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As an Occupational therapist, is it more fulfilling to work with the same patients over a long period of time or traveling to help patients everywhere?

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Kaitlyn’s Answer

That really depends on your personality and what makes you happiest. Some OTs love building long-term relationships. Working with the same clients over time lets you see steady growth and celebrate milestones together. It can feel very rewarding to walk beside someone for months or even years. Other OTs enjoy traveling. You get to meet new people, see different parts of the country, and experience many settings. It keeps your days fresh and exciting. Neither option is “better.” They are just different paths. If you value stability and deep connections, long-term care may be the best fit. If you crave variety and adventure, travel therapy could be perfect. The great part about OT is you can try both during your career. Many therapists switch settings until they find what feels most fulfilling.
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Brian’s Answer

Hi Claudia! Only you can decide what fulfillment feels like and looks like for you.

That said, you will find many people who get joy, satisfaction and a sense of purpose by doing things in service to others. It seems like you are already thinking about that by asking about Occupational Therapy, so no matter what approach you take, you will already be in position to serve others - all the time!

One thing that might help you answer the question for yourself is to reflect on your current 'work' (school & studies). Do you find yourself energized by deeply understanding one subject? Do you spend your own time researching beyond what is covered in class? Or are you quick to grasp a concept at the basic or core level and then energized by moving on to the next?

If you're not sure, maybe start a log or journal to reflect on the things each day or week that you lose track of time on and those things that seem to drain you or you avoid and procrastinate on. After a few weeks, you should start to notice trends. Once you do, it becomes a lot easier to look at job roles and careers through a lens that will tell you if it will likely feel fulling and energizing.

Hope that helps!
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Don’s Answer

Agree with Brian. I'd suggest you volunteer and try and get a mix of both experiences to begin to understand your preference. As a former physical therapist, I felt most fulfilled by working with a patient through the lifecycle of their treatment from evaluation, to development a treatment plan, implementing that plan, adjusting it as a patient progresses and then finally seeing a patient progress to the point where they can be discharged from therapy and sent home with a home program
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