Education · 1 of 5
The path
A two-year associate degree, months of supervised fieldwork, then a national exam.
- 1
High school
Grades 11 and 12
Biology, health science and psychology. Volunteer at a nursing home, a rehab gym or a summer camp for disabled children, because programs want to see you have done it.
- 2
Get into an accredited program
Apply a year ahead
The program must be accredited by ACOTE (the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education), or you cannot sit the exam at the end. Most are at community colleges and most have a waiting list.
- 3
Classroom and lab
About 16 months
Anatomy, conditions, adaptive equipment, splinting, and a great deal of practice on each other.
- 4
Fieldwork
About 16 weeks
Two full-time placements, generally 8 weeks each, in real settings: a hospital, a school, a nursing home or a mental health unit. Unpaid, and treated like a job.
- 5
Certify and get licensed
2 to 4 months
Pass the national board exam, then apply to the licensing board in your state. Most states license this job and will not let you work without it.