MY ADVICE to anyone who really wants to pursue this career," says Ginny Hanrahan, chairwoman of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, "is to apply to some of the schools in the UK as well as to Trinity College, Dublin. There are just 30 places each year available at the School of occupational therapy in Trinity. To be fair if somebody is really keen to do it - the points are so high, it's very difficult - I would suggest they look at courses abroad."

Hanrahan says that about 20 colleges in Britain take occupational therapy students from Ireland. This career path has already been followed by a number of Irish students in the past. In particular they have gone to colleges such as Queen Margaret College in Edinburgh, the University of Liverpool, the University of Manchester and also the University of Ulster in Jordanstown in Northern Ireland. Quite a number of students go north each year.

Some 320 occupational therapists are working in Ireland today. "I'd say that the majority have trained in Ireland," says Hanrahan. "However a growing number have trained abroad and are coming back. We've had a lot of interest from overseas."

Over the past few years, she says, there has been a growing demand for occupational therapists. There is "a huge shortage" of qualified people to fill these jobs. Some health boards have had to advertise abroad to get applicants. There were 317 OTs working in Northern Ireland at the last count.

Entry to the school of occupational therapy at TCD is controlled by the points system, as director Anna King explains. A limited number of places - about three each year - are offered to mature students who can apply directly to the school.

King finds that those who apply have not always investigated occupational therapy as a career. "I'd like students and career teachers to know more about the profession," she says. She agrees that the profession "is predominantly female" possibly because "men who are attracted to this type of profession go into physiotherapy because of the sport element".

THE SCHOOL, opened in 1961, offers a four-year course. Required subjects include anatomy, psychology, physics, physiology, psychiatry and medical and surgical conditions, as well as the theories, principles and practice of occupational therapy and the technical skills used in practice. Ten months of the course are spent in supervised professional practice, which usually includes placements outside of Dublin.

Occupational therapists work in hospitals, schools, day hospitals, community health services and people's homes. They work closely with doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers and other therapists. Occupational therapy is the treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions through specific activities in order to help people reach their maximum level of function and independence in their daily life.

The TCD school brochure points out that the work is demanding so people considering applying should be emotionally stable, physically fit and academically able.