family and OT, stress of OT

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I am in my mid 30s and making my first big career change. I've been researching the field and am really excited because I've been searching for a long time for work that would be meaningful to me, gratifying and practical. I think that OT is an excellent fit for me and have applied to some schools.

Here are my questions:

1) I also want to start a family. I feel like I don't have time to put either schooling or family off. Would it be insane to try to pursue both at the same time? Any insight into the demands of grad school and the first few years of practice would be helpful.

2) How stressful is the work of an OT (with or without family)? I have no doubt that I would be dedicated to the work and would give it my best. I'm just interested in how stressful the daily demands may be -- a distinction between more and less stressful settings/ populations would be helpful to me. My interests are leaning towards stroke rehabilitation, aging in place, less mental health interest. The kinds of things that stress me out are not knowing what I am doing, being overwhelmed by too much to do and conflict among colleagues.

Any insight would be much appreciated!

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If you dont do it this year, you'll be a year older when you do! -Warren Miller

I am a dad and taking 12 credits while working F/T .. It's crazy... absolutely crazy.....

What pre-reqs do you have done?
I assume you would be working during school ?
Politics are the same in this job as your current one. Everyone is here waiting to hate you as much as your current job. :love:

The president may have some rude awakenings for the health care field.. do you really want to go this route, NOW? It's all i know how to do.... but to dive in now in y(our) old age... wow.

May I ask what you do now, and how much school you have squared away?



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to answer your question ... the geriatric stroke rehab places keep you busy. they are getting more anal w/ efficiency audits ... hours worked vs billable time... yes they are up your business over there...


the average office job worker spends half the day on the net tooling off... here you work till you go home, and if it's slow they send you home.
 
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SuperCOTA - I have a BA in an unrelated field and I'll be done with my prereqs this summer. I will not need to work during school if my husband still has a job.

I get along well with others, so I'm really not too worried about stressful relations with colleagues.

I realize that the level of stress depends on the OT, the setting, the population served, etc. so perhaps I can't expect too much in the way of answers to this question since there are so many variables.

I want to love what I'm doing and do it well, yet also come back home at the end of the day and have some energy left for other interests, family, etc.
 
Pediatrics is much lower stress and working a school schedule is nice. They say being a male is a plus... until you work w/ 95 females... so I say being a female in a school is a plus.

Working in NY but having family all over the country, it's amazing how people outside NY work to live, cause here it's vice versa. :mad:

OT salaries dont drop off as hard as others (financial sector, for one).
When you look at the midwest and mid south eastern states they still do pretty good. ... so you can get out of the hustle bustle, buy a cheaper house and still bring in the coin. And be home before most every day, and have off with your kids and watch them grow up. hows that?

I will seriously look at skipping town when I get my next shingle.
 
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