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Differences between occupational and physical therapists
Occupational and physical therapists
Occupational and physical therapists
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Many people believe that occupational and physical therapists are interchangeable, but in reality they are two very different fields of work. Occupational and physical therapists can be compared in three different aspects; the educational requirements to become certified, the type of patients they work with, and the tasks and activities they perform to improve the patient’s life. These fields both work in the health care department and often work together to help assist a patient.
Beginning with the educational requirements both of these areas of study require four years of prerequisite classes to prepare the student to apply to a college or program of study. The prerequisite classes can include General Biology, Physics, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, General Psychology, Exercise Physiology, and Kinesiology (“Pre-Physical Therapy” 2013). However, that is where the similarities end. After the prerequisites the education goes in two different directions. For Physical therapy, professional or entry-level education programs are offered at different degree levels. These include a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree, a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT), or Master of Science in Physical Therapy Degree (“Physical Therapists” 2013). Then after completing these programs and some experience with field work there is a board examination to become an accredited physical therapist. On the other hand, for occupational therapy the first thing to become is to obtain your Bachelor’s degree. Some different methods will assist in becoming a certified occupational therapist. Some of these choices include anthropology, sociology, and psychology. The next step is to earn a Master’s Degree. It takes approximately two years to complete a Master’s degre...
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...ons to hold and both help individuals in a great way.
Overall, both are very similar in the elements of the educational requirements to become certified, the type of patients they work with, and the tasks and activities they preform to improve the patient’s life, but they also hold their respective differences. This was a brief overview of the main points for the similarities and differences in these two fields. I have done this for my own personal benefit. I have been debating for the past year or so about which direction I wanted to take for my college education. I knew that I wanted to be in one of these two fields, but I had yet to make up my mind. This essay has helped me greatly in understanding the duties and responsibilities of each of the therapists. I have still not decided; however, this has given me much more information on which to base my decision.
According to the United States Department of Labor they explain that, “Occupational therapists treat patients with illnesses, Injuries, and disabilities through therapeutic use of everyday activities. Occupational therapist help patients recover, improve, and develop the skills
...ical therapy help the environment around you injury free and provide for you the best way they can. Physical Therapy are all college graduates and must have passed a state licensing examination. A therapist have been licensed he/she can work anywhere. Therapist make you stretch. Physical Therapy is like a doctor. Sometime Physical Therapy ask patients to use bike , treadmills , and jog but mostly you exercises the injury area, physical therapy uses a lot of different techniques to help the patients get back to normal. Physical therapy massage injured areas and oversee the patient during stretching routines but most of the times therapist give the patient to exercise at home. Physical Therapy are caring people to their patients. Therapists teach you how to recover property from a injury.
First things first, let's start at the beginning what type and how much education is required to become a registered nurse versus what's required to become a physical therapist. Both careers require a great deal of education and both required this education to be completed in order to sit for the state exam. To become a registered nurse there are several programs offered. You could either choose to earn your ADN, which is an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or your BSN which is a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. An ADN program can generally take up to 2 to 3 years to complete and it will qualify you for the NCLEX RN exam to become a registered nurse or RN in the state you choose to take the exam. ADN programs are typically offered at community colleges, technical s...
I have learned a lot between these two careers through this researcher paper that I have a better understanding what interest me more. I believe physical therapy is more relaxed and calm environment for my patients and me. Some physical therapist has crazy work hours but most of them have regular 5 to 9 hours and come home to family members who worked in this particular field one became a respiratory therapist and the other is still in school working on her Doctor of Physical Therapy. They both tell me that they love their jobs. In a personal interview with my cousin Hayley Bayne Told me "It's a wonderful feeling to work with my others. I enjoy the challenge of keeping them motivated and I am always doing something different everyday" (Bayne). This job also has a lot of perks depending on where or what field you want to work in. Besides keeping in shape, if I decided to do physical therapy in the sports field there is a very good chance that I can meet all sorts of famous athletes. A physical therapist treats patients that are suffering from physical injuries or disabilities by use of properties such as exercise, heat, water, electricity, and massages. The physical therapist evaluates clients and chooses a type of programming depending on the results of their evaluation. Reviewing results from job search engines will be an excellent way to observe the range of positions in the field with varied work environments and
Occupational therapy is projected to be one of the fastest growing jobs in the upcoming years. This job has the potential to be an exciting career for someone interested in a healthcare profession. One of the rewarding things about being an occupational therapist is the ability to help people reach their goals while earning a good salary and benefits. Occupational therapists help people across their lifespan by increasing their range of motion on their joints and helping people get back to their daily lives. Learning more about the origins of occupational therapy, what an occupational therapist does, how to become an occupational therapist, and what the job outlook is for this career may help someone make an informed decision about their potential career path.
My initial exposure to the field of Occupational Therapy was not until my Junior year of college. While sitting in an auditorium for an Intro to Health Professions course, listening to a licensed occupational therapist describe her daily work tasks, I began visualizing myself in her position to see if this career would be fitting for me. Because of my life long interest in science coupled with my natural empathy towards people, I had known for a long time that I wanted to be in the health field but struggled to settle with the career choices I had initially been presented. As I imagined myself being an occupational therapist, my mind began to flood with ideas and aspirations of what I could accomplish in this field using the strengths I had been developing over the past 22 years of my life
Some states may or may not require a license or a certified massage therapists. Chiropractors treat by manipulation of the spine to reduce pain and improve function of life. Chiropractors’ level of education could start from a bachelor’s degree till a doctorate. Physical therapists and occupational therapists both provide habilitation and rehabilitation services to the patients. Both need to be licensed. Osteopathic physicians diagnose and treat (medication and surgery) illness of the joints and bones. Osteopathic physicians go through medical school and be board
Although I would enjoy helping patients with physical disabilities, I feel like I would face multiple challenges working as an occupational therapist. One field of occupational therapy that I can see myself doing well in is acute care. Acute care requires knowledge of disease processes, medical interventions, and how to properly evaluate a patient. As a nursing student, I feel like these are areas that I have experience with and would excel
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
Educational requirements, opportunities and general demands of the career are only a few of the areas to inquire about in the field of physical therapy. This career is diverse in nature, in that a therapist sees many different ailments ranging from a sprained ankle to rehabilitating someone who has had an amputation. There is a fair degree of difficulty involved in becoming a physical therapist, and due to the high competition involved in entering the various Master’s degree programs as stated earlier, high grades and a positive attitude are very important for success in an interested student’s career. Volunteering is a great way to find out if a person would or would not be interested in entering the practice of physical therapy. This is an exciting career with many opportunities for advancement. This career is also a nice choice for those who become bored with the tedious monotony of a daily routine, since each day is a new experience.
There is certain education and training to be a physical therapist. To be a physical therapist you need to have a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. It takes three years to earn your DPT degree. You also need to be licensed by the state. Some high school ...
Occupational therapy was based off of psychology; we evolved from treating mentally ill patients with isolation as an efficient treatment plan. We must never forget we are known to be “the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well being through engagement in valued occupations” (Crepeau, Cohn, & Schell, 2008). To other professional disciplines this article explains the difference between each of us, yet can also express our relation to one another. The basic goal of all therapeutic disciplines is to better our clients life, through physical, speech or occupational therapy. Every discipline targets different goals, may it be body mechanics, reducing a stutter or buttoning a shirt, at the end of the day our clients well being may it be through science, art or both is all that matters. To the occupational therapy field this article means progress for what we do. Reading this article today in the year 2015 did not seem like old information to me, it is still relevant, I am proud that our field is not only evolving with contemporary time but it is also maintaining its
like in any profession, physical therapy requires extensive schooling and requires many hours of training; therefore, many individuals will become uninterested with the profession. Physical therapy has become such a popular profession that
They help them improve their movement and if necessary, help with the pain. “They are an important part of rehabilitation and treatment of patients with chronic conditions or injuries.” They spend a lot of time on their feet, actively working with patients. The following are some of the things that physical therapist typically do: diagnose patients by watching them stand or walk, they set up a plan for their patients, use exercises to help relieve them from any pain, evaluate the patient's progress and they educate their families about the problem. The work of a physical therapist varies on the the type of injury they are working with. For example, a patient that lost mobility due to Parkinson’s disease needs different type of attention as to an athlete recovering from a sprained ankle. This field has five areas: Orthopedic Physical Therapists which mainly focus o the function of the musculoskeletal system as well as sport injuries. Geriatric Physical Therapist are therapist that focus on older adults and work with conditions such as arthritis, cancer, joint replacement, balance disorders, etc. Neurological Physical Therapist focus on neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, spinal cord injury and strokes. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapist help people that struggle with cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions like heart attacks and chronic obstructive pulmonary
They all study the same subject but some only access the knowledge they know to the field that they choose to practice in, although each doctor should perform the same motive. For example there are trauma therapists, orthopedic (the category where sport related injuries falls in), neurological (therapists specialized in brain injuries) (“Physical Therapists Ferguson’s”) and even pediatric nurses. The cost per each class varies from $500-1,000 per semester as well, (“Tuition & Fee Information.”) and with the necessities of being able to be a licensed physical therapist you must obtain a degree and knowledge of what you are