occupational therapy personal statement pdf

Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction.

This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.

You may be thinking:

• Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
• Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
• My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
• These examples don’t really relate to me.
• I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
• How do I even go about this?

Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!

While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.

I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!

Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!

Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.

The Process

The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:

Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.

Set-up and Preparation

Start Early

When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.

Install Grammarly

We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content.  AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!

Cheating & plagiarizing

I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.

Have a back-up system for your document

It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.

Write in a place you feel productive

It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.

It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first

After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!

• Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
• Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
• Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
• Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
• Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
• Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
• Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
• Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in  other ways .
• Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
• Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
• My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
• Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
• In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
• Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
• Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
• Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
• Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
• Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
• Avoid being sarcastic.
• Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
• In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
• Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
• Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
• Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
• O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
• However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
• This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
• The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
• O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
• Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
• Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
• Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
• “OTs make a lot of money.”
• “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
• “I am the best candidate because”
• “Since I am… , therefore”
• “Unlike others”, or
• “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
• Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
• When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
• Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
• Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
• Don’t use profanity.
• In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
• “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
• I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
• Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
• You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
• “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
• Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
• This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
• What experience may be unique to you ?
• For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
• This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be  generalists , not specialists.
• While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on

Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.

• What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
• How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
• What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
• This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
• I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
• Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
• What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
• What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
• Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
• “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or

Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.

Recommendations

• Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
• Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
• Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
• Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
• Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
• If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
• As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
• Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
• Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
• How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
• The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.

Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.

Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.

Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.

Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]

Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).

Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.

Concluding Paragraph

Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.

Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).

Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals.  Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.

Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.

After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .

• This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
• While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
• Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
• The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.

I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .

• Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
• Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
• Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
• Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.

I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.

• How would you improve this example?
• Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
• Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
• Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
• Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
• Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
• The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.

As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .

Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt

Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.

“This is my 100th time applying…”

Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!

“I was never good at writing.”

Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.

“My experience is not that special.”

Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?

“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”

Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.

“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”

You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.

“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”

Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.

“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”

Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.

“No one can proofread my personal statement.”

Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and  uploading  your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.

“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”

Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.

“I don’t know where to start in writing”

That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.

• Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
• Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
• Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
• Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
• In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
• Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
• Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
• Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.

Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!

Write an Awesome Personal Statement for OT School

So you want to be an occupational therapist, but you still have to jump through the many hoops of applying for grad programs. One mandatory part of the process is writing a great personal statement specifically for occupational therapy school, which can be pretty intimidating when it’s time to put pen to paper.

Well, I’m here to help!

I personally spent quite a bit of time crafting the best possible personal statement I could for OT school, and have since read and edited many, many personal statements from pre-OT applicants. (Want me to edit yours? Sign up here !)

These are my top tips for you to craft a great occupational therapy personal statement that will help you stand out from the large crowd of pre-OT applicants. 

First, the Do’s and Dont’s of Statement Writing

• Do start early: Give yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, and revise your personal statement well before the deadline. This will really reduce your feelings of stress and being rushed.
• Do show sincerity in your writing. It’s encouraged to let your positive emotions and enthusiasm shine through. 
• Do talk about why you want to be an occupational therapist. You want the programs to see that you are serious about this decision. You are not just applying because you can’t think of anything else to do for a career.
• Do in one way or another demonstrate through your writing that you know what OT is and why it’s important.
• Do showcase why you’ll make a great addition to their program, adding unique qualities that will differentiate you from the other applicants. 
• Do talk about your shadowing experience, volunteering and work experience that is relevant to the field of OT. Make sure you keep patient information confidential if you discuss certain cases you observed.
• Do feel free to use the language of OT if you know it and are familiar with it (i.e. interventions, treatments, occupations, goals, evidence-based, functional treatments, etc.)
• Do tie your personal statement together. If you make several different points, try to piece them together for the reader to show that you’ve really thought through the big picture.
• Do have at least two people (but the more the better) read and proofread the final draft of your statement. Ask friends, family members, and someone at your school’s writing center. This can help spark ideas and ensure your application is completely free of typos or grammatical errors. The last thing you want is admissions to immediately notice any glaring spelling mistakes that you may have missed.
• Do keep the length to 1-2 pages max. You want it to be short and sweet. If any sentence or paragraph looks unnecessary after you do a final read-through, get rid of it. As a general rule, personal statements run on average 600-800 words.

Don’t…

• Don’t start your essay with clichés. In fact, leave them out of your statement altogether. An example of this is “I’ve always wanted to help people” (they see this all the time).
• Don’t plagiarize. There are a lot of personal statement examples on the internet that you can absolutely use to guide your writing process. Do not use them word for word. Programs can find out and will exclude your application.  U se the examples as templates of what kind of content you’ll cover in your statement.
• Don’t try to be humorous in your personal statement. Even if you’re hilarious, this is not the time to show this. 
• Don’t just talk about your childhood. Focus on college and post college achievements unless something in your childhood or adolescence is what drove you to a career in occupational therapy. Remember that this isn’t an autobiography, it’s a statement on why you’ll be a great OT.
• Don’t guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don’t write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. Don’t just write something to try to impress people.
• Don’t be a downer. Avoid going into detail about your dislikes, negative views, or problems in your life. If you have a low GPA or lack of experience, don’t mention it unless you can put a positive spin on it. Listing excuses for your low GPA or GRE score isn’t a good idea either, unless you really feel the need to tie in why your GPA is lower but how you’ll be an awesome therapist despite this.
• Don’t mention specific programs in your statement if you’re using OTCAS . It will be sent to every school you apply to and therefore won’t make sense. If you apply to an individual school (not on OTCAS) then absolutely mention the school and why you’re passionate about their program.

Check out the How Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.

Ask yourself this question:.

A bonus tip I found while perusing the Student Doctor Network Forums while researching this topic, which is to ask yourself this question:

“Can you replace your personal statement with a degree other than OT?  If not, it’s solid. If you can, then try to revise to make it only relevant to OT.”

And that’s a wrap!

If you have any other tips or tricks you’ve discovered while writing your personal statement for OT school, please feel free to add them in the comments section. I wish you the best of luck with your statement writing and your overall OT school application process!

Be sure to check out these other helpful resources:

Writing the Personal Statement (Purdue OWL)

Start Your Grad School Personal Statement in Just 1 Hour! (The Muse)

Writing a Personal Statement (Emory Pre-Health Advising)

5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School (My OT Spot)

This post was last updated on May 12, 2023.

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As I’m working on my application essay this week, your article is very helpful! Thank you.

I’m so glad it was helpful for you 🙂 Best of luck with your applications!

Thank you for this article! I just wanted to know, do you offer services proof reading other people’s personal statements? That would be really helpful for me!

Hi May, I do offer personal statement reviewing that you can set up here . Instead of the traditional coaching call that’s linked, it will instead entail personal statement edits and feedback via email 🙂

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Occupational Therapy Personal Statement

Read our real example of Occupational Therapy personal statement to be able to work on your application for university.

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Example

To me, occupational therapy’s guiding principles – above all, equipping individuals with the skills and confidence to lead full, rewarding lives – strike a chord as the best way to restore health. It would be a privilege and an enriching experience to be part of a profession based on these ideals that could improve the lives of others.

As a result of my diverse upbringing, I have excellent communication and empathy skills. After living in various countries throughout my childhood, my family and I finally settled in the United Kingdom. Living temporarily in several different places, often overcoming language barriers, has helped me to appreciate communication and to strive to improve it. I have also encountered people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds by living in such a diverse range of places.

My experience completing the first year of a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, which I believed did not suit my career goals or academic interests, demonstrated my aptitude for higher education and suitability to work as an occupational therapist. I left the course after feeling that course did not suit my interests or career goals. The position I held as a course representative required me to communicate effectively with fellow students and assist in formulating proposals that would improve the quality of the course for them. These skills are relevant to the work of occupational therapists, in my opinion. In addition, the experience of taking an unsuitable course has taught me not to make big decisions lightly and to pursue a career I am genuinely interested in. I feel confident that occupational therapy is the right course for me, and I look forward to completing it with full enthusiasm.

As a result of shadowing an occupational therapist, I have gained a deeper understanding of this fascinating field. The experience of eyeing the work of the therapist and seeing how the central goal of everything that they did was orchestrated at helping people to lead fulfilling lives, whether through coaching people on techniques to control problems such as anxiety or assisting individuals to develop plans for themselves, was inspirational. I was positively impressed with the therapist’s ability to understand people’s conditions through a combination of talking to them and keeping an eye on them as they went about their business, not to mention the importance that the therapist attached to assessing each individual thoroughly to ensure that the help that they offered would benefit the individual and their circumstances.

I recently spent four weeks volunteering at a local school, where I worked daily with the children. I spent a considerable amount of the time on the placement working with a disabled girl, in the form of helping her and keeping her company during breaks and lunchtimes. Being able to help children in this way was a great pleasure, and working with kids from a variety of backgrounds made me realise the significance of the role that occupational therapists can play in helping children who come from troubled families. Indeed, the rewarding experience of working with children has made me develop an interest in working as a paediatric occupational therapist one day. I was inspired to carry out this work experience through the sense of accomplishment I derived from helping to organise a Christmas party for a group of disabled children whilst I was at college. The experience made me realise that helping people was something that drives me to make the most of my skills and abilities. I believe that qualifying as an occupational therapist would be an ideal profession for me to be able to do this.

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Instructions >  Personal Statement

Your personal essay should address why you selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you to achieve your goals.

Do NOT make your essay program specific as the same essay will be sent to each program that you applied to.

Technical Requirements You are encouraged to compose your essay in a text-only word processor (e.g., Notepad), review your essay for errors, then cut and paste the final version into the text box above. Click the Save button and then return to the Personal Essay to review the formatting of your text. You are limited to approximately 1 page (7500 characters, including spaces). Some formatting characters used in programs like Word (angled quotes, accents, special characters) will not display properly. Take care to review your final text and to make the necessary corrections to the format. Some formatting characters used in programs like Word (angled quotes, accents, special characters, bold, underline or italics) will not display properly. You can NOT make any edits to your personal statement after you have e-submitted your completed application to OTCAS. OTCAS does not review your essay response for grammar or content.

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Instructions and Checklists

• Application Instructions [pdf]
• MSOT Application Checklist [pdf]
• OTD Application Checklist [pdf]

Volunteer Forms 

• MSOT Evaluation Form for Volunteer Experience [pdf]
• OTD Evaluation Form for Volunteer Experience [pdf]
• Right of Access to Volunteer Evaluation [pdf]

Items to be completed through OTCAS

• Hours, Evaluations and Recommendations [pdf] (MSOT & OTD)
• OTD Personal Statement [pdf]

Items to be submitted to the Department of Occupational Therapy at SJSU

• Right of Access Waiver Form [pdf]
• Sealed Volunteer Evaluations Forms for MSOT [pdf] and OTD [pdf] (with signature of person completing the form across the sealed part of the envelope) Note : The person who completes your Volunteer Evaluation Form cannot be the same person who writes your letter of reference.
• Personal Statement [pdf]

Items to be submitted to GAPE  

Applications to the University through GAPE is a separate process from application to the OT Program.  Items required and sent to GAPE do not come to the department.

• Submission of online application to SJSU Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) - the application form is available at Cal State Apply NOTE : Your college/university official transcripts will be evaluated by Graduate Studies (GAPE) as a condition of acceptance to the University. If your degree program was conducted in a language other than English, you will also need to take an English proficiency exam such as the TOEFL or the IELTS. Go to this website for more information. You may also want to contact Jessica Hernandez at (408) 924-2406 if you have any questions about your Graduate Studies & Admissions application.

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Mail the completed forms to the Occupational Therapy Department

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Occupational therapy personal statement example 5.

“All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord.” - Earl Nightingale.

For the longest time I wasn’t sure where I was going. I was beginning the last year of my undergrad and was apprehensive about what do to next. While chatting with a friend about my concerns she suggested occupational therapy and for some reason it immediately sparked my interest.

I began a furious search of the role of an occupational therapist and discovered that is where I want to go and by obtaining a Master’s in occupational therapy I will find the answers.

What most intrigues me most about occupational therapy is the multitude of opportunities within the discipline. Occupational therapists have the chance to interact with people of all ages to help them find purpose in their lives and create environments for them to actively participate in society.

Previously I was determined to work with children because of the joy that my previous experiences with them have brought me. Coaching figure skating, teaching swimming lessons, and running summer day camps has lead me yearning to continue to work with children.

However, my recent experiences with a group of seniors at the Gorge Road Hospital and Burdett House, in combination with an adult development course at the University of Victoria, have changed my perspective of older adults. I have found that age does not matter, it all just depends on your attitude and your ability to form relationships with many different types of people.

Another appealing aspect of occupational therapy is the opportunity to get involved in the community and provide assistance to those trying to overcome a mental or physical obstacle in their life.

Our society is fast paced and unwilling to help those that don’t fit into our norms and to be able to aid someone to function on their own, or provide them with the support they require to do so, would be an exciting challenge for me.

While running summer day camps I was approached by a parent of an Autistic boy who had seen the ad for FunSeekers and had wanted to join in on the fun. Naturally the parent was concerned that her son would have a difficult time fitting in with the rest of the children since he could be difficult to handle sometimes.

I had never dealt with an Autistic child before but was willing to give him a chance. He certainly was a handful and at times, and made my day very stressful, but I quickly learned his pattern of behaviour and could easily predict when he was approaching a meltdown.

Most of the time all I had to do was distract him with another activity or give him a chance to calm down and have a moment to himself. I also found that after this I could more readily see different behavioral patterns in the other children I worked with became adept at maintaining the happiness of the group.

Reflecting back I realize I have been a mediator on many ocasions and have enjoyed making sure that everyone can participate despite any disabilities.

According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation. From my understanding you must be able to assess the reasons for difficulty in and individuals, or groups, daily activities and how it affects their well-being.

After initial assessment the therapist must then be able to search out an appropriate way to adjust their lifestyle or occupation that will promote their well-being.

Difficulties can include both mental and physical illness. Throughout my undergraduate education I have taken courses such as anatomy, physiology, and biology that have expanded my knowledge of the physical body as well as psychology courses in development, neuroscience, and abnormal psychology, which have educated me on the mental body.

I believe that because of this extensive background knowledge from many aspects of the body, along with my personal experiences with people of all ages, I would be extremely capable of providing a creative and adequately suited solution for those requiring assistance.

Recently I have taken up running and it has taught me the fine art of dedication. During the beginning of my post-secondary education I felt that if I could pass a course without studying what was the point in wasting my time studying just in order to get a better grade? I applied this same theory to running and signed up for the Royal Victoria Half Marathon.

I figure that as long as I went on a couple longer runs right before the marathon I would be fine. I was wrong and definitely paid for it after the marathon. I came to the realization that it is called a marathon for a reason and it requires lots of training.

Sure I ran the half marathon but it was extremely challenging and at the finish line I was left feeling dissappointed with myself because I knew I could do better.

From that day on I have been running every week in order to build my stamina in order to redeem myself in the Red Deer Marathon in May 2010. From this I also realized that I wasn’t applying whole self to my education either and was disappointed.

That passing a course isn’t what matters or the grade that you get but rather the knowledge you gain. Similar to how running a marathon isn’t about crossing the finish line but rather proving how dedicated you are to your passion and willing to push yourself as far, and as fast, as you can.

The combination of my newly found determination, the need for a challenge, a desire to learn, problem solving abilities, and past experiences are applicable to what I believe is the role of an occupational therapist. I hope to be the person that can rearrange someone life back to normal when their world has flipped upside down.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by jennymd for application in 2010.

jennymd's Comments

Rough draft. Need to work on conclusion etc. but want a general idea of how it sounds.

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

Hi, i after reading your.

Tue, 02/11/2010 - 09:25

Hi, I after reading your personal statement, I think it is a bit long winded. It's almost 1000 words, not sure what the limit is for the schools you are applying to, but it is 2 pages for me, so somewhere between 500-700 words. Loved how you started with a quote, I plan on doing the same thing. The first half of the essay was really good as you talked about what motivated you. I think you should stick to that trend and elaborate, rather than talk about what other sources describe what OT is. I've been in constant contact with the OT Dept at USC and they want to know about your specific experience and motivation for you wanting to become an OT. The running story could be more concise and it sorta went off on a tangent, try to keep things in perspective. You used a quote, so most of the essay should somehow tie back into it. I'm no expert as I am working on my PS currently.

no need to define an OT's

Fri, 06/05/2011 - 15:35

no need to define an OT's role. they already know. make it shorter.

yes, they already know what

Wed, 31/08/2011 - 13:33

yes, they already know what an OT does, but they want to know that you fully understand the vocation. so definingf it is not necessarily a bad thing.

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Guide to a Better Personal Statement for Occupational Therapy

Table of Contents

Writing a personal statement is integral to the occupational therapy application process. This is your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions board and explain why you want to study occupational therapy. A strong personal statement will highlight what makes you unique and set you apart from other applicants.

With careful preparation, thoughtful writing, and self-reflection, you can create a compelling personal statement for occupational therapy . Keep reading to learn more!

Understanding Occupational Therapy

Before getting started with your statement, it is vital to understand what occupational therapy involves. Occupational therapists deal with people of all ages with physical, developmental, social, or emotional difficulties that limit their ability to lead active, independent lives.

They provide assessment, treatment, and consultation services to help people increase their skills and knowledge to manage daily tasks.

Reflect on Why You Are Pursuing This Career Path

Think about what motivates you to pursue a career in occupational therapy.

Ask yourself the following questions: What experiences have led me to this path? How has my background prepared me for the challenging work of an occupational therapist? What values or qualities do I have that will be beneficial when working with clients?

As you reflect on these questions, take note of any stories or unique insights that could be included in your personal statement .

Write Your Statement

When writing your personal statement, begin by introducing yourself. Provide an overview of why you are interested in pursuing a career in occupational therapy . Use this section to explain what you have learned about the field and why you are passionate about it.

Then, discuss your skills, experiences, qualities, and values that make you a good fit for this profession. Remember to keep the focus on how your background has prepared you to become an excellent occupational therapist. Finally, wrap up your statement by illustrating how becoming an occupational therapist will help you fulfill your professional goals and contribute positively to society.

Get Feedback

Solicit the opinions of those close to you before sending in your personal statement. Ask them if there is anything else they would add or take away from the statement. Additionally, consider asking someone in the field of occupational therapy to review your essay and provide feedback. This will help ensure that your statement is professional and conveys the message you want to present to admissions committee members.

Example of a Personal Statement for Occupational Therapy

I can’t wait to start my Occupational Therapy profession. I believe it is the perfect blend of my interpersonal skills, scientific knowledge, and passion for helping others. Having an autistic older brother gave me firsthand experience with the life-changing effects of occupational therapy. This experience inspired me to discover more about this field. I have a thirst to develop my own thoughts on what makes a good therapist.

I have worked with patients with physical disabilities at a local hospital and completing research projects related to child development. This makes me confident that I possess the necessary skills and qualities needed to become an excellent occupational therapist. My capacity for empathy and patience allows me to understand the unique needs of each individual patient. My problem-solving abilities help me find creative solutions to their challenges. In addition, I have developed excellent communication skills and an unwavering commitment to advocating for my clients.

Becoming an occupational therapist would enable me to fulfill my dream of improving the lives of those with physical, developmental, social or emotional difficulties. With thoughtful writing, self-reflection and dedication to the field, I am committed to creating a professional portfolio. One that reflects my qualifications and passion for this career path.

By taking the time to fully prepare for your personal statement, you can create a compelling narrative. Ensure it shows why occupational therapy is the right career path for you. Keep in mind that this document is an opportunity to showcase your unique qualities and experiences that set you apart from other applicants.

With careful planning and thoughtful writing, you can create a powerful personal statement that demonstrates your commitment to becoming an excellent occupational therapist . Good luck!

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Occupational Therapy Statement of Purpose Sample for the Master's Degree in OT

The most exciting thing in my life so far has been when the patient has that ‘Ahaa moment’, when they themselves realize that their therapy is working. So many patients have come in for therapy because "their doctor told them to" and they are not sufficiently motivated. However, once they've been to a few sessions and can experience the profoundly positive impact that therapy can have on their body and their life; then they understand and express their gratitude. I love helping people adapt to changing lifestyles as they get older. Often, people don't realize how slight changes in their everyday behavior can have such an enormous impact on their quality of life down the road. This is where I hope to end up as an OT professional.

What I love most about OT is the privilege of making a positive, profound, and lasting contribution to the quality of someone’s life. I really enjoyed seeing OT patients learn and continue to make life-style changes that improve their quality of life. It is really awesome to see people thriving in life as a result of the help you have given them. No matter how much progress is made, even if it is very modest, it is always rewarding. One gentleman told me: “if it wasn’t for the help of his OT, my son wouldn’t have a life.

I have learned many valuable things about patient care and the therapeutic process in general by serving in the PT setting. I enjoy my work as a PT immensely but I see OT as representing a still more meaningful career in the long term, more intense in the deepest spiritual sense. I really see myself helping older individuals adapt to living alone or just more independently, or working with children and their parents on feeding and play techniques that further learning processes. This is how I see the essence of a career in OT, helping people move from one stage of their life to another.

Learning Spanish over the course of these last few years has been another important aspect of my life, especially so as I look forward to using this language professionally in the future with members of the Hispanic community. I look forward to going on missions to Latin America in the future as well, as an OT professional. There have been so many occasions where I wish I knew more Spanish to communicate better with people or patients I’ve come across, and I just wasn’t fluent enough, yet; but this does not discourage me, it just increases my motivation to improve. I love to travel and helping the underserved tops my priority list, so it definitely looks like I will be getting better acquainted with Latin America and/or the Caribbean after completing your program, and for the balance of my career.

I want to learn increasingly to think in a holistic fashion about the needs of those who I am helping to achieve improvements in their lifestyles, whether that may entail, diet, exercise, etc. I want to be able to make a daily, positive improvement in people's lives, and the best way I can think of doing that is by helping them get through the everyday challenges that are difficult for them.  I have fallen so deeply in love with the world of therapy and healing, positive energy and spiritual enrichment that I cannot imagine doing anything else for the balance of my professional life. I've learned so much by being involved in multiple therapy settings; and I have become accustomed to constant growth and creativity on personal as well as professional levels.

I have wanted to be a therapist since high school and have been working hard towards that goal. Being the first member of my immediate family to go to college, it has been a great learning experience and I feel humbled and honored to be entering a field as noble as OT. I truly cannot see myself being completely happy in any other career. I really enjoy the personal connection to people that OT offers and haven't been able to find anything else that compares. Overall, I think that my patience and understanding of people as well as optimistic mindset is what draws me to this career field and it is these qualities that I believe will make me a great Occupational Therapist.

I attended XXXX Community High School in XXXX, graduating in May 2012. I then went to community college for 2 years before transferring to XXXX College where I completed my Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology, graduating in December of 2016. My education thus far has me very engaged with lifestyle management research, especially as directed towards certain, specific demographics. As our society in general continues to age, older people are in need of greater resources and useful information on how to successfully age, and I want to contribute to this effort. My mom serves as a constant reminder that even though she is older and wiser than I am, she is always in need of support as she faces new challenges as she ages, and she needs to stay busy. I practice on her already, making suggestions as to how to stay occupied in creative ways, filling voids left by her children who are now adults and busy with their own lives.

Finally, I also have experience as a volunteer, having volunteered in a hospital in a variety of settings, helping out where ever I was needed. I shadowed an OT in an early childhood school setting. I am currently looking for professional and volunteer opportunities, working with autistic children or children with developmental disabilities, to gain more experience in preparation for entering a Master’s Program in OT.

I thank you for consideration of my application.

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Letter of Intention to Remain on the Wait List for Graduate Admission to the Occupational Therapy Program

In a few days, I will begin serving as a volunteer with XXXX Therapy of Rockland, NY. This organization is comprised of highly trained OT professionals who treat various conditions such as fractures of the upper extremities, reconstructive hand surgery, traumatic injuries, and also have a special concern for children and pediatric issues in OT. As a volunteer with this organization, I will be able to spend an entire year closely observing some of the most distinguished OT professionals in my area in preparation for entry into your program. I intend to give my all to this organization so that upon my enrollment at XXXX College I will already have extensive experience in OT issues, challenges, and will be better positioned to excel as a student in your program.

As a Haitian woman who has spent her entire professional life in the area of Human Resources and Development, I have long distinguished myself in the areas of diversity and inclusion. I look forward to bringing this experience to your program and sharing in your celebration of diversity at XXXX College. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reconsidering my application for admission to your distinguished program.

  At XXXX hospital where I volunteered, I met several patients who were coming to see occupational therapists due to discomfort in their hands. Most of the patients were middle-aged adults and most of the causes of their discomfort were due to overuse of their hands at work; other problems were the result of rheumatoid arthritis. I would assist these patients by putting their hands in a paraffin bath to reduce the swelling while soothing the pain in their joints and muscles.  Other patients came to see a therapist to regain function lost as a result of recent injuries such as falling down the stairs. We helped all of these patients by educating them and providing them with assistive devices that would help them to carry out their daily activities until they were able to fully regain their lost functions. 

 I observed an occupational therapist in the inpatient unit conducting evaluations so as to be able to discharge some patients and admit others. Thus, I learned the great importance of documentation and how to document a patient’s progress notes and evaluation reports so as to record the status and condition of the patient and the treatment that has been or needs to be provided, all of which may be read by other health care professionals and/or third party payers.

 At XXXX College, I was known as student who strived to become a tremendous asset to the college by devoting all of my talents and time to my studies and volunteer activities.  I served, for example, as a mentor scholar in the ALANA Men in Motion Program, a college organization where minority male students meet once a week during the school semester to discuss current issues in the media. I also served as a tutor at the center for academic program support where I assisted student with their math, chemistry and computer science course work. One of my greatest achievements was being nominated to the Green Key Honor Society, a college honor program that represents HCC in the community by organizing events to raise money for charitable causes.

I want to help you get accepted to Graduate School in Occupational Therapy, OT Degree Programs

There are many excellent graduate programs in Occupational Therapy that will prepare you for a lifetime of distinguished service in OT, providing you with the knowledge, skills and value of lifelong learning to practice occupational therapy in customary and innovative ways within an ever-changing world. Throughout the course of your studies, you will become an exceptionally keen observer, active listener, creative strategist, critical thinker, resourceful leader and practical educator who helps people set and meet goals, overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.

I began my studies in the humanities and social sciences, first thinking about psychology and ending up majoring in philosophy as an undergraduate student. Along the way, I had several work study jobs that made big impressions on my long term career development, including in the area of occupational therapy. I was employed for about one year for the Occupational and Developmental Training Center in Bloomington, Indiana. I went in at night in order to care for developmentally disabled adolescents, getting them up and rolling in the morning to greet their day, breakfast, toiletries, etc. One client in particular has proven to have etched out a most enduring memory in my mind. My client Tracy was 16 years old and built like a Sumari Warrior. She also had razor sharp teeth, all of which made her rather dangerous because she had the mental development of a 6-month-old baby. On my first day of work, within hours of my arrival, I found myself prying her mouth open to secure the release of the fingers of shrieking staff person whose fingers had been bitten to the bone.

It is our duty to make sure that Tracy’s life is fulfilling. Given what Tracy has to work with, this is no easy task. OT is a science and an art of its own with some of the greatest challenges in the world. I am convinced that this area of studies attracts applicants many if not most of whom have golden hearts and a passion for service to the weak and disabled, those who need them most. This is why it is a great pleasure and honor for me to help you in the drafting of a statement that is highly effective and will be successful at getting you admitted to the program of your choice in Occupational Therapy.

I have developed a special interest in Occupational Therapy primarily because I think that this field attracts good people who are interested in the most important things in life, rather than primarily making money and showing off what it can buy. Most of all, it is their sense of service to their fellowman. I also do a lot of work for nurses and social workers, for the same reasons. Five years ago exactly, I was living in the south of Mexico, working hard on my computer, drafting statements, and I lived with a family. Grandpa was in a wheelchair, and he would get daily visits from an OT professional. As I worked, I would look up and observe. I reflected at that time about the importance of what I was observing, especially for grandpa. But, it is also important to note that I feel strongly that the OT visit to grandpa was also healthy for the entire family and the visitors like myself as well. Especially his two grandchildren, who at that time were about 8 and 13. Clearly, this served to cultivate a sense of community in the children as well. It was healing for them to see someone caring for their grandfather.

The value of Occupational Therapy in unusual situations.

Occupational Therapist discusses her typical day at work

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Sample 1st paragraph ot masters, certified athletic trainer.

Statements of Excellence for Admission to Master's Degree Programs in OT

The Heroines of Occupational Therapy

Forbes reports that women make more money in a few female-dominated education and healthcare jobs. Occupational therapy is one of them.

Suzanne Rastrick

Suzanne Rastrick knew from age 12 that she wanted to be an occupational therapist: “There was something about problem-solving, about looking for solutions for service users and being able to make a difference.”

Rastrick began her career in the hospital sector, specializing in biomechanics and orthotics. By age of 25, she was a head OT. Four years later, she took on her first general management role as a hospital matron, a position that was soon followed by a range of senior management positions. She was director of nursing, a primary care trust chief executive and director of quality for a clinical commissioning group during that time.

Today, Rastrick is chief allied health professions (AHPs) officer for NHS England. She is responsible for all 12 AHPs, including OTs. Rastrick, who took up the job in September, says: “For me, it has always been about applying my OT skills in any role I have taken on. Having that professional curiosity, to seek solutions for service users and then to translate that into better services. Finding solutions for one’s patients and carers, you have to listen to what their needs are and quite often that translates very well into leading and managing services.”

Working in an integrated landscape also comes naturally to her because of her professional background. “The ability to work across different sectors is what OT is about,” she says. “For me that is just fantastic.”

Sarah Lyon is a UK OT and has a lot of great things to say about her career. She is another female OT we admire.

Sarah entered the healthcare field because she wanted to help people. The classic stereotype. But starting a career is a lot like getting married: you have no idea what you are signing up for, she says.

Sarah still loves her profession, though, because she gets to help people. However, there are so many factors that contribute to career satisfaction that she did not consider when applying to occupational therapy school. She feels like she got lucky. Here are some unforeseen reasons why she loves her career:

Yes, Sarah works in an industry brimming with regulation, but when she begins each treatment session, it feels like the brush is in her hands. Within certain limits, she can bring whatever creativity and insight she believes will bring the most value to her patients. 

And while she loves autonomy, she is also glad that she doesn´t have ultimate responsibility over matters that can literally be life and death. Doctors can take on that stress, she adds. Doctors typically sign off on OT treatment plans. But if something goes terribly wrong, there is an emergency button she can push and a care team will come running.

The Opportunities for Specialization and Mastery

Lymphedema management; women's health; wheelchair management; assistive technology; hand therapy; myofacial release, neonatal care; low vision; sensory integration—the list goes on.

The opportunities for specialization in this field are really extensive. When Sarah was first looking into careers, she did not consider how long a 40 year career could be and the drive she would feel to keep learning and honing her skill-set. She is thankful there are so many avenues to pursue with an OT license. Many therapists will pursue multiple specialties over their careers, and enjoy every minute of it.

Schedule Flexibility

School teachers have to teach during the school year; nurses have to provide 24-hour care—there are obvious scheduling challenges in many helping professions.

Luckily, OT schedules usually happen between 9-5 on weekdays. Due to the demand for therapy, full-time, part-time and contract positions are often available, too.

Sarah got very sick during her pregnancy. Reducing her hours to part-time allowed her to keep working, while also taking care of herself.

The Job Market

Sarah receives voicemails and mailings at least weekly from OT recruiters. These keep her from feeling trapped in her job. There is great comfort in knowing that there are other jobs out there and, ultimately, she is making a choice to stay in her current position. 

Getting out of Debt Quickly

Sarah received her masters in occupational therapy and was able to get a full-time job lined up before she even passed her boards.

To be a physical therapist, you have to have a doctorate (more school and more debt). Occupational therapy is heading toward the entry-level doctorate in the UK, but Sarah feels lucky to have gotten licensed at a time where she could receive a similar education to her doctoral counterparts and contend for the exact same positions.

There are of course many factors to debt reduction. However, taking on less debt in the first place is a good way to start.

The Balance of New and Routine Tasks

This may be one of the reasons why many healthcare professionals love their jobs. The type of work lends itself to a nice balance.

To keep us grounded, we have an established community of coworkers and certain tasks that we need to do every day—but you never know who is going to be on your caseload! This variety provides new challenges and gives you something to talk about with colleagues over lunch break.

The International Network

Sarah´s  Twitter community  hails from England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. OT is a booming industry globally. It is fun to connect with colleagues from around the world. In college, Sarah talked a lot about becoming global citizens with her fellow students. She never would have dreamed that becoming more invested in her local work would lead to global connections, but it has and she loves that about her work.

The Patients

Sarah´s patients keep her coming back to work. She has been so inspired and moved by the lives she have encountered. Sarah can only hope that she has helped them half as much as they have helped her grow as a therapist and as a person.

Are you looking forward to enjoying a career in OT as much as this? We´d love to help you get the jobs you want, and get onto the programs you´d like to study on. Let us know if we can help!

How positivity, creativity and play can help children in therapy.

Sample 1st Paragraph for Occupational Therapy Master’s Degree Program

Sample 1st 2 Paragraphs for the Masters Occupational Therapy, Korean, Sports

Most of all, however, my great passion for Occupational Therapy comes from the experience of my uncle. Most Korean families are very close; and my uncle was always a central figure in my family, filling a leadership role and working hard on behalf of all of us. When he was injured and became incapacitated, it was a terrible blow to my entire family, especially since his wife abandoned him as a result of his accident. Since that time, I have watched my uncle recover little by little, slowly rebuilding his life, something that would not have been possible without extensive rehabilitation and occupational therapy.

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Personal Statement

I am applying for the masters in Occupational therapy. I am in my final year at York St John University, studying Drama: Education and Community and in my three years of studying this course, what I have enjoyed most is working with community groups and noticing the impact that drama and theatre can have on people’s lives. I have worked with various community groups, including but not limited to, people who have experienced mental health problems, children from ages ten to eighteen and women in prison. I currently hold three volunteering jobs and have also been a student ambassador for eighteen months. Having worked with these community groups, I have realised the importance of occupations as therapy.                  

This course is well suited to my style of working as it geared towards the ‘person-centred’ approach, of which I am very much in favour of. Having already seen the relationship between health, well-being, participation and occupation, more specifically in the field of drama and theatre, I am well attuned to the possibilities of occupational therapy. I am aware of the ever-changing systems put in place to facilitate those in care and am more than prepared to adapt and cater to whatever challenges may arise. At the end of this course, I wish to take up a career as an occupational therapist.

In the second year of my studies, myself and seven of my course colleagues carried out an eight-week drama club project at Park Grove Primary School for key stage two pupils. Our objectives were to encourage pupils to consider the challenges but also benefits of growing up and becoming independent. Drama was an effective tool to achieve these objectives as it created an osmosis between myself, my co-facilitators and the participants. The pupils became active in their learning and this created a dialogue between themselves and the facilitators. This project also became a turning point in my capability to adapt workshops according to ability, for example, one of the pupils in the group was not fully mobile. Therefore, we adapted games such as ‘stuck in the mud’, as instead of travelling between people’s legs to ‘free’ other participants, they passed under people’s arms. This is turn was no major alteration and it enabled full participation, which as a facilitator is crucial as it ensures that no one is targeted and the whole group can be involved.

I am currently a volunteer for two theatre companies based in York, named ‘In the Moment’ and ‘Out of Character’, which comprise of mental health service users. Having worked with Out of Character for two years and In the Moment for almost a year, I have heard of many negative experiences with the current mental health services. The main point being that in review meetings based on the patients, there has been situations where neither the patient nor their family have had an active role in helping to decide the best treatment, as matters had already been decided before they even entered the meetings. There has also been points where they have not been allowed in at all and this is turn has caused a negative view of those in health care. This is one of the most prominent reasons why I would like to pursue a career in occupational therapy, as a large part of its execution is participation and in doing that, the individual in question is involved in their care. To me, it makes sense that the person-centred approach is most appropriate, unless there are extreme circumstances that prevent that individual from being able to make rational decisions that are safe.

Finally, I have been a student ambassador for eighteen months and we have many different schools come to the university to learn more about higher education. Recently we had what we call an ‘aspirations day’, which is centred on getting younger people to think about university and we had a group of twenty-one year eight students who were visiting us for the day. At lunch time, there was one student who got upset because she had been told not to bring a packed lunch, despite the school knowing that she is not keen on certain foods. In this situation, there was an issue with the teacher who ended up treating this student like she was a problem, in addition to this, none of the students had met this teacher before so they were not comfortable interacting with her. This in turn meant that the student was refusing to speak and did not co-operate and some of the staff became concerned that she was not going to stay on task. However, as a student with a shorter age gap, I waited for an opportune moment to calmly interact with her and look for something else to talk about that might interest her, in this case, it was the fact that she was a twin. Within twenty-five minutes, I had her talking to me about her interests and she started to become more engaged with the day. For me, the most crucial aspects to this situation, was patience and understanding, there is no point in trying to fight a losing battle. In a person-centred setting, it is the individual in question who is the most important as at the end of the day, it is them whom we are caring for. As long as they are safe, we should cater to their interests and needs in order to help them progress. In addition to this, the more you know, the more able you are to prepare and plan for new situations because you already have an idea of what that individuals needs and wants are.

Having had experience in facilitating drama workshops, two of the most crucial elements are reflection and feedback. At NHS Peppermill Court, an acute mental health facility, myself and my colleague conduct half-hour workshops on Mondays called ‘games and movement’, intended to help improve basic tool handling, social interaction and self-esteem. Each week we are required to write up a reflection on the session, thinking about what went well, what could be improved and what we could do next time. These prove useful for both myself and my colleague and the occupational therapy staff at the facility as we are always looking to improve and adapt future workshops. Sometimes this proves a challenge as we have different participants each week with different abilities, but it allows us to consider how we may deliver those workshops. This has also strengthened my recording skills as each week we are required to keep a record of how effective these workshops are. As an occupational therapist, it is crucial to keep record of individual’s progress and my own progress, as it then allows me to critically analyse the quality of my work and how that can be developed.

I am also confident in communicating with others as in both my job as a student ambassador and as a retail assistant at Primark, I meet numerous amounts of people every day. I am confident in approaching people who need help or may just want to chat, and this can often create a more comfortable and positive atmosphere, therefore improving their experience. In occupational therapy this is vital as you really need to have the drive to speak to people and be confident in communicating with anyone who may walk through the door. The more confident and friendly you are, the more likely patients will feel they able to trust you with their care.

I am applying for the occupational therapy masters as I already some of the crucial skills that are required of an occupation therapist: the adaptability to work with the changing system, the understanding of the importance of participation and the ability to reflect and critically analyse crucial information. In this course, I hope to strengthen these skills even further and get a better academic understanding of occupational therapy and discover more about the scientific aspect of occupational therapy. After the two-year course, I hope to pursue a career in occupational therapy and help to improve many individuals’ quality of life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this personal statement, I hope to hear from you soon.

Chlöe Timson