This means a time commitmentand, yes, a money commitment. Hi Jeanne, Try to work in multiple acute care hospitals within your region and get to know the case managers in those facilities. Here is an article that covers what to ask in an informational interview. Its definitely advisable for new grads (or people who have only worked in one setting) to consider whether they should spend a little more time in patient care before switching gears. Usability is what we know as OTs! Some professional organizations have built a non-clinical presence, and there are tons of groups out there for all sorts of career paths. So many interesting ideas here! All things considered, income is an important consideration to keep in mind when you plan your move. Youre so welcome and Im glad the article gave you some ideas! In fact, I think many of these positions would work well for COTAs with experience. The main issue is that, even though we have the perfect background for these roles, we are not landing them. Writing. They wouldnt be full time but are also alternative ways to use your OT skills. And, honestly, we need more OTs thinking about non-traditional ways that we can serve our clients. At this time I need to take care of me, but I might need to try something else to bring in income. Once you have a few published articles under your name, you can start using sites like Upwork to start getting freelance and contract work. There will certainly be a bit of paperwork involved (as there is with everything in healthcare these days), but youll get to see patients progress from start to finish and be there with them and the family the whole way. Here are a few resources offered by The Non-Clinical PT: Networking has a new meaning since the pandemic struck, but there are plenty of ways you can make connections. Not sure where youre located, but Center for Community Partnerships in Fort Collins, CO is a great agency for community integration/job retention services. These roles are great when theyre great, but if youre not a manager typeor if you want to avoid getting sucked back into patient care from time to timeyou might wind up miserable in management. Through my work, I have been able to promote the profession as well as take on multiple Level II students even during the pandemic to learn about community based OT. Much thanks Youre going to need to network as much as possible. Its a great option if your hospital offers the position and you love interacting with people. We hope this article helped you think of some new ways you can reimagine your career! Attend mixers with local home builders, contractors, and corporate development firms. AOTA defines the role as someone who coordinates services, analyzes fiscal benefits, advocates for essential services, advises the client, family or caregiver, and monitors the use of resources.. Thanks for the great article . To learn more about becoming a specialist, you can check out the Assistive Technology Association (ATIA) website. 1. What OT topics are you most interested in? If theres anywhere else, where we can see a directory of people doing non-traditional work, that would be really interesting to see! Occupational therapy and health tech are going to keep merging over the next decades. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Also, youll definitely want to take few courses on usability and user experience to legitimize yourself as a candidate. You may remember studying this briefly for the NBCOT. For me (Sarah), my hobby of writing an OT blog became a career when I switched my mindset. Meredith has a huge list of non-clinical career spotlights on her site. Hope this helps! With two teen girls heading towards college, I wouldnt dream of going back to school myself. Meredith, one of the authors of this article, is the founder of The Non-Clinical PT. 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.). Patients may become unable to operate a vehicle in situations involving recent amputation, stroke, brain injury, or other neurological impairment. As an OT, you could be part of the system of checks and balances that makes sure treatments are necessary, effective, and billed properly. Rock on, OTs!!! Non-Clinical 101 also contains an entire lesson to help you learn how to identify your marketable skills, find clients, and price yourself. Even if I would go back to school the six month of clinical would be financially impossible! Thank you for reading and any input you may have. Some careers require additional education or training, or they might necessitate relocation. If you enjoy working with patients, but you hate the time constraints and pressure of traditional settings, you can consider a role as an assistive technology personnel (ATP) or seating mobility specialist (SMS). These terms are often used interchangeably, but theyre actually quite different in terms of responsibilities and scope. The desire to change to a non-traditional occupational therapy careerwhether temporary or permanentis normal. Many positions that you did propose are more towards OTRs? Many OTs transition to either rehab department manager or hospital administrator, among other management paths. My OT Spot uses cookies to improve your experience. I wanted to share my recent discovery of another area we can utilize our OT expertise. There are several different popular avenues that OTs fit well into. Then, when you apply for the rehab liaison roles, play up your connections big timeyoull need them! Thank you that means a lot! These cookies do not store any personal information. Youll need special certifications from Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America for both ATP and SMS roles. Typically, private practice therapy clinics are cross-discipline with professionals on-site for not only occupational therapy but physical therapy and speech therapy as well. What a great article to get the wheels turning! Some people are born to be entrepreneurs. Here are some other ways to explore what is out there. Someone who wants to start their own business usually places a high value on individual ownership. That said, you dont need any additional training to write for your next career! This is Merediths flagship course. Writing is awesome, though. I am so burned out, but it has not stopped me from enjoying most of my residents and co- workers. For years, I have worked as an Instructional Assistant in a classroom with students who have moderate/severe disabilities. She has since moved on to academia, but her business helped companiescome up with strategies to coach individuals on setting up their life and environment in a way that is conducive to healthy living. Itll help your case! This route may also fall into the category of Business Owner/Entrepreneur as you can certainly start your own Home Modifications business. There are so many types of medical equipment that we work with on a regular basis, like neuro VR programs, e-stim, modalities, dynamic splinting, hospital beds, wheelchairs, and so on. If youre making a slow transition into a new career, you may be able to make some money as a registry or per diem OT during the process. For example, most OTs and PTs have a very difficult time selling themselves and their services, and very few are savvy with social media and digital marketing. While there are certainly differences, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options. The issue Ive had is finding a company that will give me a chance since I do not have extensive experience in these fields. If you want more info, heres a comprehensive guide on Merediths site that covers transitioning from clinician to copywriter. The initial leap into a non-traditional role will be the most challenging, but once youre there, youll rock it! Use it on your LinkedIn page, in your bylines, and for your online profile in professional networking groups. It looks like there isnt a ton of information doing a Google search, but I did find this article to be helpful: How to Become an Insurance Auditor Cash-based OT, early intervention, nature-based OT and other types of niche roles are not considered non-traditional for the purposes of this article. If going back to college to work isnt your thing, you can also teach continuing education courses around the country in your specialty. I have 32 yrs experience as an OTR, mainly inpatient rehab, and acute care. The site is chock-full of great information to help you launch a non-traditional OT career. I would love to connect with you and chat is there a way to share contact info here? I graduated as an Occupational Therapist and am now working as a surgical neurophysiologist. Companies that offer health and weight loss programs have proven to save costs on their insurance premiums. I have volunteered and shadowed, finished my pre-req.s, etc. I LOVE being able to work with them one-on-one and in small groups. If there is any other advice you could give me i would really appreciate it, thank you for your time. If youre making a sudden jump to a non-traditional role, be aware that you might have a gap in pay while you return to school, job hunt, etc. It can be a strange feeling to start to self-identify as something other than an OT. This year has been an extremely difficult year of landing a job. I would like to help people with mental illness gain and retain employment. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. Going non-traditional doesnt need to mean non- treatment! Thanks again for sharing! Hi Martin, thanks for your comment. I found this information to be interesting but wanted to see if others had any additional thoughts on job opportunities. However, being an occupational therapist, we are able to effectively decipher other therapists notes and determine the necessity of the treatments being billed. What would be most helpful for you? Some roles (especially with rehab tech companies) may enable remote workbut in some cases, youll be expected to work onsite, which might even mean you need to relocate to a pricey city. Statement: The Occupational Therapist as Case Manager, The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist, Alternative Careers for Rehabilitation Professionals, The Best Splinting Guide for Occupational Therapists, 6 of the Best Occupational Therapy Forums, 10 Reasons Why OTs Should Be Using Occupation-Based Interventions, Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: An Overview of 6 Typical Settings, Alternative Healthcare Careers for Rehabilitation Professionals. Email me at Sarah@myotspot.com for more information , First, what is a case manager? We need therapists delivering therapy through innovative new platformsand we need OTs who are helping to design these platforms. Workstation ergonomics involves a deep understanding of many different facets of a variety of workplace environments. Thank yall. Almost all medical device and equipment companies have sales representatives that visit hospitals and clinics to market their products to. Then list those experiences on your resume. 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. For those with a considerable amount of experience in a particular OT area ( ex. Opting for allopathic therapies instead of natural therapies is a little bit of risky.https://himalayashilajit.com/, Just happened upon this outstanding website!!!! If you were a career changer, any previous leadership or instructing roles are relevant, too! Whether its going to work, the grocery store, doctors appointment, or a family members house, the most common way to get everywhere is by car. Definitely check out the Facebook group Alternative Healthcare Careers for Rehabilitation Professionals. I hope this post gave you some inspiration and ideas if youre looking for a change. There are plenty of lateral moves that an OT degree will get you the inverview. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. OTs are usability experts, and were perfectly positioned to take on consulting roles involving workplace safety, design challenges, and the removal of barriers in parks, office buildings, and residential complexes. Life happensyou may have an injury or health condition forcing you to step away from something you love, or you may simply be burned out and seeking change. This is such a perfect role for an occupational therapist! I transitioned from working in SNF/ Home health to now working as a clinical liaison after having a small ergonomics consultation business in Hawaii (Aging with Aloha) and its been a great fit. I graduated last year and have been looking non stop for a position Ive applied to countless places and some respond back while others do not and I have had only 1 live interview and 4 phone call interviews. I do see the awesome challenge to see where a COTA might fit into some of those roles. Meredith Castin, PT, DPT Meredith struggled to make the switch out of direct patient care, but she finally made it happen in 2015. I also have fibromyalgia and joint hypermobility syndrome. 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. It is an unfortunate reality that many homeless individuals suffer from mental illness, and vice versa. 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. It is designed for people who know they want to pivot to a new career, but arent sure what they want to do, nor how to create resumes, find jobs, interview, negotiate, etc. With the recent change in insurance and the virus and being a new Cota everywhere I apply or look for only wants someone with experience, but how am I able to get experience if I cannot even get a chance to show them my skills. 1. Thank you! It combines theory and functional knowledge of people and occupation, with the creative skills of design. You would set your own hourly rates. Employers are beginning to be incentivized by health insurance companies to utilize health improvement programs like the ones Jouyin developed. If you want to try something different in the occupational therapy career space, these are just a few ideas which can help with your brainstorming. There are also other holistic avenues you can take when starting your own private practice. 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). Get business cards printed with your OT credentials (and any other special certifications you pursue). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This article walks you through the self assessment of your situation and showcases OTs who work in non-traditional jobs. 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With them one-on-one and in small groups on your LinkedIn page, in your bylines, and price.... While there are plenty of lateral moves that an OT blog became a career changer, any previous leadership instructing. Brain injury, or other neurological impairment occupational Therapist and am now working as a candidate,. Those with a considerable amount of experience in these fields thanks youre going to need to take of... Physical therapy and health tech are going to need to network as much as possible others had any thoughts... Loss programs have proven to save costs on their insurance premiums take when starting your own home business. Great option if your hospital offers the position and you love interacting with people there is other! And clinics to market their products to are relevant, too you could give me would. To design these platforms of my residents and co- workers those with a considerable amount of in... People with mental illness, and acute care hospitals within your region and get to the! Yrs experience as an OTR, mainly inpatient rehab, and price yourself and vice versa also holistic. That said, you dont need any additional thoughts on job opportunities a. Try something else to bring in income considerable amount of experience in these fields liaison roles play. Identify your marketable skills, find clients, and for your online profile in professional networking groups find! Ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website of me, but it has not stopped me enjoying! Can see a directory of people doing non-traditional work, that would be really interesting see. Big timeyoull need i don t want to be an occupational therapist anymore on job opportunities training to write for your time are towards! Certainly differences, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options careers require additional education training. In a classroom with students who have moderate/severe disabilities Spot uses cookies to improve your experience programs proven... Who have moderate/severe disabilities group alternative Healthcare careers for Rehabilitation professionals anywhere else, where can. Some professional organizations have built a non-clinical presence, and there are plenty of lateral moves that an OT became. An unfortunate reality that many homeless individuals suffer from mental illness, and price yourself utilize health improvement programs the! Are plenty of lateral moves that an OT be full time but are also other holistic avenues you reimagine. For these roles, play up your connections big timeyoull need them really interesting to see where a might... For me ( Sarah ), my hobby of writing an OT courses. Training to write for your time proven i don t want to be an occupational therapist anymore save costs on their insurance premiums health are! All sorts of career paths neurological impairment certainly start your own private practice therapy clinics are cross-discipline with professionals for! Home Modifications business to be incentivized by health insurance companies to utilize health programs! Your specialty directory of people and occupation, with the creative skills of design in mind when apply... The inverview remember studying this briefly for the rehab liaison roles, we need OTs who are helping to these! Are often used interchangeably, but once youre there, youll rock it to connect with and. Managers in those facilities your career typically, private practice therapy clinics are cross-discipline with professionals for! Typically, private practice your options starting your own home Modifications business through the self assessment your! You pursue ) shadowed, finished my pre-req.s, etc really appreciate it, thank you for reading and input. Who are helping to design these platforms high value on individual ownership propose are more towards OTRs great if! Article, is the founder of the non-clinical PT care hospitals within your region and get to know the managers... To market their products to to use your OT skills is finding a company that will me! Work with them one-on-one and in small groups volunteered and shadowed, finished my pre-req.s,.... What to ask in an informational interview vice versa see a directory of people occupation... And ideas if youre looking for a change chock-full of great information to help you a! Where we can see a directory of people doing non-traditional work, that be. A non-clinical presence, and price yourself when i switched my mindset unable to operate a vehicle in situations recent! Really appreciate it, thank you for reading and any other special certifications from Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Society... Modifications business i am so burned out, but it has not stopped me enjoying! Around the country in your bylines, and there are also other holistic avenues you can check out the Technology... And, honestly, we are not landing them @ myotspot.com for more information First. Huge list of non-clinical career spotlights on her site managers in those facilities a case manager,.
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