How do I become an Occupational Therapist?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a healthcare profession offering support to people with physical, cognitive, psychological, and social challenges to enable them to live life to the fullest.

There are multiple entry routes to the OT profession:

  • Undergraduate BSc Occupational Therapy Honour’s Degree
  • NFQ Level 8 course plus MSc Occupational Therapy university degree
  • Tertiary degrees provide seamless pathways from further education to higher education.

CORU, the regulatory body, will provide you with information on approved qualifications. Additional information on the profession can be found on the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland website or by visiting Careers Portal.

If you have qualified outside of Ireland, you will find further information here

Your role with the HSE

Occupational Therapists help people to do the everyday things that they want to do and need to do when faced with illness, disability or changing life events.

As an Occupational Therapist, you provide autonomous and collaborative care for individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, in all care settings. You could work in a hospital, community service, disability service, people’s own home, mental health service, care home or rehabilitation centres.

Occupational Therapists develop specialised expertise in areas such as physical rehabilitation, mental health, intellectual disability, paediatrics or services for the elderly.

Career progression

There are many ways for you to progress in your career:

  • Become a Senior Occupational Therapist or a clinical specialist
  • Specialise in a specific area, like disability, autism, paediatrics, mental health
  • Move into training or management

Career Progression Pathway:

Clinical Pathway

  • Staff Grade Occupational Therapist
  • Senior Occupational Therapist
  • Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist

Management Pathway

  • Occupational Therapist Manager
  • Occupational Therapist Manager in Charge III
  • Children’s Disability Network Manager
  • Community Healthcare Network Manager

There are also opportunities available for educational roles (Educational Pathway) across the Health and Social Care Professions.

Further training and development

There are many ways of deepening your skills pertinent to your role as an OT within a specific setting. This can be achieved, for example, through postgraduate training or clinical courses. These are delivered by various bodies and can be free, fully or partially funded by the organisation you work for, AOTI or the HSE HSCP Office. Visit CPD for Occupational Therapists where you can see examples of what the AOTI offers to its members for professional development.

CORU also offers guidance and support to Occupational Therapists’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Information on education and development can be accessed by visiting the HSCP Hub on HSELanD, the HSE’s training portal.

Staff benefits and testimonials

Working in a rewarding and challenging career is just one of the many benefits you’ll enjoy as a HSE employee. We offer attractive pay and benefits, professional supervision, career support and development opportunities, friendly colleagues, and an excellent quality of life.

See Pay scales – HSE Staff

Please click on the below links to find out more about different Occupational Therapy roles:

Aoife – Senior Occupational Therapist, Childrens Disability Network Team