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Occupational Therapist Career Interview
Dr. Karen Howell has been an occupational therapist for 35 years. Working out of University of St. Augustine Hospital, her passion for helping people has never dwindled.
Occupational Therapist Career Path
“I wanted to find a career that would combine my interest in a health profession with my pursuit in creativity and art,” Karen explains, “and I discovered occupational therapy.”
Occupational Therapist Experiences
Karen earned her Bachelor of Science in occupational therapy from Medical College of Virginia, her Master of Science in health sciences from Medical University of South Carolina, and her PhD in health promotion from University of South Carolina.
She has worked in a number of different settings for her professional career.
“I worked primarily at the University of St. Augustine,” says Karen. “This has included working in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, a home health facility, an assisted living center, and a driving rehabilitation program. I have been a faculty member since 1982.”
Occupational Therapist Degree Programs
Although Karen started off her career with only a Bachelor of Science degree, the current requirement for all in this field is a Master of Science degree in occupational therapy.
“You also need to go through two internship experiences, each of them being 12 weeks long,” says Karen. “These opportunities force you to work in different age groups and settings, giving you invaluable experience for your career.”
Occupational Therapist Job Description
Karen is the program director of the Master in Occupational Therapy program at University of St. Augustine Hospital, where she teaches neuroscience and neurorehabilitation.
Occupational Therapist Daily Routine
The daily duties for an occupational therapist vary depending on where exactly you are working.
“There is so much diversity in this field,” Karen explains. “You can choose to work with newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit, a school system, a troubled adolescent program, a hospital, a rehabilitation center, a hand injury facility, a skilled nursing home, and the list goes on and on.”
She continues, “The opportunities are limitless, but what ties all areas of the profession together is that your day will be about using occupation (tasks that are meaningful and motivating to your client) as your primary way to help them recover or return to activity, from basic things like dressing to their former or even new occupation.”
“For example, an 18-year-old person with a spinal cord injury would want to learn to drive again. You are the specialist that knows about assistive technology to enable driving and the one to actually take the person driving.”
Occupational Therapist: Steps to Success
“You need the ability to combine health science with meeting the unique needs of each client,” says Karen, “which takes great interpersonal skills.”
Successful occupational therapists also need tremendous patience as helping people that are in their most vulnerable of states requires a great deal of effort and passion.
Occupational Therapy Job Markets
“Some occupational therapy programs are very difficult to get into in the first place,” Karen explains. “It really depends on the school to which you are applying.”
After completing the program, the foreseeable market becomes more flexible, as the rising importance of healthcare makes most jobs in this umbrella much more promising.
Occupational Therapist Favorite Aspect
Karen enjoys the interaction between the therapist and the client and getting to know them.
Occupational Therapist’s Future Ambitions
“I hope that people will eventually understand what occupational therapy is all about,” says Karen.
Advice for Prospective Occupational Therapists
“Participate in many observation hours so that you know what you are getting into,” Karen advises.
She adds, “This is an awesome career. It grows and changes with you and offers you so many opportunities to find your true niche.”
