Rehabilitative care is arguably one of the most important aspects of patient care. Every year, millions of Americans face healthcare challenges that require rehabilitative care, such as brain injuries, mobility issues, or chronic pain. These individuals may have experienced a traumatic event such as a stroke, an automobile accident that caused long-lasting impairments, or they may have been born with a physical or developmental disability they carry with them throughout life.
Medical professionals such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists work with these patients to regain their abilities and restore their quality of life.
Occupational therapists and speech pathologists differ primarily in the types of patients they assist and the specific rehabilitative care they offer. While occupational therapists focus on helping individuals regain skills for daily living and independence, speech pathologists specialize in diagnosing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. Despite these differences, both professions share a commitment to helping patients restore essential functions. Additionally, both careers require a master’s degree, typically pursued after completing an undergraduate program in fields like communication sciences or physiology.
Occupational Therapist Role and Job Duties
The role of an occupational therapist is to help patients adapt to their physical abilities. Depending on the patient, an occupational therapist may recommend a change to the patient’s environment to accommodate them, including prescribing special equipment (such as a wheelchair, brace, or grabber), or developing a modified treatment plan.
Occupational therapists work with a wide variety of patients who are ill, overcoming injury, or were born with a physical or developmental disability. Examples include those with cerebral palsy, brain injury, or a traumatic accident. These patients often have difficulty performing everyday tasks related to mobility or motor skills, such as navigating a staircase, walking, or getting dressed.
Occupational therapists also work closely with patients’ families to convey important information about how they can assist in the patient’s overall care. As with any rehabilitative care role, the end goal is to get the patient to a point where they can function as independently as possible.
Speech Pathologist Role and Job Duties
While speech pathologists (also called speech-language pathologists and speech therapists) also work in rehabilitation, they specialize in working with patients facing difficulties related to speech, communication, or swallowing disorders. These disorders have many root causes, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, hearing loss/impairment, developmental disability, autism, a cleft palate, or Parkinson’s disease.
A speech pathologist first evaluates a patient’s abilities, and then identifies treatment options and formulates a plan tailored to that patient’s needs. Some common conditions that speech pathologists help with are fluency issues (stuttering), voice disorders, and aiding in the development of swallowing muscles.
Speech therapy is often a lengthy process, which means that a speech pathologist may work with the same patient for several months or even years. The end goal is to bring the patient to a point where they are swallowing and communicating as well as possible.
Occupational therapist vs. speech pathologist: Similarities
Occupational therapists and speech pathologists share several important similarities in their roles within healthcare.
- Both are dedicated to helping patients achieve greater independence through specialized, compassionate care. Both work with patients facing difficulties, whether those involve daily living skills or communication and swallowing disorders, and require strong compassion, empathy, and communication skills to support patient progress.
- Both professions require a master’s degree to practice. Occupational therapists earn a master’s in occupational therapy, while speech pathologists complete a master’s in speech-language pathology. Before graduate school, both typically study fields like communication sciences, healthcare, or biology.
- Licensure is mandatory for both careers. Occupational therapists must pass the NBCOT exam, while speech pathologists usually obtain the CCC-SLP certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, along with meeting state requirements.
Occupational Therapist vs. Speech Pathologist: Differences
When comparing occupational therapists and speech pathologists, several important distinctions emerge. While both require graduate-level education, their training and focus areas differ. While both professions are dedicated to improving quality of life, they differ in their patient focus, daily responsibilities, and physical demands.
- Patient Focus and Roles: Occupational therapists help individuals regain or develop skills needed for daily living, such as eating, bathing, and dressing, often using adaptive equipment. In contrast, speech pathologists assess, diagnose, and treat speech and swallowing disorders, focusing on communication and safe swallowing.
- Physical Demands: Occupational therapy tends to be more physically demanding as it often involves assisting patients with movement and mobility. Speech therapy is generally less physically intensive.
- Salary Comparison: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2020, speech-language pathologists earned a median annual salary of $80,480, while occupational therapists earned $86,280. The top 10% in both fields make over $122,000.
- Job Growth: Job growth is strong for both careers. The BLS projects a 25% increase for speech-language pathologists and a 16% increase for occupational therapists from 2019 to 2029, both well above the average for all occupations.
A Role That Helps Others
Occupational therapy and speech pathology careers offer meaningful and rewarding work with attractive growth opportunities. The best way to embark on either career is to pursue higher education. Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program can be a great first step on the road to earning a master’s degree in speech language pathology. Courses such as Clinical Methods and Management, Anatomy and Physiology, and Healthcare Management Terminology can help you launch your career in the rehabilitation industry.
Learn more about Maryville University’s degree program today and get started pursuing your professional goals.
Sources
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “General Information About ASHA Certification”
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Speech-Language Pathologists”
Houston Chronicle, “How to Compare Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapist Occupations”
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
SpeechPathology.com, “What Is the Difference Between a Speech Therapist and a Speech Pathologist?”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Therapists”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Speech-Language Pathologists”