Occupational therapist
Help people live their best lives at home, at work and in their communities.
About the job
What it's like
Are you up for the challenge of helping people live full and independent lives?
Working with patients on a one-to-one basis, occupational therapists help people maximise their quality of life. You'll enable individuals to retain as much independence as possible, regardless of the disability or challenges they face. Sometimes, your expertise can even prevent disability.
The people who need your help may be angry, disappointed or frustrated about their circumstances. It's your job to motivate and encourage them! Once you understand people's priorities and lifestyles, you can pull together treatment programmes to suit their needs.
With experience, you could specialise in an area such as:
burns or plastic surgery
cardiac or stroke rehabilitation
paediatrics
orthopaedics (spinal injury)
community disability services
mental health
Some patients may have conditions like motor neurone disease (MND) or multiple sclerosis (MS) – this means they'll gradually become less mobile over time. When working with these patients, you'll encourage them to adopt a positive attitude which can help them stay active for as long as possible.
As an occupational therapist, you could work with patients for several months or just a few sessions. You'll often work as part of a team of professionals which includes physiotherapists, nurses and social workers.
Your tasks might include:
teaching an older patient recovering from a stroke how to dress themselves
supporting someone who has depression to take up a hobby or activity
suggesting ways to adapt an office so a person injured in an accident can go back to work
helping someone adjust to permanent disabilities
keeping notes about their progress – you'll advise and support patients, their families and carers
creating a treatment and activity programme to suit each person
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Royal College of Occupational Therapists – this membership organisation provides careers information and resources for those who want to build a career in occupational therapy
NHS Scotland Careers – find out more about working in occupational therapy for the National Health Service
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – explore the body you must register with before you start working as an occupational therapist
Disclosure Scotland – learn more about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
NHS Scotland Careers 360-degree video - occupational therapist – see first-hand how an occupational therapist works with a patient, as if you're in the room
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- motivating others
- mentoring
- coaching
- developing a plan
- social conscience
- empathising
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Biology
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Care
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Chemistry
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Human Biology
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Psychology
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Skills for Work: Health and Social Care
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You must have a degree to work as an occupational therapist in Scotland.
Let's explore the routes you can take to become qualified.
University
You’ll need a degree in Occupational Therapy to get into this career.
If you've got a degree in a subject like Biological Science, Health Science or Psychology, you may be able to do a postgraduate conversion course in Occupational Therapy.
Use the My World of Work course search to explore degrees.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Health and Social Care
Healthcare Practice
Social Services
Additional Support Needs
Applied Sciences
Applied Biological Sciences
Counselling
Social Sciences
Work
Sometimes, people start off by working as an occupational therapy support worker.
With support from your employer, you could study for a degree alongside your role to qualify as an occupational therapist.
Use the My World of Work job search to find occupational therapy support worker vacancies.
Volunteering in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become an occupational therapist. Search for healthcare-based opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
It's useful to understand how the NHS values relate to occupational therapy, as you may be asked about this during job or course interviews.
You'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) before you start working.
All occupational therapists in Scotland must be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, run by Disclosure Scotland.
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Occupational therapist'
