Occupational therapist vs Physical therapist

The primary difference between the two fields is that physical therapy helps patients cope with pain, increase range of motion, improve endurance, and develop gross motor skills; occupational therapy focuses more on how clients perform activities and roles that are most important to their daily lives, including assessing and treating physical, psychosocial, behavioral, cognitive, or sensory skills.

Physical therapists are movement experts who optimize quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. To practice as a physical therapist, one must first complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and pass the National Physical Therapy Exam and become licensed in the state they wish to practice.

Occupational therapists, on the other hand, focus on adapting, modifying, or changing daily activities that a person is required or wants to do. To work as an occupational therapist, you must pass the national exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and a degree from an accredited occupational therapy master's degree program.

Both professions offer a variety of opportunities to specialize and treat patients. Both professions also pay similar wages, with physical therapists earning an average of $87,930 a year and occupational therapists averaging $84,270 per year. Both professions are expected to grow by 18% over the next decade.