Coursework & Fieldwork bachelor degree decision

[ot_pedi10]

Hello. My main goal is Occupational therapy and at first, I planned on choosing the "safe" route to getting into OT school by trying to pursue a degree in exercise science, but after researching what jobs you can get with an exercise science degree, I found it is limited to the realm of personal trainors which is not my dream. So I considered doing nursing and then apply to OT school later on. The reason why I am worried about getting a job after bachelors that can get a decent income is that I will need money to pay off debt and just plain live whether I get into graduate school right away or not. Can anyone in OT school tell me if this is bad idea or some suggestions for me as far as jobs go for exercise science? I would think nursing wouldn't hurt your chances because you are still getting experience in the healthcare field, but I am not positive. I need a lot of help!

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[peanut57]

I'm currently an ot student and I just wanted to let you know that you can major in ANYTHING before you go into ot, it's such a diverse field. I have classmates who majored in exercise science, but also those who majored in art history. I have classmates who are fresh out of undergrad, and some who got a bachelor's 20 years ago. I majored in human development and I was worried about being at a disadvantage to those who majored in kinesiology but I'm finding out that is not necessarily the case. Undergrad is really different from grad school. I'm currently in functional anatomy and it's difficult, but it's difficult for those even with a background in kinesiology, at least at my school. In our program, there is a great emphasis placed on learning the material vs. memorizing the material, which many of us are finding is very different from our undergraduate experiences. For example, understanding how a severed nerve would affect the body's movement and which muscles control that movement are some of the things we are working on, as opposed to simply identifying a bony landmark or labeling a specific muscle which is what many people do as an undergrad.

All of that being said, this is just my take on the situation and others of course, may have had other experiences.

Overall, I would major in something that really interests you. You can link ot to any major or job if you try. If you're looking for something with very obvious transferable skills, teaching is a good option, but really, it can be anything.

Hope that helps a little. Good luck!!

 

[CAOT]

Major in something you enjoy and can excel in.

 

[Sk8OT52]

I decided to major in biology and psychology. I did great in psychology but not as well in biology, which I only did because I thought it would give me a leg up getting into OT school. From reading through blogs and talking to admissions counselors, I don't think the biology major was the best choice. While I learned a ton of cool stuff and I think I will be more prepared for the functional anatomy portion of OT school, my GPA suffered. Therefore, you should choose a major that you enjoy and that you can excel in. That being said, if making money in between undergrad and grad school is a priority, I don't think a psychology or sociology major will be very helpful.

 

[sngot]

I cannot say that it is bad idea if you can manage. It is important to point out that Nursing degree is just as intensive if not more so than Exercise Science. Nursing comes out with a professional license. Exercise Science provide options but it depends on which path you take: personal training, exercise physiology, research associate, and etc. Alternative miscellaneous options that could be explore are medical assistance, phlebotomy, rehab aide/ tech, massage therapy, certified nursing assistance, pharmacy tech. All of these will be less intensive in my opinion. Do nursing if you can see yourself doing it in the future but don't jump into if finance is your biggest concern. Getting into OT school is getting increasingly more competitive so I say focus on something you can enjoy and manage to be the most important thing. That may be nursing or it may be something else.

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