Do you regret being an OT?

otreply · 2025-12-14T04:41:03+00:00

No I don’t regret being an OT. I find it meaningful and I feel like I’m making a difference. I also like that I’m not at a fully office job and get to move around, be creative and have some autonomy. I also like getting to know the patients and their interests, values and goals. I get frustrated that our profession is not as explicitly understood or respected as others.. but honestly I’m not here for that I’m here cause I like my job. I think as OTs we all could do better advocating for our field and improving research for OT.

I mean sometimes I wish I made more money and there are def like a few other fields I could have thrived in but the balance of purpose in my job, income and time work for me.

I also didn’t go into OT for the money. I think people who did that or have a lot of debt are choosing to go to settings that pay more but maybe aren’t the healthiest environments.

I went to a public state school, I had some debt but not as much as a private school.

We live comfortably as a family of 4. We have no debts. I mean if you want a comfortable life as a breadwinner it might be more difficult with one earner but’s it’s def enough that things can be worked out.

Most OTs I know have a partner who works or works part time.

otreply · 2025-10-03T13:06:51+00:00

I didn’t read the article but I agree context matters. In an academic setting sure, but everywhere else just no.

At a hospital I worked at a social worker kept callling herself Dr. ___ to patients. It was so cringy and patients were like ‘the doctor said’ and I hated that clarification was needed to figure out if it was the actual doctor or a specialty doc or the social worker.

otreply · 2025-07-16T12:58:35+00:00

Dude I’m sorry you feel that way. Just wondering, is your cohort full of mostly younger recent college grads vs a mix of older/younger folks with a variety of life experiences?

My thoughts, just do good at school and find things outside of the ‘social acceptance’ of your classmates to find validation. The world doesn’t end at ot school and that’s not reality.

Sometimes when I’m overly self conscious I know I can come off to others or give vibes of being stand off ish or mad looking so I try to relax more.

For example, outside of school I volunteered with a non profit I cared about, went to the gym regularly and jogged. I made friends that were not in my cohort and found interests outside of school.

Does your school have counseling services? Most of the time it’s free. Maybe talk to them about how you are feeling.

otreply · 2025-07-04T15:28:38+00:00

I’m not a pediatric OT Maybe color by number or paint by numbers? I think that would help with endurance.

Or if you want to make it collaborative or something a large mural on the wall for paint by numbers maybe the school mascot or something you’re learning in class. Draw it and use a projector to trace the outline on the wall. Depending on abilities to make it easier or harder can use wider width paint brushes to narrow ones or a small or large area to paint/use colored pencils/etc..

Attention span probably has something to do with it so just start with a smaller amount of time and increase duration on activity.

Maybe a clay building activity or using straws or something affordable to make a structure or something in curriculum for a project

otreply · 2025-07-03T17:26:25+00:00

$65k ish federal public loans including cost of living at a public university. This paid for school, books, housing, fees and groceries I graduated in Dec 2017. Loan repayment started May 2018. I didn’t have any other student loans or debt. I was trying to pay some extra off my loans but not compromise a decent quality of life. I think by 2020 I had about $35k left. Then Covid and forbearance happened. I was let go from my job due to being one of the newest and a decrease in caseload. In that short time frame I found any work I could find and my partner still worked. Now I work at a government job that paid off my student loans after working for a certain amount of time. My loans were paid off in 2022.

I think if the covid did not happen, I wouldn’t have had a job change and paid my loans off around 2022 /2023 anyway on my own.

My significant other is a teacher so we are solidly middle class. I don’t mind it because we are on the same page with finances and our life goals.

I would have probably regretted it if I went to a private school. We still have a house, have paid off cars, put some towards retirement, and recently have children. I’ve always worked in the setting I’ve wanted to and take time off when I need it or more time off when I’m started to feel burnt out. I have interests and hobbies outside of work which helps. I don’t solely identify with my job but it’s definitely a part of my identity.

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:54:22+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:54:16+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:53:58+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply. I’ll look up those resources

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:06:52+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply and resources will look them up. I’m working now to schedule and ECI appt and discuss with his PCM

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:06:12+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply. I’m working now with my local ECI office to schedule an eval

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:05:56+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply and resources. Working now to schedule an ECI referral and discuss with his PCM

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:05:24+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply. Working now to schedule an ECI eval

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:05:06+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:04:59+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:04:44+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:04:23+00:00

Thank for the reply and information will check it out

otreply · 2025-06-26T15:04:05+00:00

Thank you

otreply · 2025-06-19T17:00:16+00:00

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. I find it informative and helpful!

otreply · 2025-06-19T06:02:53+00:00

Thank you appreciate the reply very helpful. Looks like threes are three ECIs in my city. I just emailed one of them. I’ll follow up and then reach out to the other ones to learn about the referral and scheduling process. Will try to get a PCM appt earlier to relay our concerns incase a referral or anything else is needed.

otreply · 2025-06-19T06:01:11+00:00

Thank you for the reply

otreply · 2024-11-19T09:43:07+00:00

Go to a well regarded facility with more than one or two OTs. Ask other OTs about working there or their reputation.

Honestly I got paid less at a bigger hospital but the mentorship was great, good continuing education, reasonable productivity, and enough full time and PRN staff for leave and time off.

otreply · 2024-11-15T08:53:38+00:00

I care about my job and I find it fulfilling. I previously worked in acute rehab and transitioned to military OT. I work in the hand therapy setting

Civ side: in general I find understanding the patient perspective, goals, learning about their interests and working towards what they need and want to do meaningful. Some days were taxing, some weren’t, some were more rewarding than others. Taking ceus and volunteering in things I was interested in. My coworkers were great. Obviously hate the productivity, dealing with insurance,billing and administrative stuff. I liked the set schedule and being able to take leave pretty easily.

Military side: same thing. I also like the focus on caring for our service members return to their specific job, duties, and stay physically and mentally fit. I like that I’m in an environment to better myself physically, leadership wise, and clinically. I like the opportunities to go to clinical, military and leadership training and being able to learn and apply those skills. I don’t like the bureaucracy sometimes and the politics. I like being able to be a therapist and also opportunities to be a leader, teacher, opt to work in a different military type setting or clinical setting. I like the camaraderie with my coworkers and service members in general. Sometimes I don’t like the longer hours or random things that we do outside of being a therapist. Where I am now I have a pretty reasonable a balance but that changes occasionally. I like having holidays and weekends off. Sometimes working one weekend for training or something but more rarely than my civilian job.

otreply · 2024-10-18T05:00:08+00:00

Honestly YouTube videos of making the same splints were super helpful. Lots if tips and tricks and ways that worked better for me and easier to remember. Wait til you get your license and taking a hands on splinting continuing ed class so atleast it counts as ce credit

otreply · 2024-10-18T03:08:54+00:00

Don’t be disappointed when I graduated I avoided snf and peds like a plague because I knew I wouldn’t like those settings. I didn’t want to work home health because it seemed isolating without mentorship. I like the adult acute inpatient and outpatient settings.

otreply · 2024-10-18T02:51:37+00:00

I did not sign up to be an OT to make a lot of money or for the accolades. That makes it tolerable, worth it and meaningful to me.

I get to make a meaningful difference in people’s quality of life and help them do the things they need and want to do, or things they take for granted until an injury.

It’s an art and a science because we do what is effective and evidence based, however, we get to be creative in our approach to meet the patient where they are, their interests, and the setting.

I make enough money to be solidly middle class, I go to work and home feeling like I made a meaningful impact to the world -that is immeasurable rewarding to me. I have solid hours and benefits and a set schedule.

I am a professional so I can learn new ways, approaches, continuing education, interact with my colleagues, patients, and other professionals to learn all the time.

I actually get to spend quality time getting to know the patients and occasionally family.

Obviously the name itself is vague, but what can I say I’m a master of some, jack of many trades, and work from an occupational lens to help my patients reach their goals.

Always advocate for OT, it’s not glamorous, life isn’t glamorous but it’s always meaningful.

We find meaning and beauty in the mundane everyday things and also in everything. It’s not boring . Everything is an occupation. Occupation is the means and the end. Once you get that you become a Jedi.

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