Occupational Therapy is a health profession that involves in providing aid to help to people who are mentally or physically challenged. These people can be of all ages. Occupational therapists help these people by giving them treatment and mental support. Therapy is given to these patients to lead a normal as well as healthy lifestyle. Occupational therapy mainly concerns in enhancing a person’s ability to take part in everyday activities.

A number of institutions in India as well as overseas offer students with the graduate level course in Occupational Therapy. Students who clear this program can opt to go for advanced studies or take up jobs. More on the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy program is mentioned below.

Eligibility Criteria for B.O.T

The basic qualification required by a person to join the graduate level program in Occupational Therapy is a pass in standard XII. These students must have completed their studies in the science stream. To become a licensed OT, aspirants need to have the BOT degree. The certification ought to be from an institution that is accredited.

Personal Attributes required in a candidate for B.O.T

A student needs to be patient as well as understanding. They need to have the ability to be empathic. The skill to communicate efficiently and work as a team is important as well. Besides this, all aspirants need to work hard. A good eye for detail and mental alertness will also prove to be beneficial for them.

Admission Procedure for B.O.T

Students can join this course subsequent to the completion of their class 12. They should have completed this course in the science stream. A few institutions may choose to carry out an admission test and the selection of candidates is done on base of their performance in this examination.

B.O.T Entrance exams in India

Admission tests in occupational therapy are mentioned below: -

• All India Entrance Exams
• CMC Vellore Entrance Exam
• SVNIRTAR NIOH Common Entrance Test
• Manipal University Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Entrance Exam
• All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AIIPMR) Entrance Exam
• K.M.C.H. College of Occupational Therapy Entrance Exam
• Delhi University Entrance Exam.

Top B.O.T Colleges in India

These are the top colleges for BOT:

• All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chakradhara Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
• Christian Medical College, Vellore
• College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
• G.S. Seth Medical College, Mumbai
• Govt. Medical College, Chennai
• Institute of Physically Handicapped, New Delhi, Delhi
• K.M.C.H. College of Occupational Therapy, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
• L.T. College, Mumbai
• National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata, West Bengal
• NIMS University, Jaipur
• Occupation Therapy Training School, Mumbai
• Patna Medical College and Hospital, Patna, Bihar
• S.M.S. Hospital, Jaipur
• S.R.M. Institute of Medical Science and Research, Chennai
• Santosh College of Occupational Therapy, Chennai

B.O.T course curriculum

At the beginning of the program, aspirants will learn the foundation units involved in occupational science, psychology, anatomy and physiology. Practical classes on occupational therapy will also be given.

Aspirants also will have to undergo annual fieldwork placements in addition to an inter-professional education block at the end of each semester. The latter includes working with candidates from other health science courses in a team. The topics that are covered in the 1st and 2nd years of study will be common for all aspirants. The units that are studied in the 3rd & 4th year will have some changes. This is depended on whether the aspirant is taking the honors or passes level degrees.

I Year:

• Anatomy ( Theory/ Practical)
• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Psychology-1
• Occupational Therapy-1 (Theory / Practical)

II Year:

• Pharmacology
• Microbiology  and Pathology
• Biostatistics and Research Methodology
• Psychology-2 ( developmental and Organizational Psychology)
• Occupational Therapy-2 (Theory / Practical)

III Year:

• Clinical Orthopedic & Rheumatology
• Clinical Neurology
• Bioengineering
• Occupational Therapy in Orthopedics (Theory / Practical)
• Occupational Therapy in Neurology (Theory / Practical)
• Occupational Therapy in Rehabilitation (Theory / Practical)

IV Year:

• Clinical  Psychology and Psychiatry
• Community Medicine and Sociology
• General Medicine
• General Surgery
• Occupational Therapy in Mental Health (Theory / Practical)
• Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics  and Developmental Disabilities (Theory / Practical)

B.O.T Specializations

These are the specializations available in BOT:

• Adult Rehabilitation
• Assisted Living
• Community Consultation
• Driver Rehabilitation
• Ergonomics
• Hand Therapy
• Home Health
• Paediatrics
• Vision Rehabilitation

The study of BOT include these specializations:

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Practice
• Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy
• Human Anatomy
• Human Physiology

B.O.T Text Books

• Anatomy and Physiology by Smout and Mcdowell
• Anatomy by Chaurasia - All 3 Volumes
• Human Anatomy by Kadasne
• Human Anatomy by Snell
• Kinesiology by Katherine Wells
• Neuro Anatomy by Inderbir Singh
• Neuro Anatomy by Shell
• Neuroanatomy by Visharam Singh

B.O.T Course Assessment Methods:

The performance of aspirants shall be assesses by the points mentioned below:

• Discussion
• Examination
• Group projects
• Oral/PowerPoint presentations
• Quizzes
• Written reports

What to do after B.O.T?

A wide range of employment opportunities are available for students of occupational therapy. Community health centers, rehabilitation centers and mental health services also employ Occupational therapists. Schools and commercial organizations are a few other places where Occupational therapists can get employment. They can also be concerned in ergonomic consultations in corporate firms as well as architectural arenas for better accessibility by people who are physically challenged.

Job and Career options for B.O.T

Occupational therapists have good career opportunities within our country. Patients who are suffering from ailments related to orthopaedic, psychiatric or neurological problems can be treated by Occupational therapists. Jobs can also be got with firms of the medical industry. Many Government Organizations as well as NGO’s to provide job opportunities for Occupational Therapists.

Some Job Types

These are a few job types available for BTO graduates:

• Consultant
• Occupational Therapy Technician
• OT Nurse
• Private Practitioner
• Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Teacher

Some Employment Areas

These are a few employment areas available for B.O.T graduates:

• Adult Daycare Programs
• Community Mental Health Centres
• Detention Centres
• Hospitals
• Polyclinics
• Prisons
• Psychiatric Institutions
• Rehabilitation Centres
• Residential Care Facilities
• Special Schools
• Sports Teams

Remuneration after B.O.T

Students of occupational therapy have the opportunity to get very good salaries. Freshers of BOT will get as much as Rs 8,000/- to Rs.10, 000/- a month. The salary of individuals who are working with the private sector will be as much as Rs 15,000 to Rs. 25,000/- a month. But this will vary in accordance with the skill as well as work experience of the individual. Those who are working independently will be able to earn as much as Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 1 lakh a month.