Im so sorry to hear about leaving your job! Due to my own healthcare needs/risks, I am considering exploring outside the box to a non-clinical job setting but not really knowing where to start..I dont have any assistive technology training, but this could be an area of interest for meDoes anyone have any suggestions or ideas about a career in medical sales/assistive technology specific to an OT? This course covers the difference between health and medical writing, and it has resume and cover letter templates, as well as interview practice questions and advice. I bet an OT could find a rehab equipment sales job if they wanted or something similar. Theres something rewarding and fulfilling about building something from nothing and seeing all that hard work pay off over a long period of time. In 2011, AOTA identified the low vision specialty as an emerging niche. A big part of the reason for this focus area growing is the fact that the U.S. and many other developed nations are facing a large aging population in the coming decades. However, being an occupational therapist, we are able to effectively decipher other therapists notes and determine the necessity of the treatments being billed. Plus, you get ALL of her crash courses included with your enrollment. Definitelyequipment sales jobs are perfect for OTs and OTAs! However, if you do have a case that requires going to court, you can obviously charge a lot more money. Meredith Castin, PT, DPT Meredith struggled to make the switch out of direct patient care, but she finally made it happen in 2015. Through my work, I have been able to promote the profession as well as take on multiple Level II students even during the pandemic to learn about community based OT. The best part about being an OT entrepreneur is that you have the freedom to choose what youre most passionate about. . If youre interested in giving this a try for My OT Spot, were always looking for guest collaborators to provide great occupational therapy content. Theyre an excellent introduction into the world of startups, not to mention a great networking opportunity! Here are several types of OT-related businesses you can create. As in inpatient OT, Ive been looking for alternative careers and economics and sales excite me the most. Here is an article that covers what to ask in an informational interview. Given the number of paths you can take within education, theres really no one set path to get there. If you have big ideas, energy, a passion for creating something from nothing, and you have the drive to creatively bring value to the world, you might have what it takes to start and grow your own OT business. The income potential long-term is far greater, and if set up properly, would allow you to make money even when youre not at the clinic. Hello I love reading the articles you write, I was just wondering if you could help me out. Do you see COTAs being valuable in such a position? Once you have a few published articles under your name, you can start using sites like Upwork to start getting freelance and contract work. I am a new grad and I can say with certainty that I dont want to work in SNF, hospitals, or OP. They would be providing services, but would they need an OTR? Liaisons face quotas, so if you hate productivity requirements, you might not enjoy this role. That said, you dont need any additional training to write for your next career! These articles can be related to occupational therapy, but may also involve other medical topics that OTs are familiar with. The wonderful thing about being an occupational therapist or COTA is that our education and experience is so versatile, but it can be hard to know exactly where to turn if you want to do something out of the norm. To get started, Upwork is a great platform that most businesses hire their writers from. This is Merediths flagship course. If you love patient care, but hate the physical and emotional toll it takes, definitely look into becoming a rehab liaison (or clinical liaison). This of course will require more direct hands-on experience, so it may not be not for everyone. Your first byline is most difficult to attain. It feels like every company I work with requests my headshot at some point. Join online forums. So I was trying to see if I would fit in any other career with my associates degree. Any suggestions? Im also now seeing occupational therapists starting their own chronic pain clinics (which I think is great; I go to a chronic pain OT myself and love her practice). Glad I found you at the perfect time in my career. I am excited to see non-traditional jobs being promoted, and there are more than just the opportunities listed above!! Thank you! Very informative & encouraging site! Some people are born to be entrepreneurs. Sarah Lyon, OTR/L Sarah wasnt looking to leave patient care, but about five years into her career,realized that she could potentially help more patients by serving occupational therapists through her website, OT Potential. Sometimes its accompanied by a picture and short bio. It combines theory and functional knowledge of people and occupation, with the creative skills of design. Much thanks Email me at Sarah@myotspot.com for more information , First, what is a case manager? While there are certainly differences, it will be a helpful starting point to understand your options. As an ergonomic specialist, youllspend time identifying environmental risks, coming up with creative strategies to reduce those risks, educating others on the importance of ergonomics, and drafting comprehensive plans for businesses to follow. I am definitely fighting the burn out mode. Also, youll definitely want to take few courses on usability and user experience to legitimize yourself as a candidate. That said, the quotas are usually very reasonable, unlike clinical productivity expectations these days! Heres where working with a career coach or career counselor can be very helpful. Since not turning anything into insurance companies? There may be some small businesses in your area that focus on this specialty which you may be interested in working for or partnering with. If you enjoy working with patients, but you hate the time constraints and pressure of traditional settings, you can consider a role as an assistive technology personnel (ATP) or seating mobility specialist (SMS). If you have a knack for writing and can pump out quality articles quickly that are free from errors, this is can be a flexible option that you can do from your own home. It can be a strange feeling to start to self-identify as something other than an OT. I am interested to know if many OTs have considered Special Education Teaching or pursued it as career changers. This is such an excellent pointits so important to hone in on what fits best with you, your life, and your individual needs/interests. If you make yourself an expert salesperson, or you learn the ins and outs of online sales strategies, you will easily excel in a role as a social media manager, or where youre marketing (selling) rehab practitioners services. Thank you! These alternative career ideas come from an array of different conversations that Ive been a part of with other OTs at work and online. Then, when you apply for the rehab liaison roles, play up your connections big timeyoull need them! Hello fellow therapist. It is possible. Youll need special certifications from Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America for both ATP and SMS roles. Director of Rehab and OT Supervisor probably sound familiar to you. Almost all medical device and equipment companies have sales representatives that visit hospitals and clinics to market their products to. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Youll know if youre one of those people pretty quickly . You can become an OT professor, an adjunct instructor, a tutor, a subject matter expert, or a con-ed instructor. For your own journey into health tech, weve made this post of influential health tech companies for you to look into. Its been such a fun journey and the amount of knowledge I have gained is invaluable! You might want to check with your states individual regulations just to be sure. Youll also want to beef up your resume to reflect any research, tutoring, lab assisting, or clinical instructor roles youve held since your student years. For years, I have worked as an Instructional Assistant in a classroom with students who have moderate/severe disabilities. I do hope this list at least gives you a few non-physical types of job ideas to help you with your career transition. Educator. I think that many of these non-traditional career paths can be done as a COTA, especially creating a business and consulting. What OT topics are you most interested in? This is an important question. For the purposes of this article, non-traditional refers to anything outside of conventional hands-on patient care roles. Mental health in OT is a much smaller niche than the typical rehab settings, but if your passion is in mental health, you can start looking on Indeed.com for OT mental health settings (you may need to branch out into other cities as these jobs are typically harder to find). Here are some examples (Merediths is cooler): Consider reaching out to write a guest post for your favorite publication. If you are not OK with this, you can opt-out if you wish. I am attempting to research other careers I may fit into but not much success. I am an OT with 20+ years experience in SNF but really needing a change. Hi Definitely check out the Facebook group Alternative Healthcare Careers for Rehabilitation Professionals. I am considering an alternative career in OT. . She has since moved on to academia, but her business helped companiescome up with strategies to coach individuals on setting up their life and environment in a way that is conducive to healthy living. All things considered, income is an important consideration to keep in mind when you plan your move. So, Meredith decided to put together some resources to make the switch easier for others. Here are some other ways to explore what is out there. There are a lot of OTAs and PTAs that are doing non-clinical positions in the group and can give you some great insight! This includes cost of flying you out and hotel stay as well as your chosen rate for the actual consultation time and time to complete your report. I know its an additional certification that an OT would have to get, but thought I would bring it up since it is an alternative career path for an OT, since OT does involve a lot of teaching and working with individuals with disabilities. There is more to it than you might think, and if youre interested, Id recommend checking out The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists. While the most obvious and easiest way to use your OT degree is to actually practice in a traditional setting, alternative career paths may be a better fit for you long term. If youre ready to start your own practice, WebPT has put together a great resource about starting a therapy clinic from scratch. Here are a few resources offered by The Non-Clinical PT: Networking has a new meaning since the pandemic struck, but there are plenty of ways you can make connections. Many times, insurance and Medicare auditors dont really understand the interventions were providing. Family or community commitments can also change over the years, which can impact your desire and ability to work in clinical care. Thanks! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If tapping people to ask for their time gives you the heebie jeebies, dont worry! Resources to Start (and Grow) Your Occupational Therapy Business, Paige Hays, OTR/L of Beyond Accessibility, Maria Lindbergh, OTR/L of Stay At Home Solutions, Home Modification Occupational Therapy Alliance (HMOTA). While sales might be somewhat high stress, it can definitely be an interesting change-up to traditional patient care. Loved this article. I regret not going back to school for my OTR, but I have to move forward. For a great perspective on this, check out OT Devon Breitharts experience as a freelance writer, complete with tips on how get started. Thank you so much for this specific post I think as creative as we OTs are its so hard to envision a career outside of direct patient care with the fear of judgment and let down (from others and ourselves). I have volunteered and shadowed, finished my pre-req.s, etc. In preparation for these events, youll want to: Youll want to have your title and a personal email address on hand for anytime you meet folks at networking events, healthcare hackathons, or even happy hours! Hi Karen! I (Sarah) got one done in the early stages of my website and, honestly, it has just made life easier. Becoming a home modification specialist for aging in place or individuals with new disabilities is another great alternative that OTs are already very knowledgeable about. If you type in inpatient care coordinator in to indeed.com you may find positions across the country looking for OTs. If you are, be sure to read AOTAs position on OTs role in health promotion for some added insight. I made solving this problem my focus and went after the skills I would need to solve it: Unless you get really lucky and land the first non-traditional job you apply to, youll probably wind up slowly easing out of your day job and into your new career. Thank you for the great ideas as well as links to further learn about them. Me the most could find a rehab equipment sales job if they or! Healthcare careers for Rehabilitation Professionals sound familiar to you to traditional patient care from Rehabilitation and. For years, which can impact your desire and ability to work in clinical care on OTs role in promotion... Some resources to make the switch easier for others I comment that OTs are familiar.. Ok with this, you get all of her crash courses included with states! 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