Occupational Therapy Employment Prospects

counting_sheep

Hello All,

I appreciate this forum seems to be asked this question every few years, but the most recent one I can find is from 2013 so I will ask it again to see if the situation has changed.

I have applied to the MSC in Occupational Therapy in UL, and I would to know what the employment prospects are like for Occupational therapists at the moment?

I have spoken to a lot of Occupational Therapists. Some say that the employment prospects are poor, and others have said that it is improving. I was wondering what your thought were?

(Cross-posted in Health Science and Health Science education)

pmono

Hi,

Ive applied for the Msc in OT this year too. How did you get in with the HPAT exam?!

I have some friends who work in OT and in Dublin there are lots of jobs going, the HSE are also doing a senior panel which will mean more jobs should open up at entry level.... I think!

AineM2013

pmono wrote: »

Hi,

Ive applied for the Msc in OT this year too. How did you get in with the HPAT exam?!

I have some friends who work in OT and in Dublin there are lots of jobs going, the HSE are also doing a senior panel which will mean more jobs should open up at entry level.... I think!

Im interested to hear how the HPAT exam went. This has put me off applying.
How much prep did you have to do?

pmono

Hi AineM2013,

I have no idea how the HPAT went!!!!! I didn't do a course in it as I'm doing a postgrad at the moment and working full time! I bought some practice test papers online. I think the exam part of it went ok, there was a few Q's I had to guess.

I think it was probably the written English section that let me down a bit. I just went blank and ended up repeating myself in the second essay! Ive heard the essay section is quite easy to prepare for though. Id imagine I'll be sitting again next year so I'm hoping to get a lot of practice in writing short essays, maybe try do a evening course!

The results are out at the end of April, so not too long to wait. I sat my exam in UCD, I'm not great at estimating numbers but I'm going to say there was about 50-60 people sitting it there? Some were probably sitting it for Speech and Language. It was on in a few other locations around the country. For me I think thats the daunting part. I might sit it every year but I might never be in the top 30 to actually secure a place on the course

AineM2013

pmono wrote: »

Hi AineM2013,

I have no idea how the HPAT went!!!!! I didn't do a course in it as I'm doing a postgrad at the moment and working full time! I bought some practice test papers online. I think the exam part of it went ok, there was a few Q's I had to guess.

I think it was probably the written English section that let me down a bit. I just went blank and ended up repeating myself in the second essay! Ive heard the essay section is quite easy to prepare for though. Id imagine I'll be sitting again next year so I'm hoping to get a lot of practice in writing short essays, maybe try do a evening course!

The results are out at the end of April, so not too long to wait. I sat my exam in UCD, I'm not great at estimating numbers but I'm going to say there was about 50-60 people sitting it there? Some were probably sitting it for Speech and Language. It was on in a few other locations around the country. For me I think thats the daunting part. I might sit it every year but I might never be in the top 30 to actually secure a place on the course

I hadn't realised you had to finish in the top 30 to secure a place, that's very competitive.
I'm moving back from Australia and was looking to apply, then seen the HPAT requirement. I did a few tests online and got terrible scores and thought nah this is not for me!
The neuropsych I work with said you need to really relax and be in a clear state of mind to get a high score, however for me I'll be freaking out!
It's expensive if ur planning on sitting it yearly. I'm sure the practice will pay off and you will end up in the top 30.
I was raging when I seen that was part of the application (to say the least).
Good Luck with the postgrad.

pmono

I presume you have to finish in the top 30, but I'm not 100%. The UL website says that that the HPAT results will be the sole instrument for selection. Its a very fair system I guess but they might change it again, one year they had interviews, the next year no interviews. I know some graduate entry programmes involve a group interview or presentation so you never know what might happen next year!
I think I was relaxed enough doing the exam part, maybe even too relaxed. But then felt rushed and exhausted at the end doing the essays. Would you consider doing the 4 year undergrad? Im afraid that i'll still be applying for the Msc in 5 years time and I could have just done the Undergrad instead!

AineM2013

pmono wrote: »

I presume you have to finish in the top 30, but I'm not 100%. The UL website says that that the HPAT results will be the sole instrument for selection. Its a very fair system I guess but they might change it again, one year they had interviews, the next year no interviews. I know some graduate entry programmes involve a group interview or presentation so you never know what might happen next year!
I think I was relaxed enough doing the exam part, maybe even too relaxed. But then felt rushed and exhausted at the end doing the essays. Would you consider doing the 4 year undergrad? Im afraid that i'll still be applying for the Msc in 5 years time and I could have just done the Undergrad instead!

I want to do the master cause its quicker qualifying and more affordable. However, I guess I should think about the under grad too.
I was also looking into doing it in the UK.
I think I'd be a nervous wreck at the HPAT. Have not done an exam in over 10 years at this stage.
Good to hear they have been changing the entry requirements over the years, really hope they change it again!

saltrock2007

Hi All,
I was just wondering if someone could give me a rough idea of the 'passmark' for the HPAT for the OT MSc course in UL? Ive asked the administrators in UL but they said they will not give out numbers due to the relatively short history the exam has been used as a filter. I realise that it's not a passmark, per se, but rather you need to be in the top 30% to be accepted. It would be nice to know what im aiming for in 2 weeks time though.
thanks