How saturated is the field of Occupational Therapy? (Raleigh, Durham: homes, job market)

[lynce2325]

I currently live in PA and my husband and I are considering a move to the Raleigh area. I have heard mixed reviews about the OT field as far as saturated areas and difficulties finding openings that aren't nursing homes. I am a COTA and my experience is mostly in hand therapy and some rehab/nursing home type settings. I would want to continue in hand therapy if possible and eventually get my masters. I would appreciate anyone's input or how to get a real feel for the job market. Thanks!!!

[NewUser]

I can comment on this first "hand" as my wife is an OT and we moved here from TX about 2 1/2 years ago.

My wife was in the workmans comp area of OT in TX for a long time and she thought that she would have no trouble finding a new job in OT when we moved to NC. Her goal was to get into outpatient orthopedic care. . . . . in particular. . . hand therapy.

Unfortunately, the majority of the open OT jobs (i.e., based on job board postings) here in the Triangle are for nursing homes and traveling OTs. I'd say that the next most common are for hospitals. My wife wants nothing to do with any of those, for a variety of reasons.

There have been a few postings for hand therapists, but they wanted someone with experience already in that field. They didn't want to train her (although she has already taken a few classes on her own as part of her yearly training requirements).

In the end, she found a job at a local company that does employment testing and she is happy there. But she would drop it like a hot potato if she could find a hand therapy job, or a job at a private clinic in outpatient orthopedic care.

Please send me a PM if you want more info and I'll ask my wife to respond to your questions.

[skaternum]

I assume you know that UNC has a pretty good sized OT program, so new graduates are coming into the market all the time here, FWIW.

[NewUser]

Originally Posted by skaternum

I assume you know that UNC has a pretty good sized OT program, so new graduates are coming into the market all the time here, FWIW.

. . . . and NCSU has a great engineering program, yet I see a dozen job openings every week for engineers at companies in the Triangle, even in this economic downturn.

If you have the skills that are in demand, then you will do fine. Just don't move here without a job lined up unless you can afford to live off of your savings for 6 months. . . . .. or are willing to work in a nursing home until you land your ideal job.

[skaternum]

Whoa! I think you're reading a bit much into my post. I did NOT tell the OP not to move here. I did NOT say that the new grads get all the good jobs. I'm just offering info about potential competition that she might not know about. No need to make a smart alecky comparison.

[NewUser]

Originally Posted by skaternum

Whoa! I think you're reading a bit much into my post.

Ditto.

Originally Posted by skaternum

I did NOT tell the OP not to move here. I did NOT say that the new grads get all the good jobs. I'm just offering info about potential competition that she might not know about.

No worries. I didn't get that sentiment from your post at all. Your information regarding potential competition was important and relevant.

Originally Posted by skaternum

No need to make a smart alecky comparison.

"Smart Alec" is my middle name. . . . well, actually it's "Alan".

[lynce2325]

no worries....my wrinkles would scare off those new grads!!

[procfreq]

I'm an OT living in Durham, though I'm currently working in healthcare research for Duke, and not in OT clinical practice. I get lots of email solicitations for OT work locally, but as the PP mentioned, they are mostly for nursing home gigs. If you have experience there and wouldn't mind working in that setting again, you may have some luck here. I assume you've searched all the major job sites (plus UNC/Duke/WakeMed/etc) for job listings? Just a guess, but I also think it would be easier to find a COTA job than an OT job too... Good luck!

[nelly76]

I am a PT and think I will have a hard time finding a job, when I get here.Therefore I don't think I can be too picky about what kind of a job I have, but rather use it as a stepping stone. I applied to all of the jobs at Wake Med, Duke, Rex. so far nothing, I do have NC license and NC address.

[lynce2325]

good luck nelly76. i hope u find something u like!!

procfreq.....why do u think a cota job would be easier? i just always assume it's because we cost less. what do u think? so far my research in the area is depressing!! i do not want a snf!!