Posted June 2023

Pedro Almeida, OT, PhD, OTR, is a clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy at Boston University’s Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Almeida spends a typical day with clients, developing treatment plans and providing hands-on therapy. He also teaches occupational therapy courses and researches the latest techniques and tools to better assist clients with rheumatological issues. We sat down with Professor Almeida for an inside scoop on the field of occupational therapy.

What is occupational therapy?

I like to say that if you’re struggling to manage your daily activities—from very basic tasks such as brushing your teeth all the way to very complex skilled work—occupational therapy can help you. As with any healthcare profession, our aim is to provide the best possible care and enhance our clients’ quality of life. However, what sets occupational therapy apart is our problem-solving approach that helps clients overcome barriers that prevent them from doing what they need or want to do on a daily basis in a meaningful and independent way. Our ultimate goal is to enable our clients to engage in activities that are important to them, despite the challenges they may face.

What inspired you to become an occupational therapist?

I’ve always been fascinated by how people can perform the same task in different ways. Part of it comes from my own experiences as a very “clumsy” child. I struggled with basic motor tasks like tying my shoelaces, using scissors, and doing all sorts of arts and crafts at school. I learned to find alternative ways to complete these tasks out of necessity, which fueled my lifelong interest in this topic. I discovered occupational therapy while preparing for my university entrance exams during my senior high school years in Brazil. As someone who always wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, I was particularly drawn to occupational therapy because it allowed me to use creative solutions to improve the lives of clients struggling with daily activities.

Who can benefit from occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy can help a wide range of individuals with varying needs, making it challenging to describe a single population that can benefit from the services provided. For instance, someone with arthritis may struggle with simple tasks like opening a jar, while a college student with schizophrenia may have difficulty keeping track of assignments and deadlines. A child with cerebral palsy may face challenges participating in classroom activities, while an adult who just had a stroke may need assistance returning to work. Occupational therapy can be helpful for anyone experiencing challenges that hinder their ability to engage in meaningful activities across their lifespan.

What are some of the most common conditions or issues that you help clients with?

As part of my academic duties, I run a pro bono clinic in partnership with the Department of Rheumatology at the BMC. Most of the clients I see are adults with conditions that primarily affect the musculoskeletal system, resulting in severe pain and physical limitations. Many of these clients are of working age, so being able to work is a constant concern, and the challenges they face are often unique, with no standard solution available.

How do you work with clients to identify their occupational needs and goals, and what strategies do you use to help them achieve them?

Occupational therapists utilize various standardized assessments and tools to evaluate how medical conditions impact a person’s daily activities.

However, since each person has their unique way of performing occupations, it is crucial to identify their individual needs and goals. I like going over a client’s entire routine, from the moment they wake up in the morning until they retire at night, identifying any tasks, activities, or occupations that are difficult to perform or participate in. From this, we determine which activities are the highest priority for them to resume. It is essential to note that the process is client-centered—while I may recommend certain activities, the client has the final say in determining what is important to them.

Once their goals and needs are established, we can provide tailored interventions to assist them, such as muscle strengthening exercises, cognitive training, or prescribing appropriate mobility aids like wheelchairs, to cite a few.

What advice would you give someone considering a career in occupational therapy?

My advice to someone considering a career in occupational therapy would be to start by conducting thorough research on the profession. It is essential to gain a clear understanding of what occupational therapy entails, the various settings in which occupational therapists work, the diverse populations they serve, and how occupational therapists fit within a healthcare team. I would highly recommend talking to an occupational therapist, maybe shadowing them for a day to get a better understanding of how the profession works.

What qualities/skills do you think are essential to success in the field?

Healthcare requires someone to have a passion for helping others and be highly empathic, but being an OT will also require being flexible, creative, and having strong problem-solving abilities: Flexibility and creativity are important qualities as each patient is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. Being able to adapt and think outside the box is critical in this field. It’s a rewarding and challenging career, but one that can make a significant difference in the lives of patients.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as an occupational therapist, and how do you overcome them?

One of the significant challenges in our profession today is recruiting and retaining students from diverse backgrounds and minoritized groups. Our program is actively working to increase representation in this area, but we face the challenge of limited scholarships to support such initiatives. To address this challenge, we would greatly appreciate the support of alumni in fundraising initiatives promoted by the department. Financial support from alumni would help our program to create and expand scholarship opportunities to attract a diverse student body.

How can BU alumni support Sargent and the occupational therapy program?

Alumni can offer invaluable support by providing mentorship and networking opportunities to current students. These opportunities can help students navigate the job market and build connections in various fields beyond traditional healthcare settings. Occupational therapy has a broad impact on several areas of a person’s life, and partnerships with professional areas such as engineering, law, and data sciences are extremely valuable. By leveraging their diverse skills and experiences, alumni can offer unique insights to help students succeed in the profession.

For more information on Sargent College’s Department of Occupational Therapy, visit their website here.