Allied Health – Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy Allied Health Guide
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a professional field that emphasizes the importance of functional activities and daily tasks. Occupational therapists (commonly shortened to OTs) utilize their knowledge to assess their patient’s ability level and create an intervention plan to help their patients gain or regain independence in their daily lives. This profession utilizes collaboration, creativity, humanities, and sciences. OTs work with patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly.
Undergraduate Prerequisite Coursework
- Anatomy with Lab
- Physiology with Lab
- Biology I with Lab
- Intro Psychology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Lifespan Human Development
- Intro Statistics
- Intro Writing or English Composition
- General Physics I
- Intro Sociology or Intro Anthropology
- Medical Terminology
This list covers the most frequently required prerequisites. Please see individual program websites for exact requirement information.
Education & Advanced Degrees
- Master’s Degree of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
- Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- PhD in Occupational Therapy (typically earned in combination with an OTD)
Advanced Degree Requirements
- Documented observation hours (typically 40+ hours required)
- GRE test scores
- References (Academic, Professional, Therapy)
This is a list of the most frequently required admissions requirements. Please see individual program websites for exact requirement information.
Potential Workplace Settings to Explore
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Outpatient clinics
- Private practice
- Acute care facilities
- Industrial environments
- Rehabilitation clinics
- Community settings
- Mental health facilities
- Homes
Career Resources
- Join OneHop using your jhu.edu email address
- Complete your profile
- Search “Allied Health” in Groups to join the conversation!
OneHop Allied Health Professions Alumni Group
- Join the OneHop Allied Health Professions Alumni Group where current students interested in allied health can connect with alumni allied health professionals.
Allied Health Professional Associations for Students
- American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Explore Allied Health Professions “Allied health encompasses a broad group of health professionals who use scientific principles and evidence-based practice for the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of acute and chronic diseases; promote disease prevention and wellness for optimum health, and apply administration and management skills to support health care systems in a variety of settings.” – Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP, 2021)