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It defines the role as an occupational or physical therapist specializing in advanced treatment of hand and upper extremity conditions, including evaluation, rehabilitation, conservative and post-operative care, and ongoing coordination. It outlines pathways to required education, licensing, and knowledge, then highlights ASHT student and new therapist benefits such as practice management, continuing education, research resources, mentoring, publications, networking, and career services.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":53,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/lifestyle/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/asht-18-student-career-transition-flyer-how-to-become-a-hand-therapist/341581/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/asht-18-student-career-transition-flyer-how-to-become-a-hand-therapist/341581.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Fez","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-21","2026-09-22",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",12,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What does a hand therapist do?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who specializes in treating conditions affecting the hands and upper extremity. They evaluate and treat problems using post-operative rehabilitation, preventative non-operative care, conservative treatment, and may provide industry consultation.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What requirements are needed to start a career in hand therapy?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"To become a hand therapist, you must graduate from an accredited OT or PT program, pass a national registration exam, and be licensed to practice in your state. You also need strong knowledge in anatomy and physiology, healing stages, therapeutic interventions, and clinical experience with common hand and upper extremity conditions.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"How does ASHT help students and new therapists learn and grow?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"ASHT provides resources including best-practice standards, access to legislation, continuing education events and workshops, a monthly Journal Club for evidence-based practice, e-Community collaboration, mentoring resources and videos, and subscriptions and materials such as the Journal of Hand Therapy and ASHT Times. It also offers networking directories and an online career center.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},341581,1790490584,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":52,"category_name":53,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":81},2336478940794,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","WHAT IS A    \n HAND THERAPIST?  \nA hand therapist is an occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) who, through advanced study and experience, specializes in treating individuals with conditions affecting the hands and upper extremity.  \nA QUALIFIED HAND THERAPIST can evaluate and treat any problem related  \nto the upper extremity. The hand therapist can effectively treat and rehabilitate the patient through post-operative rehabilitation; preventative, non-operative or conservative treatment; or industry  \nconsultation. The therapist works closely with the physician and patient to provide a continuum of care. This  \noften starts within days of the injury or surgery right through the patient’s return to work and/or a productive lifestyle.  \nA hand specialist may also have advanced certification as a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) . A CHT is an OT or PT by profession with at least three years of experience, plus 4,000 hours of hand therapy practice (upper extremity rehabilitation) . A CHT must have passed a certification examination that demonstrates knowledge of all areas of hand therapy before being granted the right to use the CHT designation. Hand therapists must renew their credential every five years through continued education and participation in hand therapy to continue using the CHT designation.  \nWHAT  \nCAN I DO TO  \nBEGIN A CAREER  \nIN HAND THERAPY?  \nTO BECOME A HAND THERAPIST you must have graduated from an accredited OT or PT program, passed a national registration exam and be licensed to practice as an occupational therapist or physical therapist in the state in which you work. You must also have a solid knowledge base in anatomy and physiology of the upper extremity, the stages of bone and tissue healing, and the therapeutic interventions (including orthotic fabrication and fitting) used with this patient population. Clinical experience in evaluating and treating common hand and upper extremity conditions is also required.  \nPlease see reverse for more information  \nHOW CAN I LEARN THE REQUIRED  \nKNOWLEDGE  \n& SKILLS?  \nGAINING THE REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE and skills may be difficult if you have not had experience treating patients with hand/upper extremity conditions. However, for a motivated individual with a passion for learning, obtaining these skills will be a rewarding path toward professional development. The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT), a professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of the practice of hand therapy, is a leader in developing resources to help you. ASHT student and new therapist member benefits include access to:  \n• Practice Management: Best practice standards for the domain of hand therapy, resources for your hand therapy practice, access to current legislation (via the ASHT Legislative Action Center) that impacts hand therapy practice  \n• Continuing Education: ASHT Annual Meeting, Hand Therapy Review Course, Hands on Orthotics workshops, Education on Tour travelling course, webinar series  \n• Research: Journal Club – monthly online discussion forum that supports evidence-based practice and provides clinically relevant case studies. Practical support for new researchers  \n• e-Community: Collaborate with fellow ASHT members, identify resources, share ideas, tap the knowledge and experience of your peers  \n• Mentoring Program: Mentoring resources, mentor matching, mentoring videos  \n• Publications: Annual subscription to the Journal of Hand Therapy, ASHT Times quarterly online magazine, Clinical Assessment Recommendations, 3rd Edition, Test Prep for the CHT Exam, Advanced Concepts of Hand Pathology and Surgery  \n• Networking: Searchable Find A Hand Therapist online member directory, Find a Clinic public directory  \n• Careers: Online career center for posting and searching jobs  \nADDITIONAL  \nSUGGESTIONS FOR  \nLEARNING  \nOPPORTUNITIES:  \n• Complete an internship or fellowship in hand therapy  \n• Establish a self-paced study course in upper extremity","cbCais0DbecUW2pT","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCais0DbecUW2pT","pdf",72267,"English","# WHAT IS A HAND THERAPIST?\n## WHAT CAN I DO TO BEGIN A CAREER IN HAND THERAPY?\n## HOW CAN I LEARN THE REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS?","[{\"question\":\"What does a hand therapist do?\",\"answer\":\"A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who specializes in treating conditions affecting the hands and upper extremity. They evaluate and treat problems using post-operative rehabilitation, preventative non-operative care, conservative treatment, and may provide industry consultation.\"},{\"question\":\"What requirements are needed to start a career in hand therapy?\",\"answer\":\"To become a hand therapist, you must graduate from an accredited OT or PT program, pass a national registration exam, and be licensed to practice in your state. You also need strong knowledge in anatomy and physiology, healing stages, therapeutic interventions, and clinical experience with common hand and upper extremity conditions.\"},{\"question\":\"How does ASHT help students and new therapists learn and grow?\",\"answer\":\"ASHT provides resources including best-practice standards, access to legislation, continuing education events and workshops, a monthly Journal Club for evidence-based practice, e-Community collaboration, mentoring resources and videos, and subscriptions and materials such as the Journal of Hand Therapy and ASHT Times. It also offers networking directories and an online career center.\"}]","ASHT-18 Student Career Transition Flyer - How to Become a Hand Therapist | PDF",1790042655]