What is the OTPF?

The OTPF (Occupational Therapy Practice Framework) is essentially the bible for occupational therapy practitioners. It describes the profession of OT, and can be used by OTs, OT students, or people outside of the field who would like to know more about OT. The OTPF addresses the domains (the "what") and processes (the "how") of occupational therapy. It also describes what occupations are- activities that are meaningful to an individual- and the different categories of occupations, which includes activities of daily living (ADLs), sleep and rest, play, and work. The OTPF also talks about factors which would affect a client's ability to do their usual occupations. This includes their physical body, their mental abilities, and the environment in which they are doing the occupation. This is just a brief overview of the OTPF, as it provides an in-depth description of the aspects of occupational therapy.

OT Through the Years

     Today's class for Foundations of Occupational Therapy was... atypical, to say the least! Our class was split into eight groups of five, and each group was to give a presentation on the decade they were assigned, ranging from the 1940s to the 2010s. In this presentation, we talked about the social perspectives of the decade, technology, leisure activities, as well as how occupational therapy changed during that time. Sounds like it could be kind of boring, right? WRONG!!! It was so much fun and allowed us to bond not just with our group as we worked on the presentation, but also with the rest of the class of 2020. We were encouraged to be creative with this project, and we did not take that lightly! A few groups did Kahoots, which are online quizzes where everyone could answer and compete for the highest score based on correct answers. My group was assigned the 1960s, and we began our presentation with a short dance to the song "Welcome to the 60s" from the musical Hairspray. Other groups did funny skits where they represented people from their decade. Overall, the day was very entertaining, but also incredibly informative.
     It was very interesting to see how occupational therapy has changed over the years and how this profession that started in 1917 has stayed the same. From the beginning, OT has been an altruistic field, where practitioners must focus on the needs and wants of their clients. Many of the groups today mentioned that occupational therapy has been a profession dominated by women. One group mentioned that women during World War II could go to war to work as OTs, which is not an area I would have pictured an occupational therapist working, but as we have learned, OTs must be adaptable! Another group talked about how an OT helped a couple who were both amputees after the bombing at the Boston Marathon, and the OT brought the wife shopping to help her feel more comfortable trying on clothes. These two settings where occupational therapists have worked can show how the profession has changed, but I think that it mostly shows the variety in the field and how we work with people wherever they may need our help. The presentations today have encouraged me to keep an open mind when considering areas where I would like to work in the near future. They were not only entertaining and informative, but also motivating.

A Potential Specialty in Occupational Therapy

     Growing up with my mom being a teacher, I have always loved going to visit her classroom whenever I got the chance. She often has what is called an inclusion class, where students with special needs (Down syndrome, autism, etc.) will be in the class with "typical" students, as opposed to putting those children into a class room that is designated for only students with special needs. After getting the chance to interact with these kids in a setting where they were so loved and encouraged to do their best, I knew that one day I wanted to work with them.

     For a while when I was in grade school, I wanted to be a teacher like my mom, but she gently discouraged me from this, and instead encouraged going into the medical field or something similar. Something that motivated me to pursue a career in occupational therapy was knowing that I could potentially work in the school system and help kids like those that I saw in my mom's classes over the years. Because of this, I am very interested in one day getting a Specialty Certification in School Systems from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

     According to the AOTA website, a main part of being a practitioner in the school system, as well as having a specialty in the school systems, is increasing the awareness of stakeholders (those who have an investment in occupational therapy, whether that is financially, such as insurance companies, or emotionally, such as parents of students) to the importance of occupations that students engage in and the impact occupational therapists can have on students. Specialists in the school system must keep up with the ever-changing educational field, and also use science-based practice in the schools. To earn a specialty in the school systems, an occupational therapist must have at least 2,000 hours working as an occupational therapist, with at least 600 of those hours giving occupational therapy services to clients in the school system, and the 600 hours must have been in the last five years (from the Specialty Certification in School Systems, Occupational Therapist Application). The therapist must also submit an extensive application that includes a portfolio with completion of several specific criteria.

     While I am currently interested in one day working in the school system, I know that I still have a lot left to learn about the many areas of service available for occupational therapists to work in. I cannot wait to find out more about all of the opportunities that will be opened to me, and I look forward to seeing where this path takes me.