Essential tools for rehab pros — simplified.
20. The Hidden Effects Of 2025’s New Professional Degree Rule
This post unpacks the 2025 redefinition of “professional degrees” by the U.S. Department of Education — and what PTs, OTs, SLPs, and nurses need to know about future loan limits and career planning.
MARCH HEALTH SPOTLIGHT
Recognizing resilience, research, and the power of rehabilitation
March is a time to highlight perseverance, progress, and the many ways healthcare professionals help individuals adapt, recover, and thrive. It’s a month filled with opportunities to raise awareness for neurological conditions, developmental differences, and the everyday strength of those navigating chronic illness. For rehabilitation professionals, March reminds us that education, early intervention, and compassionate care can make a lasting difference in quality of life.
This month, we’re spotlighting:
💙 National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month – celebrating inclusion, accessibility, and the importance of therapies that support independence, communication, and participation in everyday life.
🧠 Brain Injury Awareness Month – raising awareness of traumatic and acquired brain injuries, and the critical role OT, PT, and ST play in cognitive, physical, and communication recovery.
🧬 Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month – promoting understanding of MS and the importance of rehabilitation strategies that support mobility, fatigue management, and functional independence.
💛 National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month – advocating for early intervention, adaptive strategies, and lifelong support for individuals living with cerebral palsy.
🧦 World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) – celebrating neurodiversity and the unique abilities of individuals with Down syndrome while promoting inclusive care and opportunity.
✨ Let’s continue fostering understanding, expanding access, and empowering the individuals and families we serve—because awareness is the first step toward meaningful change.
OT, PT, ST? I’ve Got You Covered
Three cheat sheets. One super helpful bundle.
Whether you’re lifting limbs, building language, or getting hands-on with ADLs–these quick references are made for you.
Subscribe and grab all three (for free!)–no stress, no spam. Just enter your email below.
📘 NOW AVAILABLE
The Speech Therapy Pocket Guide
A practical, streamlined reference for SLPs—covering assessments, intervention strategies, documentation tips, and goal templates to make your sessions more efficient and effective.
The Occupational Therapy Pocket Guide
Your go-to resource for clear, concise, and clinically relevant OT interventions. Designed to save time, reduce decision fatigue, and support your sessions—without the fluff.
On the Horizon:
The Physical Therapy Pocket Guide
A compact, no-nonsense reference designed to streamline rehab planning, interventions, and documentation—built specifically for busy PTs.
(You’ll also get free access to all three rehab quick reference sheets when you sign up, if you haven’t already.)
OT, PT, ST: What’s the Difference?
Rehab therapy is a team effort—but each discipline brings something unique to the table. Whether you’re new to the field or just need a refresher, here’s a quick breakdown of what makes each role essential in patient care.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Primary Focus: Functional independence during self-care, cognitive skills, fine motor coordination
Settings: Hospitals, outpatient, schools, SNFs, home health
Key Areas: Adaptive equipment, sensory integration, mental health, upper extremity rehab
Goal: Help patients regain or build daily life skills to live as independently as possible
Speech Therapy (ST)
Primary Focus: Communication, swallowing, cognition, speech-language development
Settings: Schools, hospitals, rehab, private practice, home health
Key Areas: Aphasia, dysphagia, articulation, AAC, voice therapy
Goal: Improve communication, safety, and cognitive communication for daily functioning
Physical Therapy (PT)
Primary Focus: Movement, strength, balance, mobility, pain management
Settings: Acute care, outpatient ortho, inpatient rehab, SNFs
Key Areas: Gait training, manual therapy, orthopedic rehab, exercise prescription
Goal: Restore physical function and prevent future injury through movement-based interventions
BEHIND THE RESOURCES
I’m Noun, an Occupational Therapy Assistant who’s been right there in the middle of packed caseloads, progress notes, and the never-ending search for quick answers. I created this space to share the kind of tools I always needed—but couldn’t find.
Everything here is built to help you work smarter, support your clients better, and spend less time second-guessing.
My Latest Posts
• • •
- 20. The Hidden Effects Of 2025’s New Professional Degree Rule
- 10. What Is AAC? Why It’s Life-Changing for So Many
- 9. Feeding Therapy 101: Tips for SLPs Just Starting Out
- 17. Minority Mental Health Awareness: Why Rehab Therapists Are Essential Allies
- 8. Aphasia After Stroke: A Guide for Therapists and Caregivers
- 7. How Rehab Therapists Can Promote Mental Health: 7 Practical Tips
- 6. Helping Patients with ALS Communicate: 6 Tips from a Rehab Therapist
- 5. #SLPTok – How Social Media Is Finally Showing What Speech Therapists Really Do
- 4. Voices Heard, Lives Changed: The Power of Speech Therapy
- 3. Your First OT Job? Here Are the Tools You’ll Actually Use
• • •
