History of Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy sprang from an American society affected by burgeoning industrialization, the crippling effects of World War I, and rapidly growing populations that found homes in city tenements and work in factories. With returning veterans, the rising incidence of industrial and automotive accidents, and medical advances that saved more and more lives, a growing population faced long-term residual disability with few available resources for reconstructing lives. In 1917, a group of well-educated, East Coast men and women founded the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy. These pioneers seized upon meaningful activity or "occupations" as an important therapeutic tool in the recovery and revitalization of the ill and disabled. During its early years, Occupational Therapy centered on hospital care, often providing the only programs for people who were spending their entire lives in institutions. Today, Occupational Therapy has expanded greatly to meet new social needs as well. These include the growth of the aging population, a large increase in the number of premature infants, the rising incidence of chronic health problems, and the growing awareness of the connection between lifestyle, occupation, and long-term wellness.

What Do Occupational Therapists Do?
Occupational therapists assess, utilize, and adapt everyday activities to improve function, enhance performance, promote health, prevent illness, and increase independence in those persons to whom they provide services. They work collaboratively with their clients to identify areas of need and to develop creative solutions to address these areas while respecting clients' background and culture and valuing their quality of life.

As an occupational therapist, you might:

• Help senior citizens re-engage in activities they love but now refrain from doing because of physical limitations or fear of injury.
• Coach corporate executives on the use of work and leisure to reduce stress and maximize health or help them create office spaces based on ergonomic principles.
• Work in private practice with children with developmental delays to help them experience the joy of success in play, self-care, and social occupations.
• Create community programs and cultural interventions for immigrants, school children, or people with emotional or mental disabilities.
• Teach adults with spinal cord injuries how to use assistive technology that will enable them to live productive and meaningful lives.
• Assist teachers in redesigning classroom environments so children with attention deficit disorders are less easily distracted.
• Develop multifaceted weight loss programs that emphasize the interplay of healthy eating, meaningful activity, stress reduction, and physical exercise.
• Provide programs in prisons and for at-risk youth and young adults that address community building and skill acquisition as alternatives to gang membership.
• Help an adult suffering from depression to reclaim his life by recommending a series of graduated activities through which he can experience success.
• Devise a substitute method for holding a fork to enable a person who has lost grip strength to feed himself independently.

Who Do Occupational Therapists Serve?
Occupational therapists provide services to people from all walks of life, from infants in a neo-natal intensive care unit, to children in an elementary school, to students in a community college, to adults in a rehabilitation center, to elders living in a retirement community.

Although historically occupational therapists worked with people who had experienced catastrophic illness or lived with a disability, now occupational therapists are increasingly working with well populations.

Where Do Occupational Therapists Work?
Occupational therapists work in a range of settings including: hospitals, outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, community centers, workplaces, schools, colleges and universities, and in people's homes. They provide services in all of the arenas in which people engage in their everyday activities.

With Whom Do Occupational Therapists Work?
Occupational therapists work with clients' families, their teachers, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, case managers, social workers, and other OTs. Generally, occupational therapists embrace interdisciplinary and team approaches to provide health-promoting services.

What Are the Career Prospects for Occupational Therapists?
Despite health care policy changes affecting all health professions, new and experienced occupational therapists continue to find satisfying and well-paying jobs. Demographic changes (e.g., aging population in U.S.) and legislation (e.g., IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) have contributed to expanded opportunities for the occupational therapy profession, especially in the community. Opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators abound in the profession. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-05 Edition published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment opportunities for occupational therapists will increase through the year 2012. In California, job opportunities are anticipated to increase by 41% by that year according to the California Employment Development Department.

How Do I Prepare for a Career in Occupational Therapy at USC?
To become an occupational therapist, you follow one of two educational paths at USC:

• The bachelor's of science degree program (through summer 2004*)
• The entry-level master's degree program

Both educational programs lead to a degree in Occupational Therapy, include a period of supervised fieldwork, and qualify a student to sit for the professional certification exam upon completion.* The educational programs require that you take courses in psychology (general, abnormal, and developmental), human anatomy and physiology with labs, and introductory sociology or cultural anthropology as prerequisites. Additionally, experience in a helping role and/or in Occupational Therapy is preferred.