Curriculum
Here, we will have a look at the curriculum involved for the course of an Occupational Therapist. For the entry level the course begins every year in the month of May. To complete the course successfully one has to take up the program full time for 2 years and 2 months.
The first 5 semesters includes classroom, laboratory and clinical work. The students are provided with structured learning which them in proper application of theoretical knowledge. It also helps in developing one’s clinical skills. During the last 2 semesters, one has to undergo full time fieldwork. It is compulsory to finish the fieldwork within 2 years of the course work. The classes for the first 5 semesters are held in Charleston and for the remaining 2 semesters facilities are provided through out the United States. Once the students complete their course they are awarded with Master of Science In Rehabilitation Sciences: Occupational Therapy.
Clinical education for this program is essential. Supervised fieldwork provides the students with ample learning opportunities. They are able to correlate the didactic learning, which helps in the professional and personal growth. They are also able to approach and apply new theories and learning for the betterment of their patients. They are able to play the role of a mentor.
The students graduate with strong clinical skills, which help them immensely in their professional field. They can get their clinical experiences from hospitals, rehabilitation centres, outpatients, private practices and also school-based work.
The students have to undergo two levels of fieldwork in their entire curriculum. In the first level the academic courses are clinically correlated. Here the students observe and participate directly in the selected aspects of occupational therapy. The level second commences only after all the prerequisites of academic course are completed. It involves three eight weeks of rotations of supervised clinical practice.
While summarising, we can say that the main work of the Occupational Therapist is to provide the clients with necessary help and guidance as and when required. They should be able to help the patients overcome their drawbacks and come into the main stream of the society. Apart from trying to improve the basic motor functions, they should be able to compensate for the permanent loss of function, if any. The main aim should be to make the clients’ lives productive, independent and satisfying.
They help the clients perform all sorts of activity without any hindrance. They develop various types of therapy to improve the mental and working skills of the individual. They assign their clients with different types of activities, which help them to regain their lost confidence. They help in developing all the skills of independent living.
Special types of activities are provided or suggested for people suffering different physical disabilities. They teach their clients as to how one should control over various situations and how to deal effectively with them. They also teach their clients the use of computers, which helps them to improve their skills of decision making, abstract-reasoning, and perceptual skills. At the end we can say that they teach clients how to use various sorts of equipments for effective communication with the people around them.