OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST COURSE ?

Duration and Eligibility criteria for the degree course of BOT

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is a 4-5 year-long undergraduate course designed to produce efficient Physiotherapists that can help the physically or mentally challenged people enjoy their life without any hindrance. There are around 25 institutes in India that offer the course. In India, this program is recognized by the All India Occupational Therapists Association (AIOTA) and the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). Upon successful completion of the course, graduates apply for the National Certification Examination to get the license to practice Occupational Therapy officially.

The average course fee in India ranges between Rs 15,000 – Rs 80,000 for the total duration. The average annual salary offered to successful graduates of the field lies between INR 2-6 lakhs per annum. There are certain minimum criteria which are to be fulfilled by the students who want to take admissions in BOT courses:

• One has to complete their 10+2 from a recognized educational board with an aggregate score of 50% for general candidates and 45% for SC and ST quota candidates.
• The students must have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics or Biology as the compulsory subjects in 10+2.
• The students who are about to appear in their 10+2 exams are also eligible for the course on a provisional basis.

Although we are talking about the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy course, there are other courses in the same as that of:

•  Diploma OT (Occupational Therapy) course
•  PG or Masters in OT Degree course
•  PG Diploma OT course, also available.

Essential skillset every student of Occupational Therapy should have

1. Aspiring eligible candidates for the course would ideally possess:
2. Avid learning, as the field of medicine, is ever-changing, hence learning new things and applying them successfully is much required.
3. Excellent observational skills so that they demonstrate and participate in healing patients.
4. Good use of vision, hearing, and other sensory modalities.
5. ability to devise methods that would most benefit them mentally, physically, or
6. Sufficient motor skills to be able to conduct activities like palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic therapies on patients.
7. Critical thinking, emotional stability, and maturity, empathy for the disabled, physical and mental stamina.
8. Ability to perform motor functions so that they can provide general care and emergency treatment to the needy.
9. Ability to fully utilize their intellect.
10. Capacity to develop sensitive and effective relationships with patients.
11. An upper hand in measurement, calculation, reasoning, and analysis.
12. Good problem-solving and critical thinking.
13. Qualities of ethics such as integrity, empathy, and concern for others.
14. Ability to devise methods that would most benefit them mentally, physically, or emotionally challenged.

Process of Admission for Occupational Therapy Degree

Some of the best institutes in India for the study of Occupational Therapy degree require the students to achieve required cut off scores in relevant entrance examinations like that of the All India Entrance Exam. The examinations are followed by a subsequent round of counselling which includes group discussions and Personal Interview which analyze the general aptitude of the student. Some of the institutes even conduct their own entrance exams before admissions like that of CMC Vellore Entrance Exam, Manipal University BOT Entrance Exam, Delhi University Entrance Exam and KMCH College of Occupational Therapy Entrance exam. Some private institutions also provide direct admissions based on the marks scored in 10+2 examinations.