Other OT-Related Information Do you recommend working while in OT school?

[Jbrot]

Hello, I was wondering if you guys who are in an OT program work while in school? How did you guys handle it? How many hours do you recommend working if its doable? Thanks!

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[Fbomb10]

The most I would do is 5-10 hours on weekends, I'm pretty sure your school work is going to occupy most of your day and your weekends will be spent preparing for the following week, most programs advise students to not seek employment.

 

[DesertPT]

I haven't heard of anyone working more than 10 or 12 hours a week in PT school...my impression is that OT school is about the same as far as time consumption, so I wouldn't plan too much on working. If the opportunity presents itself to pick up a little cash one or two days a week, then so be it. But don't plan on being able to rake in an significant amount.

 

[sngot]

It's always frown upon because the priority is studying. I do know there are people who have successful done over 20 hours of work a week. It is possible but not very common. Work does mean the time is taken out from somewhere. Once you are accepted into the school, I think asking the second years would be your best resources.

 

[naijagirl90]

Right now I am doing about 20 hours per week. In the beginning it was tough, but over time it got better. Just make sure you do not procrastinate on any of your school work and you'll be fine but I wouldn't advise working more then 20 hours a week.

 

[c2902]

In a traditional program, I'm guessing few people work much (maybe on weekends or something). I'm in a hybrid program that meets once a week in person, and the rest is online. Many of us work because we have to; lots of us are older, have families, aren't dependent on our parents anymore, etc. Our program technically says "no more than 10 hours a week", but the reality is that a lot of us work more than that, and it's somewhat overlooked by the faculty. The only condition is that if it were to start to affect our grades, then we'd be urged to cut back or face consequences. For me, I work more than that 10 hours a week but I also know where my limit is (somewhere between 15-20 hours a week), and so I have to say "no" to extra work, etc. In my second year especially, I've had to be really firm with my weekday boss, who was kind of jerking me around last year and trying to add more and more hours, which just wasn't possible. As it is, she knows that fieldwork, for example, takes priority so whatever day I had to go, that was the #1 thing. I've been lucky to have that flexibility, but I was up front about all of it from the start. I will obviously have to quit it in May when I start fieldwork. I also work on weekend mornings but that job is actually kind of aligned to OT and I will need it during fieldwork!
So all in all, it depends. I worked during my first graduate degree as well, which was a traditional in-class program, but it was less credits each semester. For a traditional OT program, it's probably a lot more difficult.