Health Profession Speaker number #2 Essay Essays - Health

Speaker name: Alan Kaplar Date: 01/31/2019 Speaker number #2 Profession: Occupational Therapist Alan Kaplar, OTS, introduced the profession of Occupational Therapy. Kaplar begins his presentation by explaining how to become an occupational therapist. Students must first pursue a four-year undergraduate program and obtain a relevant Bachelor's degree approved by an authenticated institution. Courses in biology, anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, psychology, biomechanics anthropology, therapeutic media, and sociology give students a foundation and prepare them for higher courses at a graduate level. Once they acquire their undergraduate degree, the next step is a two-year graduate program to earn a master's degree in occupational therapy. During this course, students are able to learn a variety of different topics such as patient care concepts, functional anatomy, assistive technology, research methods, medical and social conditions, etc. In addition to classwork, fieldwork is also recommended. It can be done through a variety of practices such as nursing homes, private c linics, rehab centers, acute hospital settings, etc. After obtain the master's degree, it is essential for students to pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) for licensure. Additionally, in order to become an occupational therapist, there is an annual registration and license fee that students are required to pay for. Occupational therapists provide patients, of all ages, proper care and support to fight against their adverse conditions so that they will be able to do daily tasks such as dressing, eating, cooking, and showering, etc. Different duties and responsibilities executed occupational therapists include examining and keeping an eye on their patients' conditions, planning and providing appropriate treatments to their patients, providing customized services for different disabled patients, and conducting administrative duties like maintaining records and making phone calls. You can find occupational therapists working in a variety of different job settings such as hospitals, daycare and health centers, prison, job and community centers, residentiary and nursing homes, schools and universities, etc. Majority of occupational therapists only work office hours during weekdays. The only time they work on weekends, evenings, or holidays is if there is an emergency or an accident . Other than that, their job has a lot of flexibilities in term of working arrangement. In order to become an excellent occupational therapist, one must have an exceptional listening and communication skills. Occupational therapists must be able to listen to what their patients have to say and then effectively explain to them different tasks they have to do. The hard part of this job is converting difficult terms into simpler ones when working with children so that they can understand it. Another important skill is compassion and empathy. Not only their patients are physically disabled, but they are also mentally and emotionally unstable. Therefore, they need someone who is genuine and warm-hearted towards them and someone who understands them and treats them properly. Fortunately, occupational therapy is a field that has a lot of different career advancement options available. For example, pediatric specialization is for occupational therapists who wish to work with children who have disabilities and difficulty performing daily tasks. On the other hand, geriatric specialization is for occupational therapists who want to help elderly patients managing their routine tasks without any issue. Another common specialization is mental health, in which occupational therapists assist their patients to overcome stress, depression and other mental health disorders, etc. Last but not least, physical rehabilitation specialization, also known as physical therapist, is for occupational therapists who wish to aid patients going through physical problems after injuries. They train their patients how to carry out daily routine without any difficulty as well as incorporate the use of different helping devices to help their patients exercise. Many aspects of this profession appeal to me , but the one reason that influences me the most is the rewarding feeling this job gives when you are able to rehabilitate functional independence to those unfortunate patien ts who have had it taken away. Another aspect that I find appealing about this job is the fact that it is constantly growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , occupational therapy has a 29% growth rate between 2012 and 2022. Last but not least, this profession can benefit so many people which