Fame

Sorry, no star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for you. Maybe a comfy bench, or a disability-friendly crosswalk. But for an OT, it's a good thing to fade into the background, because it means your patient is moving on to a life of independence and competence.

Looking for some OT role models? Take a look at Gary Kielhofner, who created the Model of Human Occupation, a theory used to help the disabled adjust to a new situation. For a wartime perspective, check out Thomas B. Kidner, a Canadian who provided job training to WWI veterans, or Col. Ruth A. Robinson, who served as AOTA president and championed occupational therapy for Korean War soldiers.

A. Jean Ayres is another titan of occupational therapy. She invented the concept of sensory integration, a play-based technique to treat a neurological condition called "sensory processing disorder." Ayres' treatment is not universally accepted (some argue that there is no solid evidence to prove that sensory processing disorder is a legitimate condition), but it has been widely used for decades to treat children with autism and other issues affecting behavior.