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Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Example 6
I have always been interested in a career in the care industry and, after meeting with an experienced occupational therapist, I was sure that occupational therapy is a career suited to my personality and abilities. I am excited by the diverse nature of the work and the effect that meaningful activity can have in helping individuals improve their quality of life and achieve personal goals.
My interest was confirmed by my experience of the work that occupational therapists do. I was able to spend time shadowing individuals from a team of paediatric occupational therapists on several occasions. I was given a valuable insight into the different ways that they work; I have attended case study meetings and an art therapy group in a special school and also playgroups in a hospital setting for children with cerebral palsy. I was also able to observe home visits to children with autism, development coordination disorders and hemiplegia. Most importantly, I have seen and discussed how occupational therapists use exercises, equipment, and their own knowledge to help children to lead as normal a life as possible. As well as this, I am soon to begin volunteering on a stroke ward at a hospital. I hope that becoming familiar with patients and seeing what help is given to them by the occupational therapists who work there will give me an insight into OT in a hospital environment.
I have also gained experience working with elderly people. For the past year I have been employed part time in catering at a nursing home for elderly people, many with severe mental health problems. I have become familiar with a range of specialist equipment for individuals with problems such as arthritis and dysphagia, as well as the opportunity to help with activity groups and with a visiting dog therapist. Through this I have built relationships with residents and learnt how to communicate with older people, many with severe dementia. This has been a challenging but rewarding experience for me.
My communication skills have also developed through a range of activities. I volunteer in a children's nursery each week, as well as in the school's 'buddy reading' scheme where I help a number of Year 7 students with reading difficulties. I also did work experience for a week in a primary school. There I was asked to help the carer of a young girl with learning difficulties who struggled to engage in lessons. I was able to gain her trust and with my guidance she became happier working with others. This experience has given me confidence communicating with children, and I would love the opportunity to work with children and young people in the future. Studying Biology, Psychology and Sociology A levels has helped me gain an understanding of people, both physically and on a more psychological level. I enjoy learning how people interact with one another individually and also in wider society. Chemistry has been a challenging but enjoyable subject for me, and in school I have been able to develop my understanding of different sciences, statistics and the importance of research.
I have been a member of Fire Cadets since 2008 where I have learnt a number of skills specific to the fire service, as well as basic first aid, team work skills and the ability to communicate and work under pressure. For my part in a community clean-up scheme run by the Local Police, I was recently awarded a 'Civic Award' from the local council, which was a great honour. Also, having achieved my bronze and silver awards, I am currently working towards my Gold Duke of Edinburgh. The scheme has taught me a lot about independence and the commitment needed to see the scheme through to completion.
I am looking forward to the challenges I will face at university, meeting new people, making a new start and to learning the skills that will eventually take me into an interesting and incredibly rewarding career in occupational therapy.
Profile info
This personal statement was written by coatmanwest for application in 2012.
coatmanwest's Comments
This is exactly as sent to ucas, only I've removed names of the places I work etc. After I sent this off I was invited to interviews from all of my 5 choices, given offers by four and recently accepted onto my first choice after A level results day.
I'm putting this online mainly because there's hardly any examples out there for occupational therapy personal statements, so I hope someone finds this one useful.
This personal statement is unrated
Related Personal Statements
Thanks this is a great.
Sun, 17/02/2013 - 14:10
Thanks this is a great personal statement and ive found it really useful in structuring each paragraph. Really grateful!
Sat, 31/08/2013 - 04:27
What all universities did you apply to?
Natalie (current A2 student)
Mon, 14/10/2013 - 23:40
Thank you, this has definitely helped me start my own personal statement, as I have been currently struggling with it! I just wished I had as much O.T work experience to add - I hope I find some ! :)
Which universities did you
Mon, 11/11/2013 - 18:31
Which universities did you apply to, offers and rejections please. It would be really helpful, thank you
This is brilliant! you are
Fri, 28/02/2014 - 13:51
This is brilliant! you are right when you say there aren't many personal statements on Occupational therapy...this has helped be structure my own qualifications and experiences and lay it out better. Thankyou :0) x
Mon, 15/09/2014 - 03:13
This helped me allot, I was pretty insecure of what to write but this guide me tons! Thank you so much!
Add new comment

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Examples
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- Introduction
The Process
1-begin early.
- 2-Comfortable Place
3- Download Grammarly
4-backup system.
- 5- Plagiarism And Cheating
- 6-First Attempt Isn’t Perfect
Questions To Address Or Reflect on
Recommendations, first paragraph, the middle or body part, ending paragraph, faq and self-doubt.
You will be required to submit a personal statement when enrolling for an industrial therapy program, whether through UCAS or directly to the universities of your choice.
You can take ideas from otcas personal statement examples .
To write a personal statement occupational therapy, you may need to do the following:
- Reflecting
- entering something on the screen
- experiencing writer’s block
- becoming sidetracked
- taking a break
- correcting it
- inputting some thoughts
- deleting those ideas
- having it proofread
- reading it aloud
- making more tweaks
- and you’re done!
Set-up and Preparation
Start composing your statement as soon as you feel ready. Don’t put off writing until the last minute. Editing, re-reading, getting proofread by somebody else, and making more modifications are all required for personal statements.
if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'personal_statement_writer_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_7',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-personal_statement_writer_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); 2-Comfortable Place
It doesn’t have to be a silent library to be effective. It just must be what works. Go to the coffee shop if it’s one.
Write at a location that you associate with positive work (but where you won’t be easily sidetracked, such as a kitty cafe) similar to your favorite study space.
For incorrect spellings and grammar checks, we utilize Grammarly as a browser extension. It’s great at identifying errors as you go, as well as the free edition is all you’ll get to get started with basic editing.
This frees you up to concentrate on the writing rather than the spelling. If you struggle with typing in general, software such as Grammarly can help. While it might offer corrections for errors, the material must be written by you. We’re not quite there yet with AI, but we’re getting there!
Losing all of your hard work would be a major setback. These days, you may effortlessly store your data on the cloud using Google Drive/Docs. This applies to both your statement and your graduate school application files, which include notes, deadlines, resumes, and other information.
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Do not plagiarise or cheat. Take help from others or you can approach us to help you out by providing you with the best occupational therapy personal statement examples or write a statement for you.
if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'personal_statement_writer_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_18',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-personal_statement_writer_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); 6-First Attempt Isn’t Perfect
After all, you’re presumably writing something like this for the very first time, with a unique combination of experiences to impress the OT’s admissions panel. Artists may find it challenging to create art, music, or a book in a single sitting. So don’t worry about it!
- In your writing, you should be sincere. Allowing your positive feelings and enthusiasm to shine through is encouraged.
- All of your writing should be in the same tense and person (“I,” first-person is appropriate).
- Discuss why you are 100% committed to becoming an occupational therapist. You want the programs to know you’re serious about making this choice. You aren’t applying because you don’t know what else to do with your life.
- Demonstrate your understanding of OT and why it’s significant in some way through your writing.
- To emphasize why you’ll be a fantastic fit for their program, highlighting distinctive qualities that will set you apart from the competition.
- Do mention your shadowing, volunteering, and employment experience in the field of occupational therapy. If you talk about some of the examples you saw, make careful to keep patient information private.
- If you know and understand OT terminology, such as interventions, therapies, occupations, goals, proof, functional treatment options, and so on, feel free to be used it.
- Make a connection between your statement and your resume. If you make multiple separate arguments, strive to tie them together for the reader to show that you’ve given the broader picture a lot of thought.
- Would have had at least two individuals read and proofread the final text of your statement and the more for, the better. This might help you come up with new ideas and guarantee that your application is free of errors.
- Keep it to no more than 1-2 pages. You want it to be succinct and to the point. After the last read-through, if any sentence or paragraph appears to be extraneous, remove it. OT personal statement length is usually between 600 and 800 words long.
- Follow the prompts and guidelines for writing a therapist personal statement . To be sure, read it multiple times. Don’t go above the word limit if one exists. Before submitting, double-check everything.
if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'personal_statement_writer_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_21',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-personal_statement_writer_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); Don’ts
- Emphasize only what is relevant rather than an autobiography. It could be included if something you did in high school or perhaps elementary school encouraged you to become an occupational therapist.
If you or a family member received OT services as a youngster, mention it. Include it if you overcome a difficult situation as a child. Leave the extra stories out if you don’t need them.
- Don’t use sentences that are too similar to each other; instead, utilize alternative terms. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use a thesaurus to search up words. Consider what point you’re attempting to make.
- Cliches should not be used to begin your essay. Omit them entirely from your statement. “I’ve always tried to support others,” for example, is something they hear all the time.
- Plagiarism is not tolerated. You can find many personal statement samples on the internet to help you with your writing. Do not copy and paste them verbatim.
- In your statement, don’t try to be funny.
- Avoid talking in great depth about your dislikes, bad viewpoints, or personal issues. If you have a low GPA or little experience, don’t bring it up unless you can spin it in a favorable light.
- If you’re writing an OTCAS personal statement , don’t name any specific programs in your comment. It will be sent to every school you apply to. Thus it is pointless. If you’re applying to a school that isn’t on OTCAS , be sure to specify the school and why you’re interested in their program.
- Don’t assume that everyone’s experience in diverse contexts is the same as yours. A skilled nursing facility, for example, differs from a hospital, a pediatric clinic, and a school setting. This could backfire, revealing your lack of understanding of how wide occupational therapy can be.
- In your pre-OT journey, how have you interacted with people from different origins and societies?
- How did you figure out that OT was the right fit for you? Why don’t you try PT? (Think about that, but don’t respond directly.)
- Who or who were the influencers?
- What role did monitoring play in your decision to pursue a career as an occupational therapist ?
- What do you want to do after you graduate from OT school?
- What obstacles did you face before starting OT?
- What distinguishes you from the competition? Why should I choose between you and person A or B?
- If you’re applying to a particular course, explain why you think you’d be a good fit for the batch, training course, school, or academic staff. What kind of person are you?
- Discuss why you want to become an occupational therapist, but not merely to “help” people. How? What kind of people/community/background do you have? Conditions? Why?
- While you should avoid making comparisons to other programs, strive to emphasize why occupational therapy is distinctive as a career and why it appeals to you above all others.
- Demonstrate your awareness of what occupational therapists perform, as well as how your narrative and examples led you along the route to becoming an OT. Your story may work for a doctor, a nurse, or a psychiatric nurse, for example. As a result, you’ll have to wrap everything up to fit OT.
- Use occupational therapy language or phrases if you feel comfortable, and don’t go overboard, such as occupation, therapy, treatment, activities of daily living, proof, cooperative, multidisciplinary, customer, holistic, functional, and so on. You will not have to sound like a journal article; plain English will suffice.
- Describe why you’d be an excellent candidate (fit) for their program. Consider not only your experience but also your personality and qualities. What are some examples of innovation, leadership, patience, resourcefulness, and dependability?
- Demonstrate why you will succeed in the program and not “drop out” by telling tales or sharing experiences. Perseverance.
- Finish strong and with a bang. Consider physical therapy personal statement examples and end your statement in that way using excellent words.
Topic Sentence : An attention-getting sentence. Enter your narrative with a spark.
Supporting sentences : Provide details of the aforementioned story.
Last line : Expressing why you choose (or maybe a good OT).
Opening sentence : When I was a, I [did this or that] at [business or school].
Supporting sentences :(use transitional devices in this section)
The final sentence(s): sum up the story and, if desired, insert a transitional device.
1st line : Repeat why you’ll be a competent OT in the closing paragraph.
Supporting sentences : Begin closing things up with supporting sentences. A broad view. If you’re applying to a specific program, think about why you’re interested in it.
Concluding Lines : Finish forcefully by emphasizing that you want to be an occupational therapist. It’s worth mentioning because it’s relevant to your long-term objectives. Consider concluding everything with the words “physical therapist” (identification), for example, “…be a successful physical therapist” OR “physical therapy,” for example, “…to pursue a degree in occupational therapy.”
Here are some occupational therapy masters personal statement examples that will help you out in writing statements.
I’ve always wanted to work in the healthcare field, and after completing several work experience positions, I’ve concluded that Therapeutic Communication is the right career option for me.
As part of my work experiences in school, I shadowed various employees, including pediatric physical therapists, on a pediatric ward.
During my undergraduate years, I worked part-time as a kitchen assistant in an aged care facility. This allowed me to become acquainted with one of the contexts in which occupational therapists can find themselves. My experience at the care home also allowed me to observe how various types of specialized technology and therapy can be used to make a significant difference in a patient’s life.
My time at college and university, and also my part-time employment, have allowed me to enhance my communication and collaborative abilities. I enjoy communicating with other individuals and meeting new folks. I’m also fascinated by how the human brain functions, which is why I studied Psychology and Sociology at A-Level.
I’m hoping that my time at university will allow me to have a better understanding of how people interact with one another and to build the necessary skills to become an effective occupational therapist. I’m excited about the new difficulties that university life will bring.
I did a lot of thinking after graduating in terms of the profession I wanted to follow. Is it true that I wanted to please my parents by pursuing [career]? Should [company name] be expanded and taken to the next level? I knew I wanted a job where I could serve people daily, but none of those options fit the bill. I witnessed my [family member’s] anger and lack of personality after she broke her arm and has been unable to come back to work or help at home. Our family’s financial situation deteriorated significantly. When my [family member] finally met an orthopedic surgeon, I encouraged her to follow her care plan’s exercises, and she eventually recovered forearm function. My [family member’s] resilience encouraged me to pursue a career as an occupational therapist, where I can assist people in developing, recovering, and improving the skills they need to function in daily life, work, and lead active lifestyles.
“I have no idea where to begin…”
That’s fine; start writing about an event or incident you’ve been thinking about and expand from there. Begin to write in the middle, as introductions and endings are notoriously tough to write.
“My statement cannot be proofread by anyone.”
“After writing all of this, I’m not aware what Therapist do anymore”
Will my statement for OT be perfect?
Of course! it will be perfect if you write it according to the instructions and do not plagiarize.
- Take help from the internet and see occupational therapy essay examples . If you don’t find any useful information, ask for help from people who have written a personal statement before.
- Don’t stress while you are writing a statement. Just focus on your statement. Grammatical mistakes and others can be fixed later.
- Write at least drafts and compare both to choose the best one.
- Read it again and again and make changes if needed.
- Don’t just rely on these tips from your instructor or supervisor too.
- Do search for Occupational therapy personal statement reddit; you will see people’s views about ot personal statements.

Author & Editor Team: : Adila Zakir, Alexa Smith
Our review panel has been working in academic and non-academic writing for more than 1 decade.
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Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction
This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.
You may be thinking:
- Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
- Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
- My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
- These examples don’t really relate to me.
- I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
- How do I even go about this?
Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!
While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.
I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!
Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!
Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.
The Process
The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:
Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.
Set-up and Preparation
Start Early
When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.
Install Grammarly
We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content. AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!
Cheating & plagiarizing
I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.
Have a back-up system for your document
It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.
Write in a place you feel productive
It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.
It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first
After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!
- Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
- Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
- Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
- Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
- Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
- Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
- Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
- Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
- Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in other ways .
- Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
- Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
- My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
- Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
- In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
- Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
- Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
- Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
- Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
- Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
- Avoid being sarcastic.
- Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
- In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
- Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
- Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
- Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
- O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
- However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
- This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
- The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
- O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
- Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
- Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
- Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
- “OTs make a lot of money.”
- “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
- “I am the best candidate because”
- “Since I am… , therefore”
- “Unlike others”, or
- “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
- Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
- When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
- Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
- Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
- Don’t use profanity.
- In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
- “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
- I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
- Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
- You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
- “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
- Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
- This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
- What experience may be unique to you ?
- For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
- This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be generalists , not specialists.
- While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on
Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.
- What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
- How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
- What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
- This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
- I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
- Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
- What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
- What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
- Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
- “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or
Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.
Recommendations
- Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
- Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
- Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
- Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
- Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
- If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
- As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
- Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
- Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
- How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
- The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.
Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.
Paragraph 1
Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.
Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.
Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.
Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)
Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]
Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).
Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.
Concluding Paragraph
Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.
Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).
Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals. Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.
Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.
After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .
- This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
- While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
- Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
- The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.
I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .
- Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
- Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
- Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
- Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.
I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.
- How would you improve this example?
- Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
- Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
- Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
- Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
- Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
- The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.
As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .
Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt
Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.
“This is my 100th time applying…”
Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!
“I was never good at writing.”
Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.
“My experience is not that special.”
Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?
“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”
Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.
“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”
You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.
“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”
Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.
“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”
Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.
“No one can proofread my personal statement.”
Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and uploading your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.
“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”
Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.
“I don’t know where to start in writing”
That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.
- Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
- Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
- Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
- Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
- In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
- Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
- Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
- Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.
Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!
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Write an Awesome Personal Statement for OT School
So you want to be an occupational therapist, but you still have to jump through the hoops of applying for grad programs. One mandatory part of the process is writing a great personal statement specifically for OT school, which can be pretty intimidating when it’s time to put pen to paper.
Well, I’m here to help!
I personally spent quite a bit of time crafting the best possible personal statement I could for OT school, and have since read and edited many personal statements from pre-OT applicants.
These are my tips for you to craft a great personal statement that will help you stand out from the large crowd of pre-OT applicants.
The Do’s and Dont’s of Statement Writing

- Do show sincerity in your writing. It’s encouraged to let your positive emotions and enthusiasm shine through.
- Do talk about why you 100% want to be an occupational therapist. You want the programs to see that you are serious about this decision. You are not just applying because you can’t think of anything else to do for a career.
- Do in one way or another demonstrate through your writing that you know what OT is and why it’s important.
- Do showcase why you’ll make a great addition to their program, adding unique qualities that will differentiate you from the other applicants.
- Do talk about your shadowing experience, volunteering and work experience that is relevant to the field of OT. Make sure you keep patient information confidential if you discuss certain cases you observed.
- Do feel free to use the language of OT if you know it and are familiar with it (i.e. interventions, treatments, occupations, goals, evidence-based, functional treatments, etc.)
- Do tie your personal statement together. If you make several different points, try to piece them together for the reader to show that you’ve really thought through the big picture.
- Do have at least two people (but the more the better) read and proofread the final draft of your statement. Ask friends, family members, and someone at your school’s writing center. This can help spark ideas and ensure your application is completely free of typos. The last thing you want is admissions to immediately notice any glaring spelling mistakes that you may have missed.
- Do keep the length to 1-2 pages max. You want it to be short and sweet. If any sentence or paragraph looks unnecessary after you do a final read-through, get rid of it. As a general rule, personal statements run on average 600-800 words.
Don’t…

- Don’t start your essay with cliches. In fact, leave them out of your statement altogether. An example of this is “I’ve always wanted to help people” (they see this all the time).
- Don’t plagiarize. There are a lot of personal statement examples on the internet that you can absolutely use to guide your writing process. Do not use them word for word. Programs can find out and will exclude your application. U se the examples as templates of what kind of content you’ll cover in your statement.
- Don’t try to be humorous in your personal statement. I’m sure you are hilarious, but this is not the time.
- Don’t talk about your childhood. Focus on college and post college achievements unless something in your childhood or adolescence is what drove you to a career in occupational therapy. Remember that this isn’t an autobiography, it’s a statement on why you’ll be a great OT.
- Don’t guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don’t write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. Don’t just write something to try to impress people.
- Don’t be a downer. Avoid going into detail about your dislikes, negative views, or problems in your life. If you have a low GPA or lack of experience, don’t mention it unless you can put a positive spin on it. Listing excuses for your low GPA or GRE score isn’t a good idea either, unless you really feel the need to tie in why your GPA is lower but how you’ll be an awesome therapist despite this.
- Don’t mention specific programs in your statement if you’re using OTCAS . It will be sent to every school you apply to and therefore won’t make sense. If you apply to an individual school (not on OTCAS) then absolutely mention the school and why you’re passionate about their program.
Check out the How Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.
Ask yourself this question.
A bonus tip I found while perusing the Student Doctor Network while researching this topic. The tip is to ask yourself this question:
“Can you replace your personal statement with a degree other than OT? If not, it’s solid. If you can, then try to revise to make it only relevant to OT.”
If you have any tips or tricks you’ve discovered while writing your personal statement for OT school, please feel free to add them in the comments section. Good luck with your statement-writing!
Be sure to check out these resources as well:
Writing the Personal Statement (Purdue OWL)
Start Your Grad School Personal Statement in Just 1 Hour! (The Muse)
Writing a Personal Statement (Emory Pre-Health Advising)
5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School (My OT Spot)
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As I’m working on my application essay this week, your article is very helpful! Thank you.
I’m so glad it was helpful for you 🙂 Best of luck with your applications!
Thank you for this article! I just wanted to know, do you offer services proof reading other people’s personal statements? That would be really helpful for me!
Hi May, I do offer personal statement reviewing that you can set up here . Instead of the traditional coaching call that’s linked, it will instead entail personal statement edits and feedback via email 🙂
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Occupational therapy statement of purpose sample for the master's degree in ot.

The most exciting thing in my life so far has been when the patient has that ‘Ahaa moment’, when they themselves realize that their therapy is working. So many patients have come in for therapy because "their doctor told them to" and they are not sufficiently motivated. However, once they've been to a few sessions and can experience the profoundly positive impact that therapy can have on their body and their life; then they understand and express their gratitude. I love helping people adapt to changing lifestyles as they get older. Often, people don't realize how small changes in their everyday behavior can make such a big impact on their quality of life down the road. This is where I hope to end up in the many career path as an OT professional.
What I love most about OT is the privilege of making a positive, profound, and lasting contribution to the quality of someone’s life. I really enjoyed seeing OT patients learn and continue to make life-style changes that improve their quality of life. It is really awesome to see people thriving in life as a result of the help you have given them. No matter how much progress is made, even if it is very modest, it is always rewarding. One gentleman told me: “if it wasn’t for the help of his OT, my son wouldn’t have a life.
I have learned many valuable things about patient care and the therapeutic process in general by serving in the PT setting. I enjoy my work as a PT immensely but I see OT as representing a still more meaningful career in the long term, more intense in the deepest spiritual sense. I really see myself helping older individuals adapt to living alone or just more independently, or working with children and their parents on feeding and play techniques that further learning processes. This is how I see the essence of a career in OT, helping people move from one stage of their life to another.
Learning Spanish over the course of these last few years has been another important aspect of my life, especially so as I look forward to using this language professionally in the future with members of the Hispanic community. I look forward to going on missions to Latin America in the future as well, as an OT professional. There have been so many occasions where I wish I knew more Spanish to communicate better with people or patients I’ve come across, and I just wasn’t fluent enough, yet; but this does not discourage me, it just increases my motivation to improve. I love to travel and helping the underserved tops my priority list, so it definitely looks like I will be getting better acquainted with Latin America and/or the Caribbean after completing your program, and for the balance of my career.
I want to learn increasingly to think in a holistic fashion about the needs of those who I am helping to achieve improvements in their lifestyles, whether that may entail, diet, exercise, etc. I want to be able to make a daily, positive improvement in people's lives, and the best way I can think of doing that is by helping them get through the everyday challenges that are difficult for them. I have fallen so deeply in love with the world of therapy and healing, positive energy and spiritual enrichment that I cannot imagine doing anything else for the balance of my professional life. I've learned so much by being involved in multiple therapy settings; and I have become accustomed to constant growth and creativity on personal as well as professional levels.
I have wanted to be a therapist since high school and have been working hard towards that goal. Being the first member of my immediate family to go to college, it has been a great learning experience and I feel humbled and honored to be entering a field as noble as OT. I truly cannot see myself being completely happy in any other career. I really enjoy the personal connection to people that OT offers and haven't been able to find anything else that compares. Overall, I think that my patience and understanding of people as well as optimistic mindset is what draws me to this career field and it is these qualities that I believe will make me a great Occupational Therapist.
I attended XXXX Community High School in XXXX, graduating in May 2012. I then went to community college for 2 years before transferring to XXXX College where I completed my Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology, graduating in December of 2016. My education thus far has me very engaged with lifestyle management research, especially as directed towards certain, specific demographics. As our society in general continues to age, older people are in need of greater resources and useful information on how to successfully age, and I want to contribute to this effort. My mom serves as a constant reminder that even though she is older and wiser than I am, she is always in need of support as she faces new challenges as she ages, and she needs to stay busy. I practice on her already, making suggestions as to how to stay occupied in creative ways, filling voids left by her children who are now adults and busy with their own lives.
Finally, I also have experience as a volunteer, having volunteered in a hospital in a variety of settings, helping out where ever I was needed. I shadowed an OT in an early childhood school setting. I am currently looking for professional and volunteer opportunities, working with autistic children or children with developmental disabilities, to gain more experience in preparation for entering a Master’s Program in OT.
I thank you for consideration of my application.
- Accounting, MAcc, MSc
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- Nursing Masters, GMSN, MN, MS, MSN, ANP, FNP, WHNP
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- Occupational Therapy
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Samples of My Work in OT Occupational Therapy Masters
- Master's Degree Occupational Therapy, Pakistani
- OT Masters, African-American, Haitian
- MA OT, Down’s Syndrome, Syrian-American
- Masters Occupational Therapy, Chinese Woman
- OT Masters, Haitian-American Woman
- MA Occupational Therapy, Chinese-American
- Masters OT, African American
- MOT, Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy
- Masters in Occupational Therapy, African
- Masters OT, Bilingual, Latina
- Masters, Developmentally Challenged Children
- OT Occupational Therapy Masters, Military, Iraq
- OT Masters, Pediatric Massage, Autism
- OT, Occupational Therapy Masters
Letter of Intention to Remain on the Wait List for Graduate Admission to the Occupational Therapy Program

In a few days, I will begin serving as a volunteer with XXXX Therapy of Rockland, NY. This organization is comprised of highly trained OT professionals who treat various conditions such as fractures of the upper extremities, reconstructive hand surgery, traumatic injuries, and also have a special concern for children and pediatric issues in OT. As a volunteer with this organization, I will be able to spend an entire year closely observing some of the most distinguished OT professionals in my area in preparation for entry into your program. I intend to give my all to this organization so that upon my enrollment at XXXX College I will already have extensive experience in OT issues, challenges, and will be better positioned to excel as a student in your program.
As a Haitian woman who has spent her entire professional life in the area of Human Resources and Development, I have long distinguished myself in the areas of diversity and inclusion. I look forward to bringing this experience to your program and sharing in your celebration of diversity at XXXX College. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reconsidering my application for admission to your distinguished program.

At XXXX hospital where I volunteered, I met several patients who were coming to see occupational therapists due to discomfort in their hands. Most of the patients were middle-aged adults and most of the causes of their discomfort were due to overuse of their hands at work; other problems were the result of rheumatoid arthritis. I would assist these patients by putting their hands in a paraffin bath to reduce the swelling while soothing the pain in their joints and muscles. Other patients came to see a therapist to regain function lost as a result of recent injuries such as falling down the stairs. We helped all of these patients by educating them and providing them with assistive devices that would help them to carry out their daily activities until they were able to fully regain their lost functions.
I observed an occupational therapist in the inpatient unit conducting evaluations so as to be able to discharge some patients and admit others. Thus, I learned the great importance of documentation and how to document a patient’s progress notes and evaluation reports so as to record the status and condition of the patient and the treatment that has been or needs to be provided, all of which may be read by other health care professionals and/or third party payers.
At XXXX College, I was known as student who strived to become a tremendous asset to the college by devoting all of my talents and time to my studies and volunteer activities. I served, for example, as a mentor scholar in the ALANA Men in Motion Program, a college organization where minority male students meet once a week during the school semester to discuss current issues in the media. I also served as a tutor at the center for academic program support where I assisted student with their math, chemistry and computer science course work. One of my greatest achievements was being nominated to the Green Key Honor Society, a college honor program that represents HCC in the community by organizing events to raise money for charitable causes.
I want to help you get accepted to Graduate School in Occupational Therapy, OT Degree Programs

There are many excellent graduate programs in Occupational Therapy that will prepare you for a lifetime of distinguished service in OT, providing you with the knowledge, skills and value of lifelong learning to practice occupational therapy in customary and innovative ways within an ever-changing world. Throughout the course of your studies, you will become an exceptionally keen observer, active listener, creative strategist, critical thinker, resourceful leader and practical educator who helps people set and meet goals, overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.
I began my studies in the humanities and social sciences, first thinking about psychology and ending up majoring in philosophy as an undergraduate student. Along the way, I had several work study jobs that made big impressions on my long term career development, including in the area of occupational therapy. I was employed for about one year for the Occupational and Developmental Training Center in Bloomington, Indiana. I went in at night in order to care for developmentally disabled adolescents, getting them up and rolling in the morning to greet their day, breakfast, toiletries, etc. One client in particular has proven to have etched out a most enduring memory in my mind. My client Tracy was 16 years old and built like a Sumari Warrior. She also had razor sharp teeth, all of which made her rather dangerous because she had the mental development of a 6-month-old baby. On my first day of work, within hours of my arrival, I found myself prying her mouth open to secure the release of the fingers of shrieking staff person whose fingers had been bitten to the bone.
It is our duty to make sure that Tracy’s life is fulfilling. Given what Tracy has to work with, this is no easy task. OT is a science and an art of its own with some of the greatest challenges in the world. I am convinced that this area of studies attracts applicants many if not most of whom have golden hearts and a passion for service to the weak and disabled, those who need them most. This is why it is a great pleasure and honor for me to help you in the drafting of a statement that is highly effective and will be successful at getting you admitted to the program of your choice in Occupational Therapy.
I have developed a special interest in Occupational Therapy primarily because I think that this field attracts good people who are interested in the most important things in life, rather than primarily making money and showing off what it can buy. Most of all, it is their sense of service to their fellowman. I also do a lot of work for nurses and social workers, for the same reasons. Five years ago exactly, I was living in the south of Mexico, working hard on my computer, drafting statements, and I lived with a family. Grandpa was in a wheelchair, and he would get daily visits from an OT professional. As I worked, I would look up and observe. I reflected at that time about the importance of what I was observing, especially for grandpa. But, it is also important to note that I feel strongly that the OT visit to grandpa was also healthy for the entire family and the visitors like myself as well. Especially his two grandchildren, who at that time were about 8 and 13. Clearly, this served to cultivate a sense of community in the children as well. It was healing for them to see someone caring for their grandfather.

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Occupational Therapist discusses her typical day at work
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Statements of Excellence for Admission to Master's Degree Programs in OT

The Heroines of Occupational Therapy
Forbes reports that women make more money in a few female-dominated education and healthcare jobs. Occupational therapy is one of them.
Suzanne Rastrick
Suzanne Rastrick knew from age 12 that she wanted to be an occupational therapist: “There was something about problem-solving, about looking for solutions for service users and being able to make a difference.”
Rastrick began her career in the hospital sector, specializing in biomechanics and orthotics. By age of 25, she was a head OT. Four years later, she took on her first general management role as a hospital matron, a position that was soon followed by a range of senior management positions. She was director of nursing, a primary care trust chief executive and director of quality for a clinical commissioning group during that time.
Today, Rastrick is chief allied health professions (AHPs) officer for NHS England. She is responsible for all 12 AHPs, including OTs. Rastrick, who took up the job in September, says: “For me, it has always been about applying my OT skills in any role I have taken on. Having that professional curiosity, to seek solutions for service users and then to translate that into better services. Finding solutions for one’s patients and carers, you have to listen to what their needs are and quite often that translates very well into leading and managing services.”
Working in an integrated landscape also comes naturally to her because of her professional background. “The ability to work across different sectors is what OT is about,” she says. “For me that is just fantastic.”
Sarah Lyon is a UK OT and has a lot of great things to say about her career. She is another female OT we admire.
Sarah entered the healthcare field because she wanted to help people. The classic stereotype. But starting a career is a lot like getting married: you have no idea what you are signing up for, she says.
Sarah still loves her profession, though, because she gets to help people. However, there are so many factors that contribute to career satisfaction that she did not consider when applying to occupational therapy school. She feels like she got lucky. Here are some unforeseen reasons why she loves her career:
Yes, Sarah works in an industry brimming with regulation, but when she begins each treatment session, it feels like the brush is in her hands. Within certain limits, she can bring whatever creativity and insight she believes will bring the most value to her patients.
And while she loves autonomy, she is also glad that she doesn´t have ultimate responsibility over matters that can literally be life and death. Doctors can take on that stress, she adds. Doctors typically sign off on OT treatment plans. But if something goes terribly wrong, there is an emergency button she can push and a care team will come running.
The Opportunities for Specialization and Mastery
Lymphedema management; women's health; wheelchair management; assistive technology; hand therapy; myofacial release, neonatal care; low vision; sensory integration—the list goes on.
The opportunities for specialization in this field are really extensive. When Sarah was first looking into careers, she did not consider how long a 40 year career could be and the drive she would feel to keep learning and honing her skill-set. She is thankful there are so many avenues to pursue with an OT license. Many therapists will pursue multiple specialties over their careers, and enjoy every minute of it.
Schedule Flexibility
School teachers have to teach during the school year; nurses have to provide 24-hour care—there are obvious scheduling challenges in many helping professions.
Luckily, OT schedules usually happen between 9-5 on weekdays. Due to the demand for therapy, full-time, part-time and contract positions are often available, too.
Sarah got very sick during her pregnancy. Reducing her hours to part-time allowed her to keep working, while also taking care of herself.
The Job Market
Sarah receives voicemails and mailings at least weekly from OT recruiters. These keep her from feeling trapped in her job. There is great comfort in knowing that there are other jobs out there and, ultimately, she is making a choice to stay in her current position.
Getting out of Debt Quickly
Sarah received her masters in occupational therapy and was able to get a full-time job lined up before she even passed her boards.
To be a physical therapist, you have to have a doctorate (more school and more debt). Occupational therapy is heading toward the entry-level doctorate in the UK, but Sarah feels lucky to have gotten licensed at a time where she could receive a similar education to her doctoral counterparts and contend for the exact same positions.
There are of course many factors to debt reduction. However, taking on less debt in the first place is a good way to start.
The Balance of New and Routine Tasks
This may be one of the reasons why many healthcare professionals love their jobs. The type of work lends itself to a nice balance.
To keep us grounded, we have an established community of coworkers and certain tasks that we need to do every day—but you never know who is going to be on your caseload! This variety provides new challenges and gives you something to talk about with colleagues over lunch break.
The International Network
Sarah´s Twitter community hails from England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. OT is a booming industry globally. It is fun to connect with colleagues from around the world. In college, Sarah talked a lot about becoming global citizens with her fellow students. She never would have dreamed that becoming more invested in her local work would lead to global connections, but it has and she loves that about her work.
The Patients
Sarah´s patients keep her coming back to work. She has been so inspired and moved by the lives she have encountered. Sarah can only hope that she has helped them half as much as they have helped her grow as a therapist and as a person.
Are you looking forward to enjoying a career in OT as much as this? We´d love to help you get the jobs you want, and get onto the programs you´d like to study on. Let us know if we can help!
How positivity, creativity and play can help children in therapy.
Sample 1st Paragraph for Occupational Therapy Master’s Degree Program

Sample 1st 2 Paragraphs for the Masters Occupational Therapy, Korean, Sports

Most of all, however, my great passion for Occupational Therapy comes from the experience of my uncle. Most Korean families are very close; and my uncle was always a central figure in my family, filling a leadership role and working hard on behalf of all of us. When he was injured and became incapacitated, it was a terrible blow to my entire family, especially since his wife abandoned him as a result of his accident. Since that time, I have watched my uncle recover little by little, slowly rebuilding his life, something that would not have been possible without extensive rehabilitation and occupational therapy.
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Occupational Therapy Personal Statement
Excellent interpersonal skills, self-management and capacity to work with a variety of people and challenges, are qualities which I believe make me an ideal candidate to study BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy. I have education, training and work experience alongside my motivation and ambition to succeed on this course, to become a fully qualified and practicing Occupational Therapist. From a young age, I have been involved in caring for adults with various occupational stresses. Through work experience and training, I have become adept at solving problems with practicality and understanding. I find it very rewarding helping people optimise their quality of life. This experience has fuelled my desire to further my knowledge of occupational therapy techniques and skills.
I am currently studying Access to Occupational Therapy, where I have increased my knowledge in mental health, stress management, communication and diversity. I have learnt and used various techniques to help people overcome or manage their health issues.
This personal statement shows that I believe this course is my next step to becoming a fully qualified Occupational Therapist. I understand the course involves theoretical and scientific modules, research and clinical placements, applying prior knowledge and experience to develop core and graduate occupational therapy methods. Understanding psychological and physiological aspects of the human body, I will be able to treat and prevent disability and promote independent function.
I enjoy maintaining a good level of fitness by running and playing table tennis. Keeping my mind and body in shape gives me a personal sense of wellbeing, so I can focus my efforts on providing quality care and attention at work.
With over three years experience in working within residential care environments, I have developed my communication and organisational skills, and gained a greater understanding and hands-on experience in occupational therapy.
As a Care Assistant, my key responsibilities include ensuring residents receive a high level of daily physical, mental and social support. By helping to develop and manage limitations or disabilities patients may have, requires commitment, patience and respect to help them fulfil their daily lives with greater satisfaction.
Assisting with activities such as country walks and games involved a high level of organisation to ensure all patients and staff were aware of where the activity was taking place. It also commanded excellent interpersonal skills such as listening, teaching and breaking down activities into achievable components. I have developed a great appreciation of safeguarding, diversity and protection of vulnerable adults gained through work experience and education.
Working in residential care homes allowed me the privilege of assisting and observing day-to-day duties of Occupational Therapists. I have developed an understanding of the assessment process, how equipment can assist elderly patients to become as independent as possible, and learnt different approaches to solving real problems faced by patients.
I have undertaken various training courses such as Manual Handling, Protection of Vulnerable Adults, Diversity and First Aid which have been invaluable to my daily working life. I regularly read various books and articles relating to occupational therapy, which expand my understanding of issues and useful techniques.
Through this personal statement, Studying BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, I hope to further my knowledge, clinical experience, values and professional strategies to be able to function effectively and autonomously in all spheres of occupational therapy.
On completing this course, I hope to practice in a health centre or care environments, where I can enable people to lead a full and satisfying life as independently as possible. I believe I have the patience, ingenuity, determination, common sense and enthusiasm to become a successful practicing Occupational Therapist.
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Have you ever had a moment where you thought to yourself, “This is exactly where I am supposed to be”? This exact thought runs through my mind as I work toward my goal of changing career paths, from healthcare administration to a career as an Occupational therapist. My interest in the profession began in high school while working at a home health and rehabilitation company. Occupational therapy attracted my attention because not only does the discipline address physical needs, but it addresses the psychological and emotional needs of individuals. I have always wanted to work in healthcare, to work and interact with people, and the opportunity to assist others in leading healthy and fulfilling lives; which makes Occupational therapy the perfect fit for me.
Initially, when I began my undergraduate studies at Slippery Rock University, I was an exercise science major with every intention to pursue a career in Occupational therapy. Unfortunately, during my first semester I dealt with difficult personal issues that caused me to struggle to adjust to the college environment and focus on my coursework, therefore negatively impacting my academic performance. Being new to the university, I was unaware of the resources available for emotional support nor the option to withdrawal from the courses in which I fell behind. This experience left me with a lack of confidence and confusion in regards to my capability of succeeding as an exercise science major. Despite the challenges that I was facing, my fervor for helping others persisted and I was lead to my major in Healthcare Administration and Management, where I found my work could still benefit others while working behind the scenes in administration.
While I had once believed that a career in administration was right for me, after graduation I decided to pursue Occupational therapy based on my experiences with my grandfather who has Parkinson’s Disease. While other members of my family are living with Parkinson’s, it was not until my grandfather was diagnosed in 2016 that I fully understood it’s effects. This diagnosis has a rippling effect, radiating onto the individual as well as their loved ones. It has been incredibly difficult to watch as Parkinson’s disease attempts to strip my grandfather of his self-reliance and ability to do the things that give him fulfillment. Occupational therapy allows him to hold onto his independence and to remain living safely in his home. His occupational therapists have provided him with intervention such as the special pencil grips that enable him to complete his nightly crossword puzzles, an exercise plan that allows him to maintain his strength, and education on safety in the home and safety during transfers. The positive impact that occupational therapy has on my grandfather’s quality of life is the reason that I have chosen to pursue this path again. I too, want to be someone who enhances and enables others to participate in the everyday activities that give their lives meaning.
I believe that my undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration and Management is my strength and makes me a unique applicant. My degree provided me with the knowledge in the principles behind healthcare leadership, healthcare quality improvement processes, motivation, teamwork processes, healthcare information systems, the legal and regulatory environment, as well as managed care and healthcare reimbursement. I have had the opportunity to gain insight and experience by working in a variety of settings such as home health, long-term care, and adult day health care. By working in administration, I have seen firsthand how Occupational therapists work cohesively with different departments in order to ensure that patients receive the best quality of care. I have grown professionally through my experiences in healthcare, by developing a strong work ethic along with key skills such as communication, team work, social perceptiveness, problem solving, and organization – all which are skills that I will carry with me into a career in Occupational therapy. I possess knowledge not only in the science and anatomical requirements necessary to pursue a graduate degree in Occupational therapy, but also in the skills needed to become a leader in the field. As the healthcare industry evolves, Occupational therapists are being asked to take on leadership roles which include a greater understanding of the business of healthcare. My degree in healthcare administration and management has provided me with the assets needed to successfully take on these roles.
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For as long as I can remember, I have been brought up in a loving environment and encouraged to care for others. I have always been taught, 'treat others as you
I have always been interested in a career in the care industry and, after meeting with an experienced occupational therapist, I was sure that occupational
choose occupational therapy as my career and how my academic experiences, research background, and personal hardships have prepared me for graduate school.
Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Examples · Topic Sentence: An attention-getting sentence. · Supporting sentences: Provide details of the aforementioned
“OTs make a lot of money.” “I will be the best occupational therapist because…” “I am the best candidate because”; “Since I am… , therefore”
guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don't write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. · be a downer.
I cannot wait to get to work every day since I so very much love what I have been doing full-time now for the past two years, working as a Physical Therapist at
Occupational Therapy Personal Statement ... Excellent interpersonal skills, self-management and capacity to work with a variety of people and
I have grown professionally through my experiences in healthcare, by developing a strong work ethic along with key skills such as communication
Besides, considering my work experience, academic background, and interest, I believe that I am well-poised to be an occupational therapist. My caring nature