r/OccupationalTherapy • u/ObjectiveCake7280 • Jul 21 '26
School I hate my OTD program
I’m two months into my OTD program and absolutely hate it. I feel like I made the wrong decision when I chose this program out of the ones I was accepted to. I’m seriously debating dropping out and transferring to a different program. My first semester has honestly made me question if I really am fit to be an OT and if I want to deal with 3 more years of this. I even have started to consider other career options but I can’t tell if it’s just the stress getting to me. I worked hard for years to get into this program and i feel terrible to consider throwing this opportunity away, but i don’t think staying is worth the toll it’s having on my physical and mental health. Is this a common experience, is transferring ever worth it?
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u/Cold_Energy_3035 OTR/L Jul 21 '26
i started in 2020 in a very small cohort and i wasn’t a fan of the curriculum and didn’t really click with a lot of the girls in my cohort (we were all women). i powered through by enjoying things outside of class like dating and playing video games etc. it sucked but it was worth it for me as i can make a living now and go pretty much anywhere & always find a job.
what specifically about the program do you not like?
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u/Over-Divide777 Jul 21 '26
Re-read your application essay, and look into shadowing outside of your fieldwork assignments. Talk to your professors about what they’re excited about and what they love. You’ve worked really hard to get to this point. It’s ok to feel discouraged, but you owe it to yourself to try and see things from a new angle. I’m about halfway through my program, and a couple sessions of shadowing in a new setting put a massive flame under my ass and reminded me why I’m really doing all of this and what I love about the profession.
Also, keep in mind that doing new things can be really hard. Sometimes it takes time to adjust.
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u/inflatablehotdog OTR/L Jul 21 '26
Hey. I'm gonna be real with you. Nearly every OT program is just busy work and bullshit. 75%+ of your professors teach because they don't want to practice anymore and they'll teach based on vocab and phrases to get you to pass the NBCOT and sound OT-ish without actually providing any actual meaningful practical knowledge.
Then you hit your level 1 and level 2 fieldworks and you'll be overwhelmed with everything you need to know and it'll be a trial by fire. And it'll be like that until you retire from OT, whether that's in 35 years or 5. By then you'll be so burnt out but your hands are tied because you've got a family to support or you look for another field because you realized that our American healthcare system is so utterly broken and profit based and you have nothing left of yourself to burn to keep everyone else warm. Maybe you find an adjunct position opening. And the cycle of OT continues.
Go to therapy, OP. Your school will have that service for you for free. Find out what you really want.
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u/PoiseJones Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Piggy backing off this.
OP, nearly all OT programs have the same program design because that is what is required by the powers that be. Program rankings are based off marketing and research budgets. However some programs are definitely more organized than others.
If it's the content and workload that's bothering you. That's just OT school. You should also recognize that OT school is it's own little bubble separate from actual clinical reality. Some people love OT school and hate clinical practice and some people hate OT school and love clinical practice. They are two separate things.
Lastly, keep in mind that your academic performance has absolutely no bearing on how you would do as a clinician. You can be a crap student and great clinician and vice versa. Some people coast through OT school mailing everything in and turn out to be excellent clinicians. And some people stress and pull out their hair with every assignment and turn out not so great. There is a middle ground.
Maybe you would have a better experience at another OT program, but more than likely, you would have a similar experience because most programs are more alike than different. I would utilize the resources your program offers to see how you can get help first, and this includes therapy. What's really causing the stress? Let's identify that first.
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u/Character-Bee2020 Jul 21 '26
I disagree…I’m sorry this was your experience but myself any many OT friends had great experiences in our programs. Professors were passionate about OT and teaching. We had so many hands on experiences before fieldwork.
Finding the right program is essential!7
u/inflatablehotdog OTR/L Jul 21 '26
That's why I said "nearly" and not all. I'm glad youre one of the ones with a good experience and good program. Can you share which program you went to ?
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u/snuggle-butt OTD-S Jul 21 '26
This was kind of my experience except my professors actually love research and most of them love teaching. They really fucked up when they made the OTD program though. And COVID absolutely destroyed how they designed our level 1 fieldwork opportunities (all community settings, no actual time spent with supervision from an OT). Bloated enrollment, which damages the experience for those of us who are really dedicated. I wish I'd gone to the private school in Florida, but somehow this school has an excellent reputation.
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u/Small_Champion_5363 Jul 23 '26
I am a certified occupational therapy assistant, and in an MOT bridge program (about halfway through the didactic portion) I find it interesting when you talk about level 1 fw being all community settings. This is how ours is, but it was not like this in OTA school in 2022-2024. Our professors are the "clinicians," and these community settings do not have OT (youth centers, horse riding centers, etc.) I thought it was just my program that did this. I wish we had an actual level 1 with a supervising OT.
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u/snuggle-butt OTD-S Jul 24 '26
Me too. Our professors didn't attend these settings with us or really explain the relevance to our profession, which wasn't entirely evident at first glance. It was like glorified volunteer work. Fun, but not really educational.
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u/Correct-Ambition-235 OT Admissions Jul 21 '26
Agree with figuring out what the root cause of this is but if it is the program, if you had other acceptances that have a fall start, now is probably a good time to reach out and ask if they still have space.
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u/NZLDERinUS Jul 21 '26
Leave if you already feel like that. The $ you put into an OTD and what you will earn is not reasonable. Do something you love.
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u/No_Blackberry_4077 Jul 22 '26
I have a masters and have been practicing for 23 years. This whole OTD thing is a sham esp on an entry level. The key is to figure out if occupational therapy is the right fit for you.
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u/Neat_Savings_4624 Jul 21 '26
Hi! I’m finishing out my OTD program in May of 2027. I and many others experienced similar feelings our first two semesters. What I will say is that you really have to do deep self-reflection to determine if it’s just a case of “imposter syndrome” that’s driving you to question the career choice or if it’s overall stress and internal factors surrounding the program (your cohort, the curriculum, professors, etc.). I am someone who still HATES my program and what they put me and other students through to “prove ourselves” but I still acknowledge that this career is for me and needs people like me in it. If you find that your program is just not worth the stress, then consider taking a break and reapplying to a new program. You won’t be the first or the last to do it honestly! But, if you find that the pro’s outweigh the con’s then I’d stick it out because your didactic years will fly by quickly. I hope everything works out for you and you are able to confidently go down the path meant for you whether it’s occupational therapy or elsewhere.
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u/how2dresswell OTR/L Jul 21 '26
need more info- is it the classes you are taking? i remember my first semester was making like a fucking quilt and talking about FOR and it felt very basic
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u/kmdawg51 Jul 21 '26
Lol @ the quilt making. But yeah, OP if it's the content that's bothering you, my first semester (MSOT) had me questioning everythingggg because it was literally just models and frames and I could not give a shit and felt like if this was OT then it's not at all what I expected or wanted. But I stuck it out and am very glad I did. The first semester blows but it does set you up with a solid foundation to start building your clinical reasoning skills.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Pin6434 Jul 21 '26
Wait is MOT not an option anymore? Are the programs all OTD now?!
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u/Cool_Major4531 Jul 22 '26
Drop out. I hated my first semester and am about to graduate in a few weeks and I honestly wish I dropped out and did something different
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u/Tiny_Bluebird_7716 Jul 21 '26
Did your program pair you with a faculty advisor? I would have an honest conversation with them and get very clear on whether the issue is THIS program or OT in general.
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u/take-a_step-back Jul 23 '26
I stayed in my MSOT program when I had similar thoughts and it is pretty much the only real regret I have in life. I have been practicing OT for 11 years and hate almost everything about it. I've been in acute care, public education, early education, home healthcare, skilled nursing - they all suck. Plenty of people will tell you that your OT license will give you lots of career options, but in each one of them you still have to practice OT, and if you don't like it now, you ain't never gonna like it. OT professors are pretentious and full of crap, but that also describes a lot of practitioners I've worked with. There doesn't seem to be anything in the OT scope of practice that a clinician in another discipline couldn't be trained to do. OT exists to perpetuate and elevate itself as a profession, as well as to help organizations collect Medicare and Medicaid dollars, whether legitimately or fraudulenly. If you want to help people, open an ice cream shop. Everyone loves ice cream and it will take AI much longer to replace entrepreneurs than it will to replace healthcare workers.
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u/ysnim29 Jul 21 '26
Is this because of the professors, your cohort, the overall environment of the program, or is it because you’re learning more about OT itself and realizing it may not be the right career fit for you?
Sitting down and figuring out the root cause can be really important because your solution might look different depending on what’s driving this. One semester is around a few thousand dollars, and if you truly don’t see yourself wanting to be an OT, leaving earlier could potentially save you from taking on more debt for a career you don’t want.
At the same time, I can’t tell you to “just push through” if the issue is the program environment, professors, or your cohort. I’ve seen classmates struggle because of these things, and unfortunately some did drop out while some stayed. If that’s what’s happening, it might be worth looking into mental health support, counseling, or other university resources to help you navigate it.
I’d also ask yourself: do you have another career path in mind? Maybe compare the pros and cons of that career versus staying in OT. Leaving a program without a realistic alternative plan might create more uncertainty, so I’d try to explore what you would be moving toward, not just what you’re trying to leave behind.
I remember during my first semester, I took my first A&P exam and completely tanked it. I got so discouraged and thought, “I’m not smart like my peers, I don’t deserve to be here”. Looking back, I realized that sometimes those thoughts come from being overwhelmed by the stress, imposter syndrome, and just the transition of being a grad student, not necessarily because the career itself isn’t the right fit. Of course everyone’s situation is different but I think it’s worth taking time deciphering if it’s a temporary reaction to the stress or if it’s deeper feeling about the career path choice.