| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Complete and maintain necessary records. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Provide training and supervision in therapy techniques and objectives for students or nurses and other medical staff. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Develop and participate in health promotion programs, group activities, or discussions to promote client health, facilitate social adjustment, alleviate stress, and prevent physical or mental disability. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Recommend changes in patients' work or living environments, consistent with their needs and capabilities. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Consult with rehabilitation team to select activity programs or coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Train caregivers in providing for the needs of a patient during and after therapy. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps. |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Help clients improve decision making, abstract reasoning, memory, sequencing, coordination, and perceptual skills, using computer programs. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Conduct research in occupational therapy. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Advise on health risks in the workplace or on health-related transition to retirement. |
Master Degree Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with a Master's Degree with or without Certificates - All On One Page
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary and including percentage of job holders with Master's Degree.
A master's degree deepens expertise and often unlocks specialized, supervisory, or higher-paying roles beyond a bachelor's degree. For people weighing whether advanced study will meaningfully expand their career options. Compare careers ranked by salary, review degree-holder and experience percentages, and access preparation resources for each role.
Here is a short Helper Video 
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Doctorate Degree, to (1) Select a career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Doctorate Degree careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Master Degree Jobs
What jobs can you get with a Master's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are careers related to the Master's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having a Master's Degree. - 105 specific careers are listed, with matching jobs currently available. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those careers that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Masters Degree) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Occupational Therapists.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Occupational Therapists" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Occupational Therapists
Description: Assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays. Use therapeutic techniques, adapt the individual's environment, teach skills, and modify specific tasks that present barriers to the individual.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Occupational Therapists":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
131,600U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
154,600
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
23,000 (17.5%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
10,100
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Provide patients with assistance in locating or holding jobs. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 95 (%) | Description: Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 85 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 81 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 77 (%) | Description: Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Performing General Physical Activities: Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Providing Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Advise communities or institutions regarding health or safety issues. | |
| Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals. | |
| Assist clients in handling details of daily life. | |
| Assist patients with daily activities. | |
| Clean medical equipment or facilities. | |
| Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment. | |
| Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues. | |
| Design medical devices or appliances. | |
| Design public or employee health programs. | |
| Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies. | |
| Direct healthcare delivery programs. | |
| Encourage patients or clients to develop life skills. | |
| Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health. | |
| Fabricate medical devices. | |
| Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments. | |
| Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use. | |
| Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities. | |
| Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers. | |
| Record patient medical histories. | |
| Supervise patient care personnel. | |
| Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel. | |
| Train medical providers. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. |
| Importance: 84 (%) | Description: Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Medicine and Dentistry: Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Biology: Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Instructing: Teaching others how to do something. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Importance: 62 (%) | Description: Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues. |
| Activity: Advise patients or clients on medical issues. |
| Activity: Analyze health or medical data. |
| Activity: Assist individuals with special needs. |
| Activity: Clean medical equipment or facilities. |
| Activity: Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care. |
| Activity: Design materials or devices. |
| Activity: Develop patient or client care or treatment plans. |
| Activity: Develop public or community health programs. |
| Activity: Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures. |
| Activity: Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options. |
| Activity: Fabricate medical devices. |
| Activity: Maintain health or medical records. |
| Activity: Monitor health conditions of humans or animals. |
| Activity: Prepare health or medical documents. |
| Activity: Prepare medical equipment or work areas for use. |
| Activity: Provide support or encouragement to others. |
| Activity: Research healthcare issues. |
| Activity: Supervise personnel activities. |
| Activity: Train others on health or medical topics. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
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| Emerging Tech Skills | ||||||||
| Medical software: | ||||||||
| eClinicalWorks EHR software | ||||||||
| Office suite software: | ||||||||
| Microsoft Office software | ||||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | ||||||||
| Microsoft Excel | ||||||||
| Web page creation and editing software: | ||||||||
| Word processing software: | ||||||||
| Microsoft Word | ||||||||
| General Software Tools | ||||||||
| Billing and invoicing software: | ||||||||
| Fifth Walk BillingTracker | ||||||||
| Computer based training software (scroll table below): | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Data base user interface and query software: | ||||||||
| FileMaker Pro | ||||||||
| Device drivers or system software: | ||||||||
| Screen magnification software Screen reader software | ||||||||
| Electronic mail software: | ||||||||
| Email software | ||||||||
| Graphics or photo imaging software: | ||||||||
| Computer drawing software Mayer-Johnson Boardmaker | ||||||||
| Internet browser software: | ||||||||
| Synapse Adaptive Connect Outloud | ||||||||
| Medical software (scroll table below): | ||||||||
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| Music or sound editing software: | ||||||||
| Music software | ||||||||
| Optical character reader OCR or scanning software: | ||||||||
| Duxbury Braille Translator Text scanning software | ||||||||
| Pattern design software: | ||||||||
| Tactile graphic production kits software | ||||||||
| Voice recognition software: | ||||||||
| Speech recognition software | ||||||||
| Word processing software: | ||||||||
| Crick Software Clicker 4 OpenOffice WRITER |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed |
| Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. |
| Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). |
| Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. |
| These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 86.4 (%) | Level of Education: Master's Degree |
| Frequency of Attainment: 13.6 (%) | Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 36.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 27.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 18.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.1 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Certification in Orthopedic Manual Therapy
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Certified Hand Therapist
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Occupational Therapist Registered
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Professional Associations
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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Academy of Cognitive Therapy
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American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN)
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American Board for Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (ABOHN)
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American Occupational Therapy Association
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Hand Therapy Certification Commission, Inc. (HTCC)
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National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
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Job Listings
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Occupational Therapists". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Occupational Therapists
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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