Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

“Occupational therapy is a holistic evidence-based client-centered first contact and/or referral profession of modern health care system, based on science of occupation, with primary focus on purposeful goal-oriented activity/occupations, enhanced with the use of latest technological systems for evaluation, diagnosis, education and treatment of the patients (clients) of any age group, whose function(s) is (are) impaired by physical, psychosocial and cognitive impairments, development disorders, or the ageing process affecting their quality of life, with the aim to prevent disability, promote health & well-being and return to optimum occupational roles. Specific occupational therapy services include but are not limited to: preventive health literacy, assessment & interventions in activities of daily living (ADL), work & productive activities, play, leisure and spiritual activities; functional capacity analysis, prescription, designing and training in the use of assistive technology, adaptive equipment & splints, and environmental modifications to enhance functional performance.” (Definition by the All India Occupational Therapists’ Association [AIOTA], 25^th April, 2017)

Source Reference: https://aiota.org/about_ot

“Occupational Therapy” means a branch of health care system which involves application of purposeful goal oriented activity through latest technology with computerized system and the like in the evaluation diagnosis or treatment of a persons whose function is impaired due to acute and chronic physical illness or injury, psychological dysfunction, congenital or developmental disability or the ageing process in order to achieve optimum functioning, to prevent disability and to maintain health; specific occupational therapy services which include education and training in activities of daily living (ADL); the design, fabrication and application of or those (splints); guidance in the selection and use of adaptive equipment, therapeutic activities to enhance functional performances; prevocational evaluation and training and consultation concerning the adaptation of physical environments which may be provided to individuals or groups and to both indoor and outdoor patients.

“Occupational Therapist” means a person who possesses occupational therapy qualification obtained from a recognized institution specified in schedule I and whose name has been enrolled in the Register of Occupational Therapists. (Definition by the Maharashtra State Council of Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy, 2004)

Source Reference: http://mahaotandptcouncil.in/

At the end of the program a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) graduate shall be a healthcare professional who aims at optimizing as well as maximizing the patient’s health in a team of healthcare habilitation and rehabilitation professionals, via evidence-based client-centered enabling and purposeful assessment and treatment program and activities.

On completion of the BOT program, occupational therapy graduate shall be motivated to work as an independent healthcare professional to deliver occupational therapy services to his/her clients on first-hand basis or on referral basis, either in a clinic setup or in a hospital or nursing home setup. The program will also enable occupational therapy graduates to take up employment in a wide range of other settings such as government, private or non-governmental health centers or organizations, home healthcare, industrial setup, IT companies, mainstream or special schools etc. A graduate may also prefer to work with an experienced occupational therapy professional to gain confidence for independent practice.

A graduate may also opt to advance his/her knowledge, skills and expertise by enrolling in post-graduate programs offered in various occupational therapy schools in India or abroad and later may opt to do PhD for specialized occupational therapy clinical practice or to take up teaching faculty positions in academic institutions.

At the end of the training of the bachelors’ program student shall be able to:

1. Diagnose disability and manage common impairment problems of the individual and the community & make timely decisions for referral to specialized clinics.
2. Appreciate rationale of different therapeutic modalities & use them appropriately.
3. Assist in the management of emergencies medical, surgical, neonatal pediatric by rendering appropriate procedures.
4. Demonstrate skills in monitoring the National Health Programme & orient to provide preventive, curative & rehabilitative services for community-based rehabilitation (CBR)
5. Develop consultive role for the health & family welfare services in existing socioeconomic, political & cultural environment as a part of C.B.R. organization.
6. Render therapy to chronically sick & disabled both physically as well as mentally challenged & achieve maximum physical mental & functional & vocational independence for them.
7. Use effectively ‘job modification’ techniques in workplace based on ergonomic principles to achieve good quality of life in community.
8. Use early intervention Programme for neonates & school children to prevent secondary changes & learning disabilities.
9. Use biomechanical & patho physiological principles to design alteration in common orthotic devices & to fabricate hand orthosis & self-help adaptations.
10. Develop assessment skill using common standardized instrument to achieve psychosocial rehabilitation.
11. Use functional analysis index & correlate it with disability evaluation to aid in workman’s compensation & other legal procedure as per the social legislature.