In plain English
Occupational therapy is about occupations in the broad sense: dressing, eating, writing, working, driving, playing. An OT assesses what a person needs to do, works out what is getting in the way, and adapts the task, the tools or the environment as well as treating the underlying impairment.
Entry to practice is a master's or doctoral degree, supervised fieldwork, a national certification examination and a state licence. Occupational therapy assistants practise under an OT's direction and are licensed or certified separately.
The difference from physical therapy is the target rather than the setting. Physical therapy works on movement, strength and pain; occupational therapy works on the activity. Hand therapy, paediatric developmental work, and home and driving assessment are areas where occupational therapists lead.
Training and credentials
A master's or doctoral occupational therapy program, supervised fieldwork, the national certification examination and a state licence.
| Letters | What they mean |
|---|---|
| OTR/L | Occupational therapist, registered and licensed. |
| MOT, OTD | The entry-level degree: a master's or a clinical doctorate. |
| COTA | Certified occupational therapy assistant - a separate credential. |
Where they practise
Hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, schools and early intervention, outpatient and hand therapy clinics, home health, mental health services.
Occupational therapists on the public record
Counted from what providers file about themselves, with suppression applied before anything is counted, refreshed 2026-10-05. Names, specialties and practice locations are public; work email and phone are for signed-in customers.
| State | On record | With work email | With practice phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 16,972 | 4,914 29% | 16,968 |
| California | 12,898 | 3,402 26% | 12,894 |
| Florida | 10,258 | 2,810 27% | 10,256 |
| Texas | 9,893 | 3,285 33% | 9,889 |
| Pennsylvania | 8,331 | 2,930 35% | 8,329 |
| Illinois | 7,302 | 2,235 31% | 7,301 |
| Michigan | 6,328 | 2,285 36% | 6,327 |
| New Jersey | 6,244 | 1,951 31% | 6,243 |
Closely related, and where to find them.
Closely related
- Physical therapist Movement and function, doctoral entry, and mostly clinic chains rather than individuals.
- Speech-language pathologist More than speech - and a profession whose largest employer is the school system.
- Physiatrist (PM&R) The physician specialty of function and non-surgical musculoskeletal care.
Find them
- Occupational therapists list counts by state, the fields a record carries, a sample record.
- PT, OT & speech physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.
- Occupational therapists in New York, NY
- Occupational therapists in Los Angeles, CA
- Occupational therapists in Houston, TX
- Occupational therapists in Miami, FL
- Occupational therapists in Chicago, IL
- Occupational therapists in Philadelphia, PA
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