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The world’s your oyster with an AHP career!

Posted by Julie Fisher 9 months ago

This is a blog post from Suhailah Mohamed who is an Allied Health Professional (AHP) and Head of Practice and Workforce at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Like countless first generation British, third culture kids, my parents wanted me to become a doctor and I wanted nothing more than to make my parents proud.

So off I went selecting GCSEs and A-Levels courses with this career aspiration in mind. I managed to get an unconditional offer to study a BSc. in anatomy and physiology at Leeds University and continued to apply for a place to study medicine.

After unsuccessful applications to pretty much all medical schools in the UK, it feltlike the universe was signalling to me that I needed a plan B for my career. I was working as a Senior Consultant for a health and social care recruitment agency in London when I discovered and fell in love with the philosophy of Occupational Therapy.

The belief that we are social, active beings whose health and wellbeing is promoted by doing the activities that matter the most to us in life, resonated with me to my core. I studied an MSc. in Occupational Therapy at Brunel University and have been registered with the Health and Care Professions Council since 2017.

Retraining as an occupational therapist was by far the best career decision I made and is one that has opened a door of endless opportunities for me.

Upon graduating, I used the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Career Development Framework to harness the depth and breadth of my skills and experiences. This allowed me to market the full breadth of my talents to prospective employers.

This approach has helped me make the most of the plethora of career progression opportunities available to me and other Allied Health Professionals in the NHS. I was fortunate to be able to progress from a Band 5 Occupational Therapist to a Band 8d Head of Allied Health Professions within seven years of becoming a registered occupational therapist.

I have worked in an NHS Trust as Professional Development Lead for AHPs; I have coordinated fun projects with communities at their heart for an integrated care system; and have had the privilege of leading national programmes of work for the Allied Health Professions on behalf of NHS England.

I currently work at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists as Head of Practice and Workforce and have an ambition to set up my own consultancy business that brings together my cumulative knowledge, experience, capabilities and networks across the health and social care industry.

If you’re looking for a rewarding career, a career with endless opportunities with you firmly in the driving seat as the master of your destiny, look no further! An AHP career has everything on offer – it’s a universe of endless opportunities, waiting to welcome you with open arms!

Share your own story of joining the NHS to inspire others on their journey to a healthcare career.

This post was edited on Aug 2, 2024 by Leigh Kendall