Rehabilitation Medicine:
Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Prosthetics & Orthotics

Overview

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists provide services to individuals of all ages who have physical, developmental, emotional or social impairments. They work in a variety of health care settings such as physical rehabilitation, mental health, geriatrics, and pediatrics.
In Washington State OT Education Programs are Masters Degrees and are available at Eastern Washington University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Washington.

Physical Therapy
Physical therapists work with individuals with movement or mobility problems in order to prevent, restore or resolve the dysfunctional condition. Physical therapists find work in hospitals, private clinics, public schools, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
In Washington State, PT Education Programs are Doctorate Degrees and are available at Eastern Washington University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Washington.

Prosthetics & Orthotics
The prosthetic-orthotic is a member of the rehabilitation care team, which helps individuals with disabilities to increase their functional abilities by using prosthetic (replacement) or orthotics (support) devices. A prosthetic-orthotic may function as a practitioner, who provides direct patient care, or as a technician, who assists in the fabrication phase.
In Washington State, the only P&O Education Program is a Bachelors Degree at the University of Washington.

Transfer Degree/Course Requirements: The Associate of Arts & Sciences, Option A for Allied Health describes course requirements. (link with transfer degree planning guide AAS Option A for Allied Health in Science Division), and Information for SCC students on University of Washington Health Professional Programs (link with transfer degree planning guide on the web site). Course requirements vary some by university, so it is important to check with the universities you are interested in.

Useful links:

              University of Washington Health Professional Programs – Information Guide

              Allied Health Programs - AAS Option A
                        (Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy,
                                          Prosthetics & Orthotics) * Additional Information

• WOIS: the Washington Occupational Information System provides information about a large number of Health Sciences careers at www.wois.org  (click on “Occupations”, click on “By Cluster” and scroll down). This information also includes links to professional organizations and education programs in the field.
• Eastern Washington University web site. www.ewu.edu
• University of Puget Sound web site: www.spu.edu
• U of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine includes Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Prosthetics & Orthotics: http://depts.washington.edu/rehab/

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