Occupational therapy involves the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with physical impairments and mental disorders. These therapists are concerned with helping people with physical impairments and mental disorders to live a normal life, by overcoming the effects
of their disability to the largest extent possible. This covers a very wide range of activities concerned with the physical, psychological, social and economic well being of the patients.

THE WORK

Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and with a variety of problems, both mental as
well as physical. Together with other members of the health care team, the occupational therapists assess the problems of the patients and devise programmes to help the patients regain as much normality and independence as possible. For this, patients are provided with whatever form of training or activity might contribute to their recovery.

MAJOR TASKS PERFORMED

Therapists are involved with their patients during their treatment and rehabilitation. Treatment: Occupational therapists often have to consult their patients' doctors regarding the degree of recovery the patient is expected to achieve. 

While working with physically disabled persons, they require the cooperation of physiotherapists, and while working with the mentally disabled patients; they require the cooperation of psychiatrists. Thereafter, the occupational therapists plan their strategy to suit individual requirements of patients, taking into account their physical, social, economic and psychological circumstances.

The treatment might involve strengthening exercises and other such techniques, new ways for patients to perform tasks, such as cooking from a wheelchair and the like. Apart from helping in the general treatment of the mentally retarded and those with physical disabilities, occupational therapists also provide assistance in the treatment of accident victims as well as of patients suffering from tuberculosis, rheumatism and blood pressure.

Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation of patients is also done, by encouraging various activities including art, craft, music and recreation. Activities like handicrafts, manual and industrial art, weaving, games, clay modeling and other activities are also encouraged. These activities assist in the strengthening of weak muscles and increase the limited range of joint action, to help coordinate movements and to train the unaffected parts of the body.

ENTRY

Entry into this profession, like all other paramedical professions, requires specialization in the area at the graduate or postgraduate level.

ELIGIBILITY

Candidates who have cleared the 10+2 or the intermediate level examination, with a background in science, are eligible for the degree and diploma courses in occupational therapy.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

The education and training of occupational therapists is broadly categorized into three phases. These include:

1. The medical phase, which includes the knowledge of basic medical sciences, the condition treated and the application of the theory of occupational therapy.

2. The study of the various skills and activities used for treatment.

3. The clinical practice of internship, during which the students treat different types of patients, under the supervision of qualified therapists.

The subjects taught vary in every institution and course. However, the syllabus usually involves the study of anatomy physiology, pathology and occupational therapy.

INSTITUTIONS

A large number of institutions in the country offer courses in occupational therapy. The Rehabilitation Council of India, based in New Delhi conducts a joint entrance examination for admission to the first year of the professional courses in physiotherapy and occupational therapy. 

These courses are available as B.Sc. courses of three and a half years' duration at the National
Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research in Cuttack and the National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped in Calcutta. 

The joint entrance examination is held at 11 centers in the country, including; Ahmedabad
Allahabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Mumbai, Calcutta; Delhi Gauhati, Madras, Ranchi and Trivandrum.

The Medical College in Nagpur and the University of Madras offer three-year degree courses in occupational therapy.

The Institute of physically Handicapped, in New Delhi offers a three-year diploma course in occupational therapy as well as a Certificate course which is of 35 weeks duration Patna Medical College, in Bihar, provides a two-year diploma course in occupational therapy.