occupational therapy personal essay

Write an Awesome Personal Statement for OT School

So you want to be an occupational therapist, but you still have to jump through the many hoops of applying for grad programs. One mandatory part of the process is writing a great personal statement specifically for occupational therapy school, which can be pretty intimidating when it’s time to put pen to paper.

Well, I’m here to help!

I personally spent quite a bit of time crafting the best possible personal statement I could for OT school, and have since read and edited many, many personal statements from pre-OT applicants. (Want me to edit yours? Sign up here !)

These are my top tips for you to craft a great occupational therapy personal statement that will help you stand out from the large crowd of pre-OT applicants. 

First, the Do’s and Dont’s of Statement Writing

• Do start early: Give yourself enough time to brainstorm, write, and revise your personal statement well before the deadline. This will really reduce your feelings of stress and being rushed.
• Do show sincerity in your writing. It’s encouraged to let your positive emotions and enthusiasm shine through. 
• Do talk about why you want to be an occupational therapist. You want the programs to see that you are serious about this decision. You are not just applying because you can’t think of anything else to do for a career.
• Do in one way or another demonstrate through your writing that you know what OT is and why it’s important.
• Do showcase why you’ll make a great addition to their program, adding unique qualities that will differentiate you from the other applicants. 
• Do talk about your shadowing experience, volunteering and work experience that is relevant to the field of OT. Make sure you keep patient information confidential if you discuss certain cases you observed.
• Do feel free to use the language of OT if you know it and are familiar with it (i.e. interventions, treatments, occupations, goals, evidence-based, functional treatments, etc.)
• Do tie your personal statement together. If you make several different points, try to piece them together for the reader to show that you’ve really thought through the big picture.
• Do have at least two people (but the more the better) read and proofread the final draft of your statement. Ask friends, family members, and someone at your school’s writing center. This can help spark ideas and ensure your application is completely free of typos or grammatical errors. The last thing you want is admissions to immediately notice any glaring spelling mistakes that you may have missed.
• Do keep the length to 1-2 pages max. You want it to be short and sweet. If any sentence or paragraph looks unnecessary after you do a final read-through, get rid of it. As a general rule, personal statements run on average 600-800 words.

Don’t…

• Don’t start your essay with clichés. In fact, leave them out of your statement altogether. An example of this is “I’ve always wanted to help people” (they see this all the time).
• Don’t plagiarize. There are a lot of personal statement examples on the internet that you can absolutely use to guide your writing process. Do not use them word for word. Programs can find out and will exclude your application.  U se the examples as templates of what kind of content you’ll cover in your statement.
• Don’t try to be humorous in your personal statement. Even if you’re hilarious, this is not the time to show this. 
• Don’t just talk about your childhood. Focus on college and post college achievements unless something in your childhood or adolescence is what drove you to a career in occupational therapy. Remember that this isn’t an autobiography, it’s a statement on why you’ll be a great OT.
• Don’t guess what you think the reader wants you to say. Be honest and don’t write in a way that is out of line with who you really are. Don’t just write something to try to impress people.
• Don’t be a downer. Avoid going into detail about your dislikes, negative views, or problems in your life. If you have a low GPA or lack of experience, don’t mention it unless you can put a positive spin on it. Listing excuses for your low GPA or GRE score isn’t a good idea either, unless you really feel the need to tie in why your GPA is lower but how you’ll be an awesome therapist despite this.
• Don’t mention specific programs in your statement if you’re using OTCAS . It will be sent to every school you apply to and therefore won’t make sense. If you apply to an individual school (not on OTCAS) then absolutely mention the school and why you’re passionate about their program.

Check out the How Get Into OT School Guide! It’s the most comprehensive resource that covers everything you need to know.

Ask yourself this question:.

A bonus tip I found while perusing the Student Doctor Network Forums while researching this topic, which is to ask yourself this question:

“Can you replace your personal statement with a degree other than OT?  If not, it’s solid. If you can, then try to revise to make it only relevant to OT.”

And that’s a wrap!

If you have any other tips or tricks you’ve discovered while writing your personal statement for OT school, please feel free to add them in the comments section. I wish you the best of luck with your statement writing and your overall OT school application process!

Be sure to check out these other helpful resources:

Writing the Personal Statement (Purdue OWL)

Start Your Grad School Personal Statement in Just 1 Hour! (The Muse)

Writing a Personal Statement (Emory Pre-Health Advising)

5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School (My OT Spot)

This post was last updated on May 12, 2023.

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As I’m working on my application essay this week, your article is very helpful! Thank you.

I’m so glad it was helpful for you 🙂 Best of luck with your applications!

Thank you for this article! I just wanted to know, do you offer services proof reading other people’s personal statements? That would be really helpful for me!

Hi May, I do offer personal statement reviewing that you can set up here . Instead of the traditional coaching call that’s linked, it will instead entail personal statement edits and feedback via email 🙂

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Privacy Overview

Complete Personal Statement Guide for Pre-OT Occupational Therapy School Programs

Introduction.

This detailed guide will provide you with tips, do’s, don’ts, examples, and other helpful things along the way to write your personal statement for OT school.

You may be thinking:

• Where do I even start with writing a personal statement?
• Maybe I can look for some more examples online.
• My story does not seem as exciting as these examples.
• These examples don’t really relate to me.
• I don’t like the writing style or “feeling” that these examples give me.
• How do I even go about this?

Or maybe you didn’t have any of these thoughts and you are just looking for some extra tips to polish up your personal statement before you send it to the world. This guide will still help!

While this guide was written with Pre-OT’s for occupational therapy personal statements in mind, it of course can apply to other professions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, PA, RN, even undergraduate programs.

I am not part of any admissions committee or affiliated with them in any way. However, as a graduate of an occupational therapy program, I also read and edited many other personal statements for friends and family. This guide is not a guarantee that you will get accepted or a guarantee that you will produce the best personal statement. This is just my opinion and unfortunately, the writing is all up to you!

Fortunately, you already have the hard part done – building your education, experiences, personal character, and goals!

Not quite there yet, that’s okay too – this guide will give you a preview of how to prepare to write your personal statement.

The Process

The process of writing a personal statement may involve something like:

Reflecting, getting something typed on the screen, getting writer’s block, getting distracted, taking a break, editing it, reflecting, typing some ideas, deleting those ideas, repeat, have it proofread, reading it out loud, reflecting, make more edits, and you’re done! While this sounds like a lot, it’s doable.

Set-up and Preparation

Start Early

When you feel like you are ready to write your personal statement, start writing! Don’t wait until the last minute to write. Personal statements require editing, giving it some time for your mind to clear to re-read, having it proofread by someone else, and making more edits.

Install Grammarly

We use Grammarly as a browser extension for its spellcheck and grammar check. It is really good at catching mistakes as you go and the free version is all you really need to get some basic editing done. This allows you to focus on the writing and not the spelling. Software like Grammarly also helps if you especially have a hard time with writing in general. While it can suggest edits for errors, it is up to you to write the content.  AI is not quite there yet, but we are close!

Cheating & plagiarizing

I just have to say it. Don’t cheat or plagiarize. Don’t hire someone to write for you. I hear stories of students cheating here or there, so it must still be happening. Grad school is not the time to jeopardize all the hard work you put in.

Have a back-up system for your document

It would be a huge set-back to lose all your hard work. These days, you can easily use the cloud such as Dropbox or Google Drive/Docs for storing your files. This goes for your personal statement document as well as your graduate school application files such as notes, deadlines, resumes, etc. All it takes is a coffee spilled on your laptop for you to lose all your hard work (it happened to my classmate in OT school). Better yet, back up all your data that is important to you. Lectures, recordings, assignments.

Write in a place you feel productive

It doesn’t have to be a quiet library. It just has to be what works. If it’s a coffee shop, then go there. Write in a place you associate with positive work (but also don’t get distracted too easily, e.g. a cat cafe) – like to your favorite study area.

It’s okay if it doesn’t seem perfect or even good at first

After all, you are writing something like this probably for the first time, with a unique set of experiences for a specific intention of impressing the OT’s admissions panel. It can be difficult for artists to create art or music, or write a book in one session. So don’t stress it!

• Re-research the profession, job description, duties, etc. BLS.gov is my favorite go-to for profession research. We have a video on it here .
• Follow the personal statement prompt and instructions. Read it several times to make sure. If there is a word limit, don’t go over. Double-check before you submit.
• Pay attention to the file format that is requested from the programs. Word doc? PDF? Make sure your file actually opens after you upload it and is not corrupt, if possible. If you are uploading to a central application like OTCAS, make sure you meet those guidelines.
• Write in the same tense and person throughout (“I”, first-person is fine).
• Write in an order that makes sense and flows to the reader, e.g. chronologically.
• Write with a purpose. Each sentence should be there for a reason and not be filler. Exclude extra information or too specific of information that doesn’t contribute to your story.
• Example: Nowadays, I want to be an occupational therapist first and foremost because I want to help people and really make a difference in each of their lives.
• Better example: My goal is to become an occupational therapist who makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Warning : I wouldn’t you use this specific example in your personal statement because it’s probably been overused. Try to be creative by saying how you want to “help” people in  other ways .
• Be honest, try to copy an example’s voice, do not write over-the-top or fabricate the story.
• Be politically correct and culturally sensitive.
• My personal statement didn’t have big GRE words or fancy syntax. It told a great story that was (in my opinion) to the point, compelling, persuasive, and driven.
• Describe your values and goals while highlighting your strengths.
• In my opinion, it is best to talk about college, work, and other achievements and experiences in your “adulthood”.
• Even traveling experience (shows cultural awareness) as an adult is more noteworthy than say winning a basketball game in high school (less relevant to OT)
• Tip: think about when you first were motivated to become an OT and start from there, not earlier.
• Don’t use cliches or minimize them as much you can. Readers see this a lot and it does not make a big impact on their impression of you.
• Don’t use slang/informal speech, e.g. “sticking with it” -> perseverance.
• Don’t make jokes and be careful if you decide to use humor (what may be funny to you may not be to the reader). It’s safe to leave humor out and just get to the point.
• Avoid being sarcastic.
• Pay attention to your use of OT – it can be occupational therapy or occupational therapist, but personally, I get confused when people use “OT” interchangeably.
• In my final submitted personal statement, I only abbreviated “MSOT” and “EMT” and did not “OT” once.
• Example: I got accepted to shadow at [facility] and was observing observed patients do their rehab exercises.
• Pay attention to these verbs in sentences that run longer. Consider shortening them to make it less tiring to read, avoiding avoid run-on sentences. (see what I did there?)
• Don’t abbreviate or hyphenate too often or incorrectly . If you do it one way, be sure you are at least consistent throughout. e.g. evidence-based, not evidenced based.
• O ccupational therapist is capitalized like this correctly.
• However, an Occupational Therapist is not correct if capitalized like this.
• This is the correct capitalization for an occupational therapist.
• The same goes for the field of occupational therapy.
• O ccupational therapy is capitalized correctly in this sentence.
• Abbreviations are always capitalized, e.g. OT.
• Don’t write anything negative about anyone, organization, place, etc .
• Don’t write in a negative tone, be a “Debbie Downer”
• “OTs make a lot of money.”
• “I will be the best occupational therapist because…”
• “I am the best candidate because”
• “Since I am… , therefore”
• “Unlike others”, or
• “Other professions” talking down, avoid talking about other professions in general. No one profession is better than another, the same applies to OT. Think about why OT over other professions leading to your decision to become one).
• Think about how someone in another profession, say a PT would feel after reading your personal statement. They should not feel offended after reading your personal statement, but instead think, “wow, such and such would make a great OT.” Not that OT is better than PT, that kind of thing.
• When I become an occupational therapist. If I become an occupational therapist.
• Don’t repeat yourself, you only need to say something once in its context. Of course, the bigger message can be repeated, e.g. intro and conclusion. Just don’t sound repetitive.
• Don’t use the same phrases (especially close to each other), try using different words. That doesn’t mean you should just look up words in a thesaurus. Really think about what’s the point you are trying to make.
• Don’t use profanity.
• In everyday speech we say things like, “that’s crazy”. Someone with a mental illness who really is crazy could be offended. I had a teacher whose pet-peeve was people who said things were crazy . Remove crazy from your personal statement.
• “He probably was abused since he was in a recovery program/”
• I would avoid using “ normal” too. “Occupational therapists help patients get back to their normal.” This implies the patient was abnormal before. Better words: recover, improve, rehabilitate, strengthen, adapt, overcome, etc.
• Other labels: retarded, slow, crippled, mental, insane
• You can include a facility name, e.g. Standford hospital – as long as you don’t talk about it in a negative context.
• “Standford hospital treats a lot of poor patients.” Standford hospital is a valuable asset to the community for the underserved.
• Don’t include anything that can be seen as a weakness, e.g. low GPA, took a semester off, DUI, unexplained career changes.
• This is your chance to “say” what you want to say and include your story that is not apparent in the other pre-requisites. All the other candidates likely have high GPAs and had to take the same pre-requisite courses, but they did not shadow at your facility with your patient , so here’s your chance to distinguish yourself.
• What experience may be unique to you ?
• For example, I included my experience of being an EMT to make myself stand out.
• This could backfire and show your lack of research into how broad OT can be. Don’t forget about mental health too! OT’s study to be  generalists , not specialists.
• While it’s okay to want to work with a specific population as a goal, don’t accidentally make it sound like you think OT’s only do one thing. Hope this one makes sense.

Question’s to address or reflect on

Reflect. Write. Take a break. Repeat.

• What is your experience with other backgrounds and cultures in your pre-OT journey?
• How did you realize that OT was for you? Why not PT? (Reflect, but don’t answer this directly.)
• What or who were the influence(s) or influencers?
• This is a rich opportunity to mention your specific OT shadowing experience at the stage in which you want to be an OT.
• I would include at least 1 example from this, 2 is better, but not too much either.
• Not just becoming an OT (graduating) but afterwards. e.g. 1 year post-grad, 5 years, where you see yourself 10 years out.
• What challenges did you overcome in your pre-requisite pre-OT journey?
• What sets you apart from other applicants? Why should I not pick person A or person B over you?
• Tip: research the school’s website for their mission statement, OT program background, etc. to get familiar with the specifics. If you can include and relate to some of this, even better!
• “My motivation to help others and my passion for occupational therapy will guide me to be successful in the [program].” or

Since [school] strives to “[OT program mission statement]”, I firmly believe that [school] will help me reach my goals of becoming a successful occupational therapist.

Recommendations

• Talk about why you want to be an OT, but not just to “help” people. How? Which population/community/background? Conditions? Why? Tip: three major categories of OT are: mental health, pediatrics, and adults/older adults. Nurses help people too. How is OT different for you?
• Hint: occupations ! meaningful, client-centered.
• Check out the OTDUDE Podcast and other podcasts for ideas; Episode 1: What is OT
• Reflection tip: other professions may be based on the medical model or helping people become healthy, but OT is different because…
• Check out AOTA.org for some phrasing of the profession to inspire you.
• If you are comfortable, use OT related terminology or phrases, but don’t go overboard, e.g. occupation, intervention, treatment, activities of daily living, evidence-based, collaborative, interdisciplinary, client-centered, holistic, functional. Plain English is fine, you don’t have to sound like a journal article.
• As mentioned, highlight why you would be a valuable candidate (fit) to their program. Think about not only your experience but your character and quality traits . Examples: creativity, leadership, patient, resourceful, reliability? Teamwork and communication?
• Show indirectly through your stories or experiences why you will be successful in the program and not “drop-out”. Perseverance.
• Psychologically, readers tend to remember the beginnings and end more than the middle.
• How will being an OT help you achieve your goals, career? Not just short-term, but think bigger. While this sounds cliche – OT is not just a job, it will become your life. A person’s job (and career) is a large part of their identity.
• The reader should feel like they read about a person they would want to meet in the program and in real life, someone who can contribute something to the cohort, school, faculty, alumni – long term relationship. You will not only graduate as a student but a colleague in the field of occupational therapy to the faculty.

Here is a template I created to get you started. This is of course not a magic template that works for everyone or neither was it created by any OT entity for students. Copy & paste this into your favorite word processing program and write away.

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1: Attention-grabbing sentence. Hook into your story.

Supporting sentences: Support the above story with specifics.

Concluding sentence: “Thesis statement” stating why you chose (or) may be a successful OT.

Body Paragraphs (2, 3, 4, 5, etc.)

Opening sentence: As a , I [did this, and that] at [place or company or school]

Supporting sentences: strengthen your narrative in the opening sentence. These sentences should not deviate from the opening sentence topic or story, otherwise start a new paragraph. Should answer a [ Question’s to address or reflect on] section (see above).

Concluding sentence(s): wrap everything in this story up, optionally include a transition sentence.

Concluding Paragraph

Opening sentence: restate why you will be a successful OT.

Supporting sentences: start wrapping things up. Big picture. If applying to a specific program, consider answering why this program (e.g. does its mission statement appeal to you?).

Final sentence: end strong stating that you want to be an OT. Mention because it is in your long-term goals.  Consider ending everything with the words “occupational therapist” (identity), e.g. “…be a successful occupational therapist” OR “occupational therapy”, e.g. “… to pursue a career in occupational therapy”.

Here are some examples. All identifying information and some facts were fabricated for example sake.

After graduation, I did a lot of soul searching in terms of the career I wanted to pursue. Did I want to appease my parents and pursue [career]? Should we expand [business name] and take it to the next level? I knew I wanted a career that could help people in my day-to-day, but none of those paths fulfilled that desire. After my [family member] injured her arm and was unable to return to work or help out around the house, I saw her frustration and loss of dignity. Our family took a significant financial toll. When my [family member] finally saw an occupational therapist, I motivated her to do the exercises from her care plan and she eventually regained upper arm function. My [family member’s] perseverance inspired me to become an occupational therapist to help people develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living, working, and leading active lifestyles .

• This excerpt, although really did happen, sounds cliche with phrases like soul searching, take it to the next level.
• While the reflection part and figuring out what to do may seem important, it can be shortened to and still get the message across.
• Using the family member is a good example especially since it related to a story with an occupational therapist.
• The last two sentences highlight that I know what OT is (and why I want to become one) but can be cleaned up.

I was inspired by a personal experience with an occupational therapist when my [family member] suffered a rotator cuff tear and was unable to perform her activities of daily living . My [family member] became discouraged and did not do the recommended home exercises , but I saw the value in them and helped my [family member] complete them daily to recover. I learned the value of occupational therapy and how important it is to take a holistic approach by involving caregivers .

• Mentioning ADL’s shows I know what OT’s do.
• Shows my direct involvement with OT intervention.
• Shows my understanding of OT’s holistic approach.
• Words like “value” are strong. The word caregiver is often used in OT documentation.

I was hired as a EMT at [employer] in [city] for a small business that reminded me of our own [business name]. My role as a EMT at [employer] involved caring and treating for the sick and injured that involved tasks such as CPR or patient comfort and advocacy. As an EMT I again found that I was a valuable asset to the company having known how to speak some Spanish. Patients and staff members challenged me and tested my patience. My contact with patients out in the field was a unique experience that exposed me to the reality of what a healthcare profession involved. Due to the physical demands of the job and the high stress environment, many EMTs “burned out” and quit. I admit that I have thought about quitting, but I found the interactions with my patients far more rewarding and continued to work close to two years as an EMT. Working closely with these patients taught me to be sensitive to each person and their unique experiences. As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills to adapt the environment to my patients in order to safely transfer care, as well as educate patients on how to minimize hazards and prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassured me that I was pursuing the right career in helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals.

• How would you improve this example?
• Lots of specifics can be taken out like employer name, city.
• Role as EMT is well-known, better to include more significant things such as experience, outcome, or relevance to OT.
• Being bilingual is nice, but more for a resume than a personal statement as it does not add to the story.
• Leave out specific thought process of thinking about quitting (weaknesses). Perseverance was also already shared in a previous example – talk about another quality instead, e.g. stress management, working with diverse population, fast-paced environment, patient education as an EMT and how it translates to OT.
• Reflect on how one story can share multiple strengths you have not mentioned so far in previous examples.
• The example does not translate or relate back to OT in a clear manner, but alludes to the qualities of one. This can be written to be more obvious because EMT and OT have very similar qualities that are needed to be good practitioners.

As an EMT, I developed my critical thinking skills with my patients in order to safely transfer care and educate patients on how to prevent further injuries. Hearing my patients personally thank me for my care and education reassures me that I am pursuing the right career by helping patients resume their activities of daily living and accomplish their own goals .

Much shorter, to the point, and use of effective words that highlight what OT’s also do – educate, doing it safely, prevention of disease and injury, and meeting client’s goals.

FAQ and Self-Doubt

Addressing negative self-talk and negative beliefs about yourself.

“This is my 100th time applying…”

Maybe it will be your 101st that you get in. You see this all the time with graduates taking the board exam who fail X number of times. Don’t give up!

“I was never good at writing.”

Writing takes practice. I never liked writing in grade school. Now I enjoy writing about OT. So use your resources, e.g. spell-check, someone to proof-read, reading other examples. You CAN do it.

“My experience is not that special.”

Not everyone did CPR on their patient, observed a miraculous rehab recovery, etc. It’s what you make of the moments, how you interpret it, become inspired by it, how it changes you, and make you want to be an OT. It’s all from YOUR perspective. You can take 2 people who watch the same movie. One person could be moved by it and the other not be interested, right?

“The more I read this, the more I feel like it is not good enough.”

Take a break, put it down, and come back to it. Have someone else read it and get their opinion. Sometimes, we get stuck in our own thoughts and they can trick us and lead us down a negative path of thinking.

“I have the opposite problem, I have too much to write about and not enough room.”

You can probably take our your younger experiences. Leave the “resume” stuff out. Try to pick the most “OT” related or healthcare moments. If you do not have these examples to draw from, choose ones that fit the characteristics of a good OT. Each example should not be a repeated theme of another and highlight something profound.

“Now I am not so sure what OT’s do anymore, after writing all this.”

Go on BLS.gov for OT’s, listen to OT podcasts (to become inspired), watch some YouTubers on OT.

“I am having doubts about OT vs. (other profession)”

Avoid reading forums, facebook groups, Reddit for OT. These are often skewed towards OTs who may be burned out (which could happen for any other profession on social media). Dig deep into why you wanted to be an OT in the first place! If still in doubt, maybe you should observe some more, talk to some more OT’s and listen to some OT podcasts (because they are positive about the profession usually). I would avoid YouTube as many who are burned out could make videos.

“No one can proofread my personal statement.”

Try writing workshops, a school or public library, or similar resources. A simple google search could help and you won’t necessarily need to pay. Avoid suspicious websites and  uploading  your work to avoid others from plagiarizing you. Use people or resources that you trust.

“This is my 100th draft, it’s not perfect yet”

Deadlines will often help with this. Don’t let them catch you off guard. Consider going back and making an outline and seeing if you covered everything you want to talk about. A timer may help. Get the approval of at least 2 readers to give you support for how awesome your personal statement is.

“I don’t know where to start in writing”

That’s okay, start writing about a story or experience you have in mind and build around it. Start in the middle as intros and conclusions can be very difficult to begin writing.

• Read some other examples online, but don’t stress about it. If possible, have someone who may have been accepted to a graduate program send you theirs. You can use it as a template or for inspiration to the types of stores, tone, conclusion paragraph used, etc.
• Set a timer (e.g. Pomodoro method) so you won’t stress out and remind yourself to take breaks, move-on, just get something out and fix it later. Exact grammar, spelling, and other “writing” can be fixed later – focus on content.
• Get into a habit of writing, set a schedule …or do it randomly, no-schedule (whatever works for you ). Maybe it’s writing every other day in the morning, after a nap, after playing video games, after a meal, after walking your dog, or whatever sets you up for success.
• Have at least 2 people read (and edit) your personal statement. Don’t take it personally and not all suggestions are necessarily correct.
• In the earlier stages of writing, if deciding between two stories or segments in your writing, consider having two drafts and see which one your proof-readers prefer.
• Read your personal statement out loud, spaced out, e.g. 1 week later (when it is no longer fresh and you forgot some of what you wrote). Make edits as needed.
• Candidates come from all walks of life, have different personalities (e.g. type-A vs. B), extroverted vs. introverted, outspoken vs. quiet – so some of these tips (or your editor suggestions) may not appeal to you or seem unnatural, etc. This can be your strength. Follow your gut. It’s not like OT schools are only looking for outspoken, extroverted candidates. It’s how you use those qualities to better the world with OT. This is what makes you unique, special, and distinguished. Highlight those features!
• Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, manage your stress, breathe.

Thank you for reading this long guide. I wish you the best in your journey to becoming an occupational therapist (or whatever career). See you all in the field!

 Personal Statements For OT 

Ot personal statements online advising.

The OT personal statement can seem like the most daunting and difficult part of your application.

Silver lining, though: a well-written essay can:

• Wake up a bored admissions committee (most essays they'll read are extremely similar)
• Convey your real personality and make you come alive to your readers
• Depict your experiences in movie-like clarity and detail
• Show your best qualities and values
• Help the reader see why you and their program are such a great fit

Simply put, the essay is not a to-do; it's a powerful tool to help you get accepted!

Lauren Hammond is our OT application essay expert and has been helping people write their Occupational Therapy personal statements for several years. Whether you just want some feedback on a draft, or you're staring at a blank Word doc and don't know where to begin, she is happy to help!

Contact Lauren directly at  951 -395-4646 (phone or text), or send us an email .

She works with people online via Zoom and via email / Google Docs.

P.S. We offer GRE prep!

Lauren Hammond

Lauren: I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Literature and Writing, with a concentration in Writing, at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and my Master’s Degree in English and Comparative Literature at San Diego State University (SDSU). I recently completed my PhD in English at the University of California Riverside (UCR) in September 2023. Upon graduating, I began my current position as UCR's Graduate Writing Center Specialist and Fulbright Program Advisor last summer. 

I have been a writing consultant for nearly 10 years now, and I've helped people with research writing, thesis/dissertation projects, rhetorical and literary analyses, writing in the humanities, grammar/sentence mechanics, and more. My focus for VKTP centers on graduate school application materials– including personal statements, diversity statements, and research statements– as well as job market materials for academic and alt-academic positions– resumes, CVs, cover letters, etc. 

During my downtime, I love hanging out with my husband, 2-year-old daughter, and our two dogs, Link and Leia! My favorite activities are going on the boat, cruising on the golf cart, and making our way through all of the local eateries. When we aren’t out and about, I typically enjoy reading and watching movies.

Working with Lauren is $225 per hour or $995 for a package purchase of 5 hours. You can reach her at  951 -395-4646 (phone or text), or by sending us an email .

Love For Lauren

"I had about 6 sessions with Lauren Hammond to go over my personal statements for PhD/PsyD Clinical Psychology applications. I had different goals for each of my statements (e.g., trim, content development, brainstorm ideas), and she tailored each session to meet my needs. An hour might seem short, but she was very productive and sometimes went over two short statements in one session. She was also available via text for any brief questions or concerns. I am very happy with her service and recommend it to anyone who wants to craft a stand-out personal statement. I thought my writing skills were already good, but the final product, including her revisions, turned out even better than I expected. "

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Lauren helped me out SO much with my MFT graduate school essays. I've already gotten an interview from two schools, and I was incredibly happy with the essay results. 110% would recommend her! Thank you so much Lauren.

" Very happy to have worked with Vince on my GRE prep and Lauren on my personal essay writing. Both were integral to my success in getting accepted to my ideal grad school. Vince had a very straightforward and understandable approach toward taking the test which helped remove the test anxiety I definitely would have otherwise felt. I knew exactly what was coming weeks before I sat down to take it and managed to score about 10-15 points higher than I would have without his help. Lauren was equally helpful in editing my essay - both on the finer details as well as big picture ideas and concepts. I wholeheartedly believe their assistance throughout the GRE and grad school application process is what pushed me over the edge and got me accepted into my ideal program at my ideal school. 5 stars, no question."

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"I worked with Lauren Hammond on my personal statement and she was amazing!! I spent a couple months working with her and it was one of the best decisions that I feel elevated my grad school applications. I came into the first meeting with a draft essay that was basically my resume and was all over the place. Lauren helped me nail down my story and what I am passionate about. I ended up writing an amazing personal statement with great feedback from Lauren that I felt really showed readers who I am. She was super flexible with the times we met and I ended up getting into my TOP choice schools (Johns Hopkins, Brown, etc). I would definitely work with her again!"

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"Lauren Hammond was so incredibly helpful with my personal statements for grad school. I really needed help with organization, staying focused on a coherent narrative and content-building, which she was phenomenal with. She's also a really sweet person and a pleasure to work with! Can't recommend her enough."

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" As I was applying to PhD programs, I was struggling to write my personal statements. I searched online for hours to try and find something or someone that looked worth spending the money on and I came across Lauren Hammond at Vince Kotchian Test Prep. I was only planning on doing maybe one session to help get me started but Lauren was SO good that I continued working with her for weeks. She gave such valuable feedback and felt like she truly cared about making my work the best it can be. I even recommended her to my other colleagues who were applying to grad school and they felt the same way. I currently have 3 interviews for grad school and I couldn't have gotten those without her help!"

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"Lauren Hammond was amazing. She provided me with thoughtful feedback that structured and strengthened my graduate school application essays. She was great at asking questions to push me to be a better writer. You can tell she genuinely cares about her students and wants to see you succeed. Additionally she is flexible in scheduling and will make deadlines work with your timeline. I was accepted into my top school choice and appreciate Lauren for her help in the process. If you or someone you know is looking for an essay tutor for graduate applications, Lauren is definitely the best!"

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I spend writing my OT personal statement?

We generally recommend about 4-8 weeks - 6 weeks is a good sweet spot. It takes time to come up with ideas and get those ideas onto paper in a compelling form.

Where can I find some good examples of personal statements?

Other than Google, I really like the sample admissions essays in Graduate Admissions Essays by Donald Asher. If you're a DIY kind of person, Asher's advice for the entire graduate admissions process is very good.

Note:  The above links are Amazon affiliate links and I earn a commission if you purchase things through them. However, any commission I earn comes at no additional cost to you, and you pay nothing extra. My recommendation is based on extensive experience using this book's advice with dozens of people over the years, and I recommend it because it's helpful and useful, not because of the small commission I receive if you choose to buy it.

How can I make my personal statement stand out?

MOST personal statements are BORING! Not because the person writing them is boring, but perhaps because:

• Their focus is too broad. They try to cover everything they've done, and nothing ends up standing out.
• They're impersonal. It's a personal statement - the reader needs to get a sense of who you are and what you're actually like - not some sanitized "professional" version of you.
• They're too safe. Ironically, a statement that takes no risks can be the riskiest thing you can do. We're not applying to a program with the intent of blending in with all the other applicants!

Granted, the above things can be overdone, or done wrong. But most statements make no impact, so it's worth thinking about how yours actually can.

For more personal statement tips, check out Vince's video: 7 Ways to Write a Crappy Graduate School Personal Statement.

What are the basics of applying to an OT program?

Gaining admission into an Occupational Therapy (OT) graduate program is like preparing for a complex dance — it requires a combination of technical knowledge, practical skills, and a deep understanding of human movement and daily living activities. Here's how the process usually unfolds:

The journey often begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as health sciences, psychology, or kinesiology. Key coursework often includes anatomy, physiology, psychology, and sociology. Doing well in these courses is crucial because they form the foundation of understanding how to assist individuals in improving their daily living and working skills.

Hands-on experience is highly valued in OT applications. This can come from volunteer work, internships, or employment in settings like rehabilitation centers, hospitals, or clinics. It’s not just about clocking hours; it's about showing genuine interest in and commitment to the field of occupational therapy. This experience is crucial in demonstrating an understanding of the role of OTs and their impact on improving patients' quality of life.

Many OT programs require the GRE, and a good score can be beneficial. It serves as an indicator of your readiness for the academic rigor of graduate studies.

Applications typically include essays and letters of recommendation. The essays are an opportunity to share your passion for OT, your understanding of the profession, and your future career goals. Recommendation letters should ideally come from individuals who can speak to your abilities and potential in the field of OT.

Interviews are often a part of the application process, allowing you to demonstrate your communication skills, empathy, and professionalism — all essential qualities for an OT.

Going above and beyond, such as participating in OT-related research or being involved in relevant organizations, can enhance your application.

In summary, getting into an OT graduate program involves demonstrating academic strength in relevant subjects, gaining practical experience in the field, articulating a strong understanding of and commitment to occupational therapy, and showcasing personal qualities vital to the profession. It’s a journey for those dedicated to helping individuals lead independent and fulfilling lives through therapeutic interventions.

Occupational Therapy Tips & Resources

OT School: How to Write a Personal Statement

Check out the OT Latina Personal Statement Guide for Occupational Therapy School! Follow the OT Latina Blog for more content.

Applying to OT school can get a little overwhelming. On top of the list of pre-admission requirements, you are also probably required to provide a personal statement.

If you need help to get the ball rolling on your essay, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s my guide on how to write an occupational therapy school personal statement, hope it helps!

What is a personal statement?

It’s an essay. Your standard essay style with paragraphs, double-spaced, and brief. Try to keep it at about 1-2 pages, but no more than 2 pages.

What should be included in a personal statement?

The personal statement is your chance to tell the admissions board about yourself, who you are, what occupational therapy means to you, and why they should admit you into their program.

Introduction

Briefly introduce yourself with a bold and captivating intro statement. For example, in my personal statement, I began with “As a first-generation Latina who was raised by a strong and empathetic woman, it came naturally that I wanted to pursue a career in occupational therapy.” Start building a short introduction.

You can mention a few hobbies you enjoy, and what degree you earned in your undergraduate work. You can tie it all together in relation to occupational therapy. Example: I earned my degree in Exercise Science because I found interest in the way the human body functions. I hope to couple my passion for learning about anatomy and exercise with holistic occupational therapy methods to provide the best quality of care to others.

Focus on a theme.

You can choose to write about what inspired you to pursue a career in occupational therapy, write about what potential you have in this career, what new ideas or interests in research you can bring to occupational therapy, etc. In my personal statement, I decided to focus on writing about my potential in the career and how my experiences (research, volunteer, education, personality traits) will help maximize the potential in others.

Describe what traits, extracurricular activities, and/or leadership opportunities you had in the past that would transfer well into the occupational therapy career. I participated in many research groups and labs within my undergraduate major in exercise science, so I decided to include those experiences. Since occupational therapy is advancing toward more areas of research within the profession, admission committees may find it appealing to have a student who already has experience in research methods.

Why occupational therapy?

• Why did you decide to pursue a career in OT?
• How have you helped others in the past and how does it translate to OT?
• How has your volunteer experience helped you choose a career in OT?
• How will you help engage others in occupational therapy?
• What attributes or traits do have that will make you a great therapist?

Make sure you research what occupational therapy is and that you have a clear understanding of the field. The OT field has so many career pathways, definitions, and niche subjects embedded within, it’s your job to describe your understanding of occupational therapy, what it means to you, and how you will contribute to the profession.

Feel free to explore different writing styles and themes. One piece of advice I was given was to write freely on a piece of paper or on your laptop. Let the words flow with no limitations. Once you have a good chunk of information, you can sculpt your essay the way you want it to look.

Keep it clear, brief, and professional. Admission committees want to see how well you can express yourself in a professional manner and how you articulate yourself in a brief essay.

Have someone proofread your essay before submitting it. You can ask peers, previous mentors, professors, or OTs you’ve shadowed in the past to proofread your essay. Make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors, and that the person proofreading is able to understand your themes, ideas, and content.

Lastly, don’t stress too much. I get it, I’ve been there, but you will get through it. I hope these tips help you craft your personal essay. I wish you luck on your journey to becoming an occupational therapist!

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Share this:, published by brianda karina cortez.

I am a licensed pediatric occupational therapist currently practicing in Texas. I am originally from Harlingen, Texas, a Bordertown in the Rio Grande Valley. I have a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy. A few things I enjoy are exercising, reading, writing, exploring my spirituality, meditating, outdoor adventures, and dancing. View more posts

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Occupational Therapy Personal Statement

Read our real example of Occupational Therapy personal statement to be able to work on your application for university.

Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Example

To me, occupational therapy’s guiding principles – above all, equipping individuals with the skills and confidence to lead full, rewarding lives – strike a chord as the best way to restore health. It would be a privilege and an enriching experience to be part of a profession based on these ideals that could improve the lives of others.

As a result of my diverse upbringing, I have excellent communication and empathy skills. After living in various countries throughout my childhood, my family and I finally settled in the United Kingdom. Living temporarily in several different places, often overcoming language barriers, has helped me to appreciate communication and to strive to improve it. I have also encountered people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds by living in such a diverse range of places.

My experience completing the first year of a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, which I believed did not suit my career goals or academic interests, demonstrated my aptitude for higher education and suitability to work as an occupational therapist. I left the course after feeling that course did not suit my interests or career goals. The position I held as a course representative required me to communicate effectively with fellow students and assist in formulating proposals that would improve the quality of the course for them. These skills are relevant to the work of occupational therapists, in my opinion. In addition, the experience of taking an unsuitable course has taught me not to make big decisions lightly and to pursue a career I am genuinely interested in. I feel confident that occupational therapy is the right course for me, and I look forward to completing it with full enthusiasm.

As a result of shadowing an occupational therapist, I have gained a deeper understanding of this fascinating field. The experience of eyeing the work of the therapist and seeing how the central goal of everything that they did was orchestrated at helping people to lead fulfilling lives, whether through coaching people on techniques to control problems such as anxiety or assisting individuals to develop plans for themselves, was inspirational. I was positively impressed with the therapist’s ability to understand people’s conditions through a combination of talking to them and keeping an eye on them as they went about their business, not to mention the importance that the therapist attached to assessing each individual thoroughly to ensure that the help that they offered would benefit the individual and their circumstances.

I recently spent four weeks volunteering at a local school, where I worked daily with the children. I spent a considerable amount of the time on the placement working with a disabled girl, in the form of helping her and keeping her company during breaks and lunchtimes. Being able to help children in this way was a great pleasure, and working with kids from a variety of backgrounds made me realise the significance of the role that occupational therapists can play in helping children who come from troubled families. Indeed, the rewarding experience of working with children has made me develop an interest in working as a paediatric occupational therapist one day. I was inspired to carry out this work experience through the sense of accomplishment I derived from helping to organise a Christmas party for a group of disabled children whilst I was at college. The experience made me realise that helping people was something that drives me to make the most of my skills and abilities. I believe that qualifying as an occupational therapist would be an ideal profession for me to be able to do this.

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Consider These Occupational Therapy Personal Statements

Table of Contents

Personal statements are a standard encounter in professional and student life. They give recruiters a glimpse into our personalities and help them understand our goals. While an  occupational therapist personal statement  might seem like a daunting task, there are tips and examples you can use as a guide. Read til the end to learn more about them.

But first, we need to establish a few fundamentals.

What is an Occupational Therapist?

 An occupational therapist is a healthcare specialist who works with patients of all ages to help them develop, recover and maintain daily living skills. Through creative activities and purposeful engagements, the OT helps people overcome physical or mental limitations in order to lead satisfying and productive lives.

An OT’s clients include any person whose mobility and mental faculties have been impaired by birth defects, accidents, and developmental issues. 

OTs strive to enhance the quality of life for clients across numerous settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, and private practice. 

The Importance of Personal Statements

Personal statements are standard requirements for job applications and special course applications. They are special essays that allow candidates to introduce themselves and highlight the key aspects of their professional and educational background .

Personal statements outline an applicant’s experience, skills, values, and commitments relevant to their intended venture and give a holistic view of their character. They focus on demonstrating an individual’s ability to be a productive member of an organization and show how they are suitable for a role. 

The true value of personal statements lies in their ability to create impressions. They influence a recruiter’s perception of an applicant, allowing candidates to showcase their individuality.

Tips for Writing an Occupational Therapist Personal Statement

Writing an  occupational therapist personal statement  is a straightforward task that relies heavily on your exposition and word choice. You can simplify your task by following these tips: 

1. Highlight your unique qualifications and experiences relevant to occupational therapy – this could include any related work experience, internships, research, or other special interests. 

2. Utilize storytelling techniques to describe how you became interested in the field of occupational therapy and what drove you to pursue it. 

3. Focus on conveying your passion for helping people with physical disabilities while demonstrating knowledge of evidence-based practices and modalities. 

4. Incorporate specific examples that illustrate your strong communication skills and empathy when working with patients. 

5. Be concise and make sure every sentence contains a vivid image, descriptive word, or phrase that sets it apart from others.

If you need a bit more help applying these tips, check out the examples from our Hey INK tool in the following section.

Occupational Therapist Personal Statement Examples

As a seasoned occupational therapist, I am passionate about empowering my clients to reach their full potential. Through evidence-based practices and experiential interventions, I strive to enhance the lives of individuals in need by providing meaningful and impactful care. 

My collaborative approach helps me foster trusting relationships with clients, enabling them to build confidence and resilience as they navigate life’s challenges. I devise innovative solutions tailored to each individual and combine treatment with entertainment to maximize their effectiveness. 

By leveraging my expertise in neurodiversity, disability studies, and cognitive rehabilitation, I ensure all participants receive holistic treatments and personalized support throughout the journey.

I have been working in occupational therapy for several years and am passionate about helping those in need. During my career, I have had the privilege to shadow some of the top therapists and observe their techniques first-hand. 

This experience gave me a greater appreciation for how important quality care is when it comes to treating patients. Additionally, through college courses and seminars, I learned different ways to apply my knowledge to help people heal. 

I believe that my education, volunteer experiences, and personal dedication make me an ideal candidate for any position related to occupational therapy. It is my great pride to be part of a profession that offers so many rewarding and meaningful benefits. 

I feel fortunate to be part of such a respected and meaningful profession. I am confident that I can bring a lot to the table when it comes to providing high-quality healthcare. My goal is to use my skills and knowledge to offer a level of service that exceeds expectations. Ultimately, I want to continue pursuing my career aspirations in this exciting and ever-changing industry!

I have always enjoyed being able to help others. When I decided on a career path as an Occupational Therapist, it felt like a natural fit. I am committed to providing the best care available to assist patients and their families through the process of reclaiming health and well-being. 

On any given day, I’m looking for ways to read a patient’s progress. I teach them how to use different resources and look at how the family can work together to create contentment in life. 

It is truly rewarding to be able to think back on all the people I’ve been able to assist and complete this journey with. Working as an occupational therapist has been one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had.

An occupational therapist personal statement is a descriptive essay that shows recruiters and admissions board representatives who you are . They can affect how recruiters perceive you and your suitability for a job or course.

Take the time to practice writing your personal statements, and remember to apply our tips. They can help you crystallize good habits that will serve you in every aspect of writing.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Occupational therapy personal statement example 1.

I believe everyone deserves the best quality of life possible and that being able to complete everyday tasks is a part of this. It is easy to take these tasks for granted and not consider the affect an inability to complete them would have. I want to be an occupational therapist as I believe that, by teaching skills and adapting environments, you can have a positive impact on someone's life. I want the opportunity to make a difference by helping people gain independence and increase in confidence. I want to be part of such a rewarding and diverse career; working closely with people and helping them to progress.

I feel my subjects have given me a good basis for studying at degree level, requiring me to be logical and work to deadlines as well as teaching me research and evaluative skills. History and religious studies have taught me to look beyond the obvious and determine underlying factors. I particularly enjoy learning about ethics in religious studies, looking at people's moral beliefs and why they hold them, and achieved one hundred percent in my AS ethics exam. Health and social care has taught me about cells, tissues and organs as well as how body systems interrelate. The way the body works interests me and I hope to further develop this knowledge.

My health and social care course gave me the opportunity to complete two placements. My first was at Birchwood primary school where I supported children in lessons. The next was in a Caretech home for people with disabilities. I accompanied patients on outings, shadowed carers and assisted with a craft session designed to improve the service user's fine motor skills. I found the session very rewarding and hope to use similar activities in my future career. Both placements taught me to effectively communicate with people of all ages and abilities, as well as how to encourage and support people in tasks which help them be independent. These skills will help me form a better rapport with service users as an occupational therapist.

I organised my own work experience including a week at Southfield special needs school; assisting in lessons, particularly with reading. This gave me an insight into how different disabilities impacted on the lives of the children, for some it affected concentration whilst others were unable to hold a pen properly. I want the opportunity to work with people to overcome such problems. I also volunteered for sixty hours on a ward at my local hospital. I spent time talking to patients as well as completing administrative and housekeeping tasks and assisting with meal service. Many patients had dementia and communicating with them allowed me to use my empathy, patience and compassion as they were often confused and felt vulnerable. I received positive feedback from the ward manager, describing me as 'a very caring and pleasant girl' as well as 'a very good communicator' who 'always wears a smile'.

I work in retail which has given me experience of responsibility in a working environment, as well as using my initiative. I advise customers on the products that best suit their needs, giving me experience of building a rapport with people I have never met before. I use problem solving and an understanding of the customer's situation when dealing with complaints and returns.

I have been having singing lessons for eight years which has taught me dedication and increased my confidence. By scheduling lessons and preparing for music exams, whilst working, volunteering and studying, I have learnt to manage my time effectively and prioritise my commitments. Research has shown the positive effects music has on the brain and so I hope to incorporate my experience of singing into my work as an occupational therapist.

Overall I feel that my hobbies, studies and work experience have provided me with the skills to become a good occupational therapist. My hard working and caring nature will help me learn to support and improve the lives of service users.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by otstudent for application in 2013.

Degree Occupational Therapy at Oxford Brookes University

otstudent's Comments

Applied to: Northampton - Offer recieved Oxford Brookes - Offer accepted (I now attend) Derby - Offer recieved Canterbury - Offer recieved

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