Men in OT?

[agh2415]

What are everyone's experiences with men in OT? (either as a man or working with one) What kind of specialties do they tend to go into?

I've been browsing nursing forums and it seems like many men have experienced both positive and negative discrimination. I'm curious to see if OT is like this as well.

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[GoGators09]

I can say that as a man I was put to the top of the volunteer list at the particular place where I did most of my shadowing (pediatrics). There are very few male OTs and even fewer in peds. I was received with so much joy and all the therapists loved that someone would come in and willingly sword fight and play kickball with the kids. I had fun and everyone there was very encouraging for me to enter OT.

 

[SDCal19]

In all of my volunteering I have only encountered one male OT. The women I have worked with were happy to have me there (I am a male) and said sometimes males can get a different reaction from a patient. I didn't see much of a difference personally. I only volunteered in a Peds setting which is where I hope to end up. One thing I did notice is that probably 95% of the kids I worked with were male.
I was just accepted into the University of St Augustine in San Marcos. I am not sure how many guys will be in the program but when I visited USC back in the fall, I only counted 6 guys out of 100 in the class picture.

 

[superCOTA]

In good places there will be no issues w/ being a man.



I have worked with a few men in OT.. maybe 25% is pushing the ratio ...but we are around.

 

[OT4sure]

As a male, I've observed for quite a few hours in OT settings and from what I've seen men are seen as equal, respected, and visible partners in OT. Even though women outnumber men 9 to 1 in OT never once did the issue even come up. Unlike nursing, where it seems like the issue is brought up constantly (trust me, I used to be a nursing student). Don't even let this be an issue in deciding about OT, it's a rewarding and growing field regardless of your sex.

I am man, Hear me Roar