Can't decide between SLP and Occupational Therapy

[Meen521]

Hey all,

 

So for the past few months, I had decided on pursuing speech therapy as a career. I received a lot of observation hours and really, really enjoyed the field. Recently, I learned about occupational therapy, and now I'm torn between the two professions.

 

I personally enjoy both fields, as I wouldn't mind helping people with speech or motor/occupational issues. Both fields go hand-in-hand usually anyway. However, I've heard SLP is more political, has more paperwork, and also relatively more stressful. OT seems to be less boring to me, but it involves helping people with things like going to the bathroom and things like that...and I don't think I would like doing that! (Is it possible to be an OT and not do those kinds of things?)

 

I would really like to work with kids....and if I'm not mistaking, you can decide which setting to work in with both professions?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated! Pros/cons, etc. Thanks!

[jmjslpca]

I went through the same dilemma a couple of years ago. I know in my area, there are not many school-based OT jobs. I think they have only 1-2 OTs per school district. So, if you're leaning toward a school setting, that's something to consider.

[aucinema]

I'm gearing up to start my last semester of my SLP master's program and my best friend is currently finishing up in OT, so I guess I have some perspective on both.

 

I had never heard that SLP was more "political" than OT before nor seen any evidence of that, so I can't really comment. I've worked in hospitals and nursing homes and, at least in those settings, the amount of paperwork and stress is probably about the same for speech and OT. We all have to write SOAP notes, fill out insurance forms, and fill out physician requests notes for changes in the patients' treatment plans. In the schools, both SLPs and OTs are responsible for filling out IEPs and other necessary paperwork when they are involved with a child. I think it's really more about setting, such as B23 vs. public schools vs. hospitals rather than OT vs. SLP. The major difference would probably be that SLPs typically have larger case loads, adds stress. That said, this also means that there are probably more job opportunities for SLPs, especially in the school systems.

 

As for OT, I don't know if you could find a job where you wouldn't have to help people use the bathroom ... But I will say that if that's a deal breaker for you, then I would find another career path.

 

I personally love SLP, but OT sounds fun, too. Good luck.

[Jolie717]

Hey all,

So for the past few months, I had decided on pursuing speech therapy as a career. I received a lot of observation hours and really, really enjoyed the field. Recently, I learned about occupational therapy, and now I'm torn between the two professions.

I personally enjoy both fields, as I wouldn't mind helping people with speech or motor/occupational issues. Both fields go hand-in-hand usually anyway. However, I've heard SLP is more political, has more paperwork, and also relatively more stressful. OT seems to be less boring to me, but it involves helping people with things like going to the bathroom and things like that...and I don't think I would like doing that! (Is it possible to be an OT and not do those kinds of things?)

I would really like to work with kids....and if I'm not mistaking, you can decide which setting to work in with both professions?

Any advice would be much appreciated! Pros/cons, etc. Thanks!

When I was doing my NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) clinical rotation as a Respiratory Therapist, I observed someone who seemed to be in charge of feeding the babies. I later found out she was an OT and was in charge of "teaching" babies to swallow/eat. I thought her job sounded like the coolest job ever - holding adorable babies all day long and helping them eat.

I have since learned that in some (and who knows, maybe most?) hospitals this is an SLP job. It's interesting to find careers where different degrees/education overlap.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Jolie717

[TotallyOriginalUsername]

One thing I've heard from a few SLPs is that when it comes to budget cuts, they're often the first thing to go, and the last to be added when funding increases. Fields like OT and PT tend to be a bit more stable in that regard. 

 

This was from people working in a major hospital in an area with public healthcare. Not sure if this holds true for school settings or private healthcare settings- but it's potentially something to keep in mind.