917, The National Society for the
Promotion of Occupational Therapy (NSPOT),
now the American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA), was founded.
● In 1921, Occupational Therapy was named an
official profession
● By the early 1930s, AOTA had established
educational guidelines and accreditation
procedures
● The first occupational therapy textbook was
published in the US in 1947
1

4. Pediatric
Occupational
Therapy
A main goal of Occupational Therapy
is promoting participation.
Therapists want their patients to be
able to participate in their occupations.
For a child, that may be playing,
crawling, feeding themselves, tying
their shoes, going to school, etc…
A Pediatric Occupational Therapist
sets goals with the child and parents to
make a plan so that the child can do
what is important to your family
while addressing the child’s needs.1

5. Why I Am
Interested
As a 7th grader, I injured my foot and
could not participate in P.E. So, I was
placed in the special education classroom
as an aide during that class time. I
absolutely loved my time in there but knew
I didn’t want to be a teacher.
That same year, there was a job shadow
day in school and I shadowed a pediatric
OT because of my love for kids. I saw a
job that held my love for working with
special needs children but where I didn't
have to be a teacher.
I fell in love with the job that day and it
has been my dream job ever since.

6. Job Salary and
Growth Potential
In 2018, the average salary for an OT
was about $40.51 an hour, totalling
$84,270 annually.2
The career projected growth is “much
faster than average” and the
anticipated growth rate from 2018-
2028 is 18%.3
3

7. Required Education
To be eligible to sit for the NBCOT
certification exam, one must graduate
from an ACOTE-accredited
graduate program.
ACOTE is AOTA's Accreditation
Council for Occupational Therapy
Education.
ACOTE has issued a mandate
requiring all entry-level programs to
be OTD by 2027. This degree takes
about 3 years to complete.1
1

8. OTD Graduate
Programs I am
Interested in
University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
This program is really exciting to me because it is fairly new and is in
such a fun place to live. I also like that there are no online classes and
it is 3 years straight-through.
MUSC
The fact that the program is in state is really appealing. Since it is at a
medical university, I can only imagine that the experiences and
opportunities that come with that will be amazing.
Presbyterian College
This is a brand new program that will begin in 2021 (when I am
looking to start) and I think it would be really exciting to be part of
the inaugural class. And it is in-state!
Belmont
I would love to live in Nashville. Belmont it has one of the oldest and
most established OTD programs in the US which would bring lots of
opportunities with it.
With the ACOTE mandate requiring all
entry-level programs to be OTD by 2027, I
want to pursue an OTD now so that I do
not have to return to school later.

9. O*NET Profile2
My O*NET Profile showed that my job personality is highly
compatible with being an Occupational Therapist

10. O*NET Profile cont.
My job profile says that my most prevalent trait
is Social. I definitely see that in my life. While I
may be introverted, I value meaningful
interactions (which working with patients would
bring).
My second highest trait is Artistic. This is not a
surprise to me. I went to a performing arts high
school for classical voice and opera and have
been singing my whole life. I think that with the
amount of teaching that I’ve had in the arts, I
look at things with an artistic view. This will
lend to treating in creative ways.
My 3rd highest is Realistic. I think this will be
helpful in setting goals with patients.

11. My Experience
In Middle and High School I volunteered
at NextStep Pediatric Rehabilitation with
pediatric OTs in Georgetown and
Surfside, SC through Tidelands Hospital
System.
I have volunteered as a mentor with
ClemsonLIFE which has given me more
exposure to populations that often use
OT.
Currently, I work at Excel Rehab and
Sports in Seneca, SC as a clinical aide to
OTs and physical therapists 8 hours a
week.5

12. How Clemson is
Equipping Me
The Health Science: Health Promotion and
Behavior Major at Clemson is ideal when
preparing to become an occupational therapist.
The classes cover almost every prerequisite for
OT graduate schools.
I am a Psychology minor and in the list of
knowledge needed as an OT in the O*NET
Profile, psychology is the top one.
I am also a Youth Development Studies minor
which will equip me with knowledge on the
specific population I want to work with.
Also, through the Internship Placement with
Health Science, I will gain valuable experience
in the field that I want to go into.
4

13. Settings I Could
Work In
Occupational Therapists can work in many
settings.
As a Pediatric Occupational Therapist,
some examples of settings I could work in
are1:
● Schools
● Clinics
● Head Start Programs
● Community centers
● Hospitals
● Homes

14. Conclusion
Occupational Therapy is a rapidly growing
profession that I am passionate about.
After I complete my time at Clemson, my
goal is to attend a graduate program to
become a Doctor of Occupational Therapy.
I want to practice as a Pediatric
Occupational Therapist, ideally in a
hospital or clinic.
According to the O*NET profile, my job
personality matches with OT and the job
outlook and hire rate are very encouraging.

15. References
1. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/
2. O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
(n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
3. Occupational Therapists : Occupational Outlook
Handbook: (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupationa
l-therapists.htm
4. Clemson Logo - Unlimited Download.
cleanpng.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.cleanpng.com/png-clemson-
university-logo-brand-font-clip-art-
6892882/download-png.html
5. Welcome to Excel Rehab & Sports. (n.d.).
Retrieved from
http://www.excelrehabandsports.com/