OT as a Lifelong Career

As a child, I always enjoyed serving others, and I thought I wanted to be a school teacher when I grew up. However, as college came closer, I started getting into health and fitness. As a result, I wanted a career that involved serving others while improving one's quality of life.

While deciding on a major in undergraduate school, I talked to many adults in various careers that they did not enjoy. Since "work" would be a majority of my adult life, I wanted a career that I would truly enjoy. The human body, people's health, and fitness interested me, so I wanted to a career that allowed me to work with people by improving body strength and function. I also try to live an active lifestyle, so I wanted my career to reflect that. As a result, I did not want a desk job. I decided I wanted to work in the medical field because it is very hands on and active. It may sound silly, but many medical jobs like doctors and nurses did not appeal to me because I did not like the idea of giving people shots. Therefore, I wanted a career in the medical field but with as minimal blood and needles as possible.

After researching many medical field careers, I came across occupational therapy. Occupational therapy allows me to serve others by working on functional activities to improve one's quality of life and retain one's identity. With this career, I can work in different settings and with different people. There is always something to learn, so I will constantly be gaining knowledge throughout my career. There are many areas to specialize in if I want to indulge in one specific concentration. With occupational therapy, the sky is the limit.