OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY in WAR Helps in the Rehabilitation of Wounded Soldiers and Sailers

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS NEEDED

Here is your opportunity to be of immediate service
in the war and to prepare for an interesting future

career.

The Army and Navy are calling for over fifteen
hundred occupational therapists to serve in military
hospitals. The number available is far too small to

meet this need. Civilian hospitals are losing their

Cord knotting exercises hand and elbow
injured by a gunshot wound.

 

trained personnel. There is, therefore, great oppor-
tunity for well qualified young women to render
valuable service to the armed forces or on the home
front. Occupational therapists serve the Army as
civilians. In the Navy, they may be commissioned in

the WAVES.

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Occupational therapy is a recognized form of med-
ical treatment. It uses arts and crafts, games, educa-
tional and industrial activities, such as printing and
woodworking as means of restoring injured joints
and muscles, retraining in skills and effecting mental
readjustments. The trained therapist directs the

patient under the supervision of the doctor.

Printing affords exercise and pre-vocational
training.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING

The prospective student must be definitely interested
in the medical aspects of occupational therapy. She
must have an understanding of psychological and
social problems and a real desire to help persons
suffering from physical or mental illness. She herself
must be academically capable, manually adept,

socially, emotionally and physically well-adjusted.

EMERGENCY COURSES

Emergency courses are being offered by some of
the accredited schools to meet the acute shortage
of trained personnel.

Students, between the ages of twenty-one and
thirty-five, who are graduates of schools of fine,

applied or industrial arts, or college graduates with

Games teach the use of an artificial
appliance.

a major in arts or crafts may complete training in
three terms of four months each. They must be quali-
fied in at least three basic skills, such as woodwork-
ing, printing, wood carving or sculpturing. Four
months of study is devoted to medical subjects. The
clinical practice (eight months) is then given in well
organized occupational therapy departments in
military hospitals. | Government subsidy is being

provided for students in these courses.

REGULAR TRAINING COURSES

College graduates, who have limited knowledge of
the necessary skills, may take an intensive course
four terms of four months each in length. Two terms
are spent in the school and two terms in clinical
practice. Part or all of the latter period may be

spent in service or civilian hospitals.

Motor repair provides both interesting
occupation and training.

Diploma or certificate courses of six terms (twenty-
four months) are offered to students who have had
one or two years of college or equivalent training.

Degree courses (ten terms, forty months) are of-
fered to students who may enter directly from high
school. These consist of combined academic and
technical study. As in the other courses, two terms
are spent in clinical practice.

Scholarships and scholarship loans are available.

All courses include study of biologic sciences;
anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, neurology, psy-
chology and psychiatry; social sciences, sociology,
adult education and rehabilitation; clinical subjects
include orthopedics, heart disease, tuberculosis and
blindness, general medical and surgical conditions;
theory of the application and techniques of occu-

pational therapy.

Industrial assembly work prepares for a job.

 

ACCREDITING OF SCHOOLS

The Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of
the American Medical Association has set up mini-
mum requirements of an accredited school of occu-
pational therapy. The American Occupational Ther-
apy Association maintains a professional register of
qualified therapists. Only graduates of accredited
schools are eligible to take examination for regis-

tration.

The bicycle saw restores motion to injured
legs.