Occupational Therapist

You'll help people relearn how to do everyday stuff — buttoning a shirt, holding a fork, getting back to work after an injury — and somehow make it look like a game. It's part science, part creativity, part convincing a 45-year-old that playing with putty is actually therapy. The burnout is real, but so is the moment someone does something they were told they'd never do again.

Learn the skills

Courses and certifications to get you job-ready

What you'll actually do

• 01Evaluate patients' ability to perform daily activities
• 02Design custom treatment plans that look suspiciously like arts and crafts
• 03Teach adaptive techniques for dressing, cooking, and self-care
• 04Recommend assistive devices and home modifications
• 05Document progress notes in a system that requires more clicks than the actual therapy
• 06Collaborate with PTs, doctors, and families on goals
• 07Celebrate when a stroke patient ties their own shoes — and try not to cry in front of them

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.