OT as a guy

[SLUstudent]

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I am currently accepted into a school which would allow me to go straight into their MOT program right after I get my bachelor's (I'm gonna be a junior this fall). I have been researching OT & PT and still need to do some shadowing but I think I would really enjoy the work as an OT.
MY only thing is I am coming to find out that OT is a very female heavy profession.

I would like to hear from some guy OTs on how this affects their outlook on the profession etc. Is it hard to find coworkers to relate to and such in the different settings you've worked in? Is it similar to being a male nurse where people kinda say "oh that's nice, a guy nurse" and do patients know any better than to always expect a woman OT? Also if some female OTs wanna chime in about their experience working with guy OTs... that would be great too.

What are some general thoughts after going to school and then working with mostly females. Is the field starting to even out? I'd just like to know some real life scenarios or numbers in the workforce today.

Thanks!

 

[alansda]

According to a 2009 survey, male OT's made an average of $5,500 more than female OT's. But apart from the numbers, I'd love to hear what other male/female OTs have to say about the topic.

 

[SLUstudent]

Bump. Anyone care to share anything?? Please.

 

[jbizzle]

just to chime in........but PT has a lot of females as well. Not as much as OT, but why should it matter as long as you like what you do👍

Im starting PT school soon

 

[caduceus27]

I am currently accepted into a school which would allow me to go straight into their MOT program right after I get my bachelor's (I'm gonna be a junior this fall). I have been researching OT & PT and still need to do some shadowing but I think I would really enjoy the work as an OT.
MY only thing is I am coming to find out that OT is a very female heavy profession.

I would like to hear from some guy OTs on how this affects their outlook on the profession etc. Is it hard to find coworkers to relate to and such in the different settings you've worked in? Is it similar to being a male nurse where people kinda say "oh that's nice, a guy nurse" and do patients know any better than to always expect a woman OT? Also if some female OTs wanna chime in about their experience working with guy OTs... that would be great too.

Hi
So I just finished the academic portion of the SUNY downstate OT program and doing clinical rotations. OT and PT are female dominated. OT is ratio is
way more 9:1. PT is about 7:1. So both professions have what I call a " male discrepancy." In my opinion with all the transfers and ROM that is required you would think more males would go into OT but it is a huge mystery to me. I for example was 2 males of 28 females in my class. For me it was hard at first, but I got used to it. It took a while though b/c class formed these clics that hate each other.... I think enough said. In clinic it's a different story than in school. yes you may be the only male OT in the department, but no pt or any other professional that I have come across thought the OT was going to be female. It's actually an advantage to male in OT because Ive been told by several OTs in the field that male OTs are much more in demand than females. So there are positives and negatives to being male OT. With time hopefully things will start to even out.

 

[alansda]

This topic interests me since I'm a guy, so I looked up on the Googlers for more info.

From a female student blog

Just about any MOT program is going to have its share of student drama. My understanding is that most programs will have a lot of females and maybe one or two males. In my program, we have 27 females and two males. I think we all know that stereotypically, females are more known for getting riled up about things. Therefore, occasionally, grad school will feel a little bit like high school, with cliques, petty arguments, and tempers flaring over stupid things. That's the bad side of OT school. The good side is, it's wonderful to have a large group of girls to talk to, gossip with, hang with, and be friends with. I love chatting with the girls about everything from A to Z. So being a large of groups is a both a curse and a blessing. Mostly a blessing. I love my OT girls, and of course our two OT boys!

And from a comment in a male student blog

I'm a male OT who has worked in both Canada (where I trained) and in Japan (my place of birth). Like Natan, I was the only male in my graduating class. I want to encourage all of my male colleagues to hang in there because this profession will reveal that it was the best choice you could have made on many levels. One of the benefits I have found is that in a female-dominated profession, males are remarkable and, well, ‘special'. When you're part of the 5% people notice you and even celebrate your existence. There is nothing like belonging to a group of compassionate, highly intelligent and skilled professionals. I think it has afforded me special treatment in many instances, and I think there is some credence to the persistence that men still have an advantage for advancement (I support change to this condition as I desire a fairer circumstance for my daughter when she grows up).
So, woohoo!, yay!! thank God we are here!; the men of OT!

 

[superCOTA]

Some people say it's a female heavy profession but the ladies I work with are petite and arent overweight at all. Hope that clears it up.

 

[beestrng]

Ha ha nice one.

 

[Whistle Pig]

"She ain't heavy! She's my mother....."😕😱😀

 

[SLUstudent]

Bump. Some more input??

 

[bigdan]

Hey.

I'm a guy who worked in OT for 7 years. It was then, as I am sure it is now, a profession with many more women than men. I loved it, to be quite honest. As stereotypical as it may sound, I found it helped our department to cut the estrogen with a little testosterone.

If you were concerned about being seen as a "Guy OT" by the general public, you're guilty of giving the general public WAY too much credit. The general public has very little clue about what OTs do, or even that our profession exists. Don't sweat the guy v gal stuff; get ready to explain what OTs do, and why your role is important.

As a rule, I never found that female OTs couldn't relate or that I had nothing in common with my female co-workers. Maybe I was just lucky, but I had great sports conversations, and found some drinking buddies among the ladies in our department. More importantly, you'll gain insight and perspective that you (almost certainly) do not have. How do you train a woman with hemiplegia to get her bra on? What about female hygiene? They'll show ya.

As for more self serving reasons to persist in OT, my experience (I DO NOT have stats to back this up) is that male OTs make more money than female OTs, and that male OTs are disproportionately chosen to be OT supervisors/directors.

OT is a great field. Don't let something simple keep you away from it if you're interested in it!

dc

 

[SLUstudent]

Any more guy OTs out there??

 

[COTA2Phys]

I'm not an OT, but a male COTA, and have worked as one for 6 years. I don't think that it is hard to relate to the female employees. We all get along really well. I have made true friends with many of my coworkers, both male and female. I work in a hospital setting (acute inpatient and outpatient) and some of the male patients appreciate a male therapist in certain situations. Similarly, a female patient might prefer a female therapist in certain situations. Overall, most don't care about your gender.

Like what's mentioned above, I wouldn't worry about being called the "Guy OT". I wish you the best of luck.

 

[PreOTfromLB]

Any more guy OTs out there??

Hi I was wondering if you would mind sharing what program you are going to be attending?

 

[OTKevin]

Hey everyone,
Male MOT student right now. We have a 1:7 male to female ratio in our class and 1:8 in the class before us, so yes it is a female dominate environment. Being one of the male OT's in the group is great, no complaints at all. It is not like being a male nurse in anyway. We all bring different experiences into the classroom and labs. Being male its interesting in how much alike and different in some ways we relate the material.
On the subject of dealing with bowel movements an such, its really what setting you are working in. During school its a tab bit harder to decide that for yourself however, being placed for internships can put you in a position that this might come up more ofter than not. After graduation its your decision. Although I have to say, I wouldn't want to have that be my primary responsibility.

Cheers

 

[neuroOT83]

According to a 2009 survey, male OT's made an average of $5,500 more than female OT's. But apart from the numbers, I'd love to hear what other male/female OTs have to say about the topic.

Male OTs make more because: A. males are more likely to work overtime and B. males do not have to take as much time off because of family/maternity. This is well know in sociology now. Good topic though.

 

[CoastalOT]

I am a guy applying to OT programs. One of the least savory things about the OTA program I was in was the cattyness that the girls had. Competition didn't describe it. The pettyness was astounding, right down to wear you sat in the classroom like high school, or worse. The gossiping certainly was right out of high school. I hope OT school isn't like that. I am fully for women's equality in the classroom, and I have to ask, do you think OT having as massive of a gender imbalance as it does lends itself to a certain set of problems that more gender balanced fields do not have?

I hate drama, I hate gossip, I hate petty behavior, and I will be honest that I think these qualities are more often going to be found in an all female setting than an all male one.

 

[keyboardmouse]

This topic interests me since I'm a guy, so I looked up on the Googlers for more info.

From a female student blog


And from a comment in a male student blog

lol

 

[CurlyHairedGirl]

I am a guy applying to OT programs. One of the least savory things about the OTA program I was in was the cattyness that the girls had. Competition didn't describe it. The pettyness was astounding, right down to wear you sat in the classroom like high school, or worse. The gossiping certainly was right out of high school....
I hate drama, I hate gossip, I hate petty behavior, and I will be honest that I think these qualities are more often going to be found in an all female setting than an all male one.

I worked in the male dominated computer industry for 15 years. In one of the offices when I worked with a lot of non-techies who were women, I did notice there was cliquishness. But a lot of the drama there was driven by male crisis-driven management. The manager welcomed a new employee by saying the job was like having not just one but two fire hoses poured on you at once.

The drama in male environments was often around "I'm a more bad-ass programmer/gamer/idealist than you are, and anyone who thinks differently or does things differently than I do is stupid and incompetent".

Men do cliques too, but they are usually quieter about it. They do tend to be loud about common interests that are guy things. The football pool or monster trucks.

On a business trip, I went to Hooters voluntarily because the food was good and there weren't a lot of other restaurants. I got tricked into going to a strip club involuntarily.

Peoples ages have a lot to do with that type of behavior. OTA school would tend to have younger people.

 

[CurlyHairedGirl]

I am a guy applying to OT programs. One of the least savory things about the OTA program I was in was the cattyness that the girls had. Competition didn't describe it. The pettyness was astounding, right down to wear you sat in the classroom like high school, or worse. The gossiping certainly was right out of high school. I hope OT school isn't like that. I am fully for women's equality in the classroom, and I have to ask, do you think OT having as massive of a gender imbalance as it does lends itself to a certain set of problems that more gender balanced fields do not have?

I hate drama, I hate gossip, I hate petty behavior, and I will be honest that I think these qualities are more often going to be found in an all female setting than an all male one.

I worked in the male dominated computer industry for 15 years. In one of the offices when I worked with a lot of non-techies who were women, I did notice there was cliquishness. But a lot of the drama there was driven by male crisis-driven management. The manager welcomed a new employee by saying the job was like having not just one but two fire hoses poured on you at once.

The drama in male environments was often around "I'm a more bad-ass programmer/gamer/idealist than you are, and anyone who thinks differently or does things differently than I do is stupid and incompetent".

Men do cliques too, but they are usually quieter about it. They do tend to be loud about common interests that are guy things. The football pool or monster trucks.

On a business trip, I went to Hooters for lunch voluntarily because they have good food. One of the guys thought it would be funny to give directions for a short cut, which took us to a strip joint.