Early Influences
High school is a time when young adults start thinking about potential careers and colleges. Many people tend to get started in a career based on their families’ recommendations or careers of their parents or family members. I did not come from a family of health care workers. I was the first one in my family to get a college degree. My mom worked in management in a large corporate company and my dad worked as a truck driver for a local school district.
Volunteering Experience
In high school, I had a friend who was moving towards a medical career and was in need of volunteer hours. She asked me if I would be interested in volunteering with her in a local hospital. It was a rainy Saturday in the spring when my friend and I drove to the hospital. When we arrived, we walked into the hospital cafeteria. I saw the health care workers eating in the cafeteria wearing scrubs. Visitors of the patients in the hospital were also in the cafeteria. Little did I know, down the road, that would be me in scrubs eating in the hospital cafeteria. We proceeded to check in to the volunteer center and made our way to our assigned location which I would later come to know as an activity room in a transitional care unit. We were assisting a recreational therapist with bringing games and activities to the patients in the unit. We did this for many weeks and became familiar and comfortable with the hospital.
Discovering Occupational Therapy
Fast forward to my co-op class senior year in high school. We had an assignment to shadow a profession of our choice. I knew nothing about occupational therapy at the time, but I did remember that I enjoyed volunteering in the hospital, helping people and having fun. Throughout elementary and high school, I played basketball and later volleyball. I loved being active and being part of a team. When I reflected on this with my high school teacher, they recommended that I shadow physical therapy. I went back to that same local hospital and shadowed a physical therapist. That day in the gym, I remember hearing people across the hall, laughing, cheering and having fun. I asked, “What are they doing?” The physical therapist said, “That is the occupational therapy department.”
Exploring OT Across Settings
Intrigued, I began to investigate this wonderful profession. I began shadowing occupational therapy in all its glory across settings. I observed a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) in an outpatient clinic. I shadowed OT in acute care and OT in an outpatient pediatric clinic. In the outpatient clinic, I had the privilege to see OT teaching handwriting. There were kids completing obstacle courses to develop gross motor skills. I watched an OT do aquatic therapy in the pool and observed social interaction groups back in the clinic. In acute care, I watched a lymphedema treatment and an OT working with patients on Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) doing light household management tasks (this OT needed a higher-level challenge for a patient she was about to discharge from services).
A Perfect Fit
I loved it all! I thought, “What a dynamic profession!” I knew that was what I wanted to do. I investigated prerequisites for OT school and looked into local universities to see who offered those classes. In college, I took many psychology courses which I loved and ended up minoring in psychology. I thought, “This is a perfect fit for me!”
A Fulfilling Career
If you are interested in a dynamic career, being a positive agent of change in someone’s life, this is the profession for you! I have been an OT for fourteen years. I went to the AOTA conference this year in Orlando, FL. When I got to the conference, I stood back and looked up when I was in the conference atrium and thought to myself, I love this profession even more now than when I started. I feel fulfilled and that I have made positive impacts on the lives of individuals from pediatric outpatient clinics to hospitals, independent and assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities. I truly love what I do and hope the same for anyone reading this in search of a life changing profession. Occupational therapy is truly a profession with a purpose, and I am grateful to have found my passion in this field. If you are considering becoming an OT, I encourage you to explore the different settings and opportunities available within this rewarding career path. You never know, it may just be the perfect fit for you too! Let’s continue spreading awareness and appreciation for occupational therapy – a profession that truly changes lives for the better. Keep inspiring others and making a positive impact every day!
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