Top Remote Work Options for Occupational Therapists

Looking for remote work as an occupational therapist can be challenging when you’re first getting started. I remember that at the start of my journey into remote work as an OT, I thought it would be impossible to be able to work from home.

I was so used to being in the hospital in a patient-facing role that finding an alternative seemed inconceivable.

There are, however, many great options out there for occupational therapists looking to work from home.

Occupational therapy practitioners are such skilled, passionate individuals that are such holistic thinkers, and as a result of that, we are able to take on many different roles. 

Reasons for Seeking Remote Occupational Therapy Jobs

I think I can safely assume that all occupational therapists decided to pursue OT due to the desire to help others improve.

Unfortunately, many occupational therapists may find their work satisfaction decreasing due to: 

• Burnout
• Boredom/lack of growth
• Limited opportunities for promotion
• Finances 

Alternatively, occupational therapists might find themselves looking for remote work due to changes in their life circumstances, such as:

• Becoming a new parent
• Having a chronic injury or health conditions
• Needing to look after an unwell family member
• Immigrating to a new country where you are not yet registered to work

It is challenging to acknowledge that you are in need of a change, and it can be a scary leap to make. Furthermore, you may feel confused about what options you have for remote work in occupational therapy.

This article will provide you with a list of our favorite remote work options. Just know that it’s okay to make a change, and it does not necessarily need to be permanent, or even full-time.

I (Alexia) work in hospitals and outpatient settings 3 days of the week, and I write blog articles on my other 2 days, and I am loving the versatility! And I (Sarah) am now a stay at home mom working part-time (usually during naps and on weekends) on this website, and I also love the ability to work when I want to while being able to stay home with my baby boy.

So, without further ado, here is a list of our top options for you to consider:

Writing

Did you ever write in school and love it? The beauty of writing is that you can use your knowledge of occupational therapy or health in general and work from home while writing. The positions can include:

• Starting your own blog or being a freelance writer for someone else’s blog/website. Be aware that starting your own website may not generate income for a while (possibly years), and you will have to invest a lot of time and effort in it before it becomes profitable. It is, however, very rewarding when it becomes successful and has an audience. 
• Being a health/medical writer. Health writers create educational materials on all matters related to health. You can find out more about it here. 
• Write your own book or e-book. If you feel that you have exceptional knowledge to share within a specific field of OT, then why not write a book about it?

Education

If you are passionate about teaching others, you might want to consider becoming an online occupational therapy tutor or instructor. Here is an example of an online tutoring platform that occupational therapists can use.

‘Pass the OT’ also has online tutors to help people prepare for their NBCOT exam. 

You can also create your own occupational therapy course on your specialty/favorite topic that you can market to OT continuing education platforms or sell on your own. 

Telehealth

Do you love treating patients but want to be able to work from home? Telehealth may be the best option for you. Telehealth is great for our patients in rural areas with limited access to OT services, or because they cannot travel to the in person therapy due to transportation issues or their level of disability.

Telehealth was very much on the rise during the pandemic, when people still wanted to access occupational therapy, but couldn’t risk exposing themselves. OT Potential wrote a comprehensive article on telehealth, including what platforms to use for telehealth and companies that provide telehealth therapy where you may be able to find a job. You can find that article here.

If you are looking for remote work as a result of burnout and compassion fatigue, then telehealth may not be the right option for you as you are still working with patients/clients. 

OT Entrepreneur

If you are burned out from a patient-facing job, but you are still passionate about occupational therapy and helping others learn, then becoming an occupational therapy entrepreneur might be a good option for you.

Take into consideration that it will likely take a long time before you reach the point of matching your previous OT salary. You might want to consider starting this option while still working, and you can potentially decrease your clinical hours as you generate more income from your new business.

There are a few ways you can go about this:

• Starting a YouTube channel or social media account: If you feel you have the skill to start your own channel and educate OTs, patients, or caregivers, then give this a go. 
• Etsy: You can create infographics, education packs or templates and sell them digitally on Etsy. Here’s an example of an OT making an income this way.
• Selling a product: You can start your own business by selling products using your OT knowledge. This can range from a clothing line with OT quotes, to a clothing line with adapted clothing to creating and selling assistive devices. Us OTs are creative problem solvers, so we can put this to good use in a new business. 

Remote Medical-Related Jobs

• Case manager: A case manager’s role is to help people manage their health care by assisting them in gaining access to services. Their role is to guide, support, and coordinate care for patients and their families. 

• Medical reviewer or a therapy reviewer: You are required to review medical records or documents and ensure the information is complete and in compliance with regulations. In this job, medical records are audited to ensure the quality of patient care. 

Other Work from Home OT Resources: 

If you’re interested in more alternative career paths for occupational therapists, then check out our other two articles here with more suggestions on non-clinical OT job options:

Alternative Career Paths for Occupational Therapists

 

6 MORE Amazing Non-Clinical Jobs for Occupational Therapists

 

In addition, the Non-Clinical PT is a platform to help OTs, PTs, and SLPs discover non-clinical career paths. You can also subscribe to their email list for their weekly emails with remote jobs at the end of each email.

Their Facebook page is also full of success stories of health care practitioners who have secured non-clinical jobs. 

Lastly, another wonderful (free!) resource to explore for advice and information is the Alternative Healthcare Careers for Rehabilitation Professionals Facebook group. This is another very active group of therapists seeking to move on to non-clinical roles with lots of helpful advice from therapists who have already made the change into an alternative career path.

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We hope you found our summary of remote work that occupational therapists can do helpful!

We have no doubt that there are more options than this available to OTs wanting to work remotely. Let us know in the comments what remote OT work you’ve considered or started doing yourself.

Don’t forget that you always have options, and you do not have to remain in a clinical job if you are unhappy. It may take some time to find remote work as an occupational therapist, but you can invest the time and effort now in order to have a job that truly brings you joy. We wish you the best of luck!

This article was co-written by Alexia Stavrou, BScOT and Sarah Stromsdorfer, OTR/L.