Every now and then I look back at why I became a Occupational therapist (OT)! I contemplated other professions but my heart just wasn’t in those careers. I didn’t want money or a title to drive my life! I wanted God’s will!

With alot of prayer and research I stumbled into OT. No one ever mentioned this career path to me. I never knew it even existed! During my second year in college the pressure to declare a major amounted. One day as I read about OT, I remember saying, “That’s me! Helping people do life!”

I loved the idea of being able to help people in various ways. I loved the idea that an OT can work in different settings but remain an OT! We OT’s work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, schools, home health care, private practice, vocational programs, health promotion, disability prevention/management, accessibility programs, and even mental health facilities. Honestly the sky’s the limit!

Did you know OT’s are more than hand therapists and people who assist with ADLs (activities of daily living) which may include bathing, dressing, showering etc? We are not limited to upper extremities only either. Somehow people try to box us and sometimes we are to blame as we box ourselves in. Anyways, OT’s see deficits and try to help people be as independent as possible in virtually everything that is important to an individual! We may look at the physical, psychological, and mental functions of an individual and try to assist them by directly addressing the issue or finding alternative ways they may be accomplished.

Ultimately, God led me this path. I wanted a field where I could help and assist people minus the blood and IV. Initially, I chose pharmacy, but then I felt there wasn’t enough human interaction and that money wasn’t everything lol. I almost did public health because I love the idea of health education and desired to do non profit work or work one day in Nigeria. But I chose OT because I could do health education but have a direct impact in people’s lives. For me, once I saw stroke patients’ lives transform I just wanted to be apart of making such a big difference! 

God is teaching me a lot more about compassion and patience through this career! Patients change my life daily. I am challenged to live out scripture everyday in ways I didn’t think I’d have to. Sometimes, I may question why I chose this career path, but I am reminded when I see a patient go from being completely dependent to walking and dressing mostly themselves! It’s worth coming home sometimes exhausted! It’s worth it to see people live life to their fullest!

God’s word says, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV This is one work I’m called to do and I’ll do it until God calls me to something else if He chooses! 

Being an OT has changed me for the better!

How did you land in your profession?