Why OT for me?

Thanks to Cindra for asking the questions!
1. OTR/L  (Occupational Therapist Registered/ Licensed) .. Nationally Registered, State Licensed...
2. I currently work in a home health setting.  This is a great place to treat patients... in their natural surroundings.  They are usually more motivated and happy to be at home.  Also the teaching is relevant and specific to them and their home (such as teaching how to get into a claw foot tub, etc..)  I pursued occupational therapy after a volunteer job at a day program for adults with brain injuries.  The person who led the group addressed so many things: physical games, cognitive skills, fine motor arts and crafts ,social group;  I loved the holistic approach!  I asked the leader what her degree was in and learned it was OT!
3. To get into OT school required a minimum of 2 years of prerequisites (but I did 4).  There was also a review of transcript, required hours shadowing an OT and an essay.  OT school itself was an additional 2 years for a Bachelors.  OT is now an entry level Masters program.  I applied to 4 schools.  There was no gap before starting school for me because we started Anatomy with dissection that summer.  I think that class was meant to "weed out" a few before starting the 2 year intensive course work.  We had 2-4 Level I fieldwork experiences lasting several weeks each.  At the end of our course work we had 2 Internships lasting 3 months each, with an optional 3rd Internship.  I did one at a Veterans Hospital in California and one in Pediatric School District in Wisconsin.
Then came the big OT test to get Registered nationally.  That was difficult!!  The state licensing tests have been pretty easy; more about rules than OT itself.
4.  I started right away as an OT, but looking back it may have been more fun to be an OTA (less evaluations and paper work!).
5. I worked while going to school.  I worked various part time jobs:  children's day care, line therapist for children with autism, home worker for adults with disabilities.  These all gave me experience to complement my education.
6. My future plans? I would love to return to Seattle!  I would love to do more with aquatic therapy again.  I would love to open a center that combined health care with community wellness such as a Kids Sensory Center.
7.  I have worked so many places... Washington state had a lot of great opportunities.  I worked in aquatic therapy, a skilled nursing facility  for Dementia patients, a school district, adult day health center, and home health care.  They all had something unique.  I love being in a profession with so many options for places to work and so many different groups of people I can work with.  This job is never boring!
8.  Before entering my profession, decide whether being an OT or an OT Assistant seems more appealing to you.  (compare schooling, pay, job requirements...)  Know that occupational therapists are a bright, caring, creative, hands-on group of individuals who want to make a difference especially helping clients do what is personally meaningful.  If that sounds like you, shadow an OT for a day and then come join us!  Job outlook continues to look good as far as I can see!