OT Students Interaction Topic 1: Getting to know you

cathlizzie

Hi everyone
My name is Catherine and i have recently commenced my second year on BSc Occupational Therapy degree at University of Salford, UK.
I am mature student and I am living my dream of becoming an occupational therapist. I have worked as a residential social care worker with young people/ adults with physical and learning disabilities for over 11 years. I love helping people and promoting interdependence/ independence to enable people to reach their full potential.
I encountered occupational therapy when a young person i was supporting had a sensory assessment. The dedication and determination of the therapist was amazing in order to make a difference to this person's life. From that moment i wanted to be an occupational therapist. So i left full time employment and began my journey as a student .. something i had not done for over 20 years!!! so yes initially i found academic writing hard but with student support and additional workshops i am making pleasing progress..... onwards and upwards now...
I am not too sure which area id like to specialise in, i did originally think SI but last placement was Orthopaedic and i loved it ,.. especially observing TKR in theatre!! my next placement is community mental health setting working with Older adults.
I look forward to hearing from you cheers xxxxx

Noel Nicanor

Hey guys! A lot's been discussed already, but I guess it's never too late to introduce myself. 🙂
My name's Noel Niño Nicanor, but you could call me Noel. I'm an 18 year old Occupational Therapy student at the University of the Philippines Manila and I am currently in my second year in the degree program. I initially wanted to take up Psychology, Biology or even perhaps Veterinary Medicine but a lot has happened since then. I really enjoy exploring the outdoors and have fun just tiring myself to death by walking anywhere my feet would take me. I'm even thinking of using the great outdoors as a means of therapeutic treatment rather than being cooped up in a clinic. I guess I'll see whether it is feasible or not as I get to know more about the profession.

On keeping up with the ongoing topic of how we got to know Occupational Therapy, I first heard of this profession (along with speech pathology and physical therapy) from my mom when she got home from the US. She apparently first heard these professions from her friend who worked as a caregiver there. She then asked my Aunt who's a practicing paediatrician in Texas and was thoroughly impressed at how these jobs help in rehabilitating and reintegrating pwd's back into the community through different treatments and also with different areas of focus of each profession. So she then introduced my sister and I to the world of rehabilitative practice. And thus my own adventure as an OT began.

I am still quite unsure of what I really want to do in the future, but I do believe that I was born to be of service using the best of my potential and I think OT is proving itself to be such a suitable course in achieving that goal.

As for being an OT student in the Philippines, I think the environment here is really conducive for the development of a purpose driven attitude because of how my college is located near a hospital. in fact, the hospital, Philippine General Hospital-- an esteemed tertiary state-owned hospital, is located right inside the university campus! This set-up only intensifies the feeling of being an agent of service. At times it also served as an inspiration for me to study well.

I am hoping to know you guys more and have fun discussing the different topics to come! 🙂

jbomamos

Hello, everyone! I'm Jalan Omamos, a 2nd year OT student at the University of the Philippines-Manila! It's good to see a virtual platform like this for OTs all over the world to connect and just share their experiences.

To be honest, it wasn't really my first plan to take Occupational Therapy as my course in College. I was set to take up Molecular Biology at the University of the Philippines-Diliman because I have dreamed of becoming a geneticist, just like my cousin who's always been an inspiration to me. But things shifted when fate didn't go to what I have planned. I was lucky to be offered by UP-Manila, a slot from 4 different courses (Dentistry, Physical Therapy, Nursing and Occupational Therapy). I said to my mom that I wanted to continue Dentistry, for my grandma and aunt are dentistry graduates. A decision made because I want to pay tribute to their profession. But she selected otherwise. She already told to the administrators that Occupational Therapy was the one I decided on. I was shocked at first (FORECLOSURE, #OTknows LOL) but still, interested to know more about the course.

Frankly, it was hard to continue something you didn't love at the first glance. When I was a freshman, I find it hard to cope up with exams and stuff because I didn't know what was OT. But a complete turnaround when we took Occupational Therapy 100, an introduction to Occupational Therapy. We were exposed to different areas of learning. From lectures about the History of OT to Fieldwork on how Occupational Therapists help clients in a clinical setting, it was absolutely an eye-opener. It was a revelation for me to know the science, as well as the art behind Occupational Therapy. Now, I see Occupational Therapy as a catalyst to the world of Rehabilitation Science.

Recently, I realized that I just love OT even more because of how the profession fits my personality. Of course, it is still a work in progress. I always tell myself, "You really need patience and handful of optimism whenever you deal with different exams and lectures". "A healthy relationship with others is a key factor to a healthy environment." "Occupational Competence starts with you, Ja."

I guess, Mental Health is where I am heading on. Hihi.
And that's how I was introduced to Occupational Therapy.

Meg

etalas wrote
Meg wroteWow! It seems like there are a lot of students checking in from the Philippines. My family is from Cebu, so I'm glad to see other Filipino students here!

My name is Meg, and I am an OT student from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. I am in my last level 1 fieldwork rotation (pediatrics), and I am loving it. In December, my class and I will be undergoing our level 2 rotations, and we're pretty nervous. We have 2 sections (day and evening), each containing around 30 students. We don't really have many opportunities to interact with the evening section, but for the most part, my class is pretty chill. My classmates and I love to share OT related news and events with each other, and we went to a lot of volunteer events. One really cool event that we did was an adapted surfing event for people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Another was a service learning trip to Belize in Central America, which was eye opening and a great experience. It helped me decide to go into pediatrics (I'm still open to other settings though!).

Ever since I got into the OT program, I've been taking on a lot of volunteering, and it reaffirmed my decision in going into OT. It even made me more inspired and proud of this career.

I'm looking forward to having discussions with you all and reading your entries!

- Meg
Hi Meg! It seems like you and your classmates really love OT since you spend time together to share OT related news and events with each other. That's so cool.

I also want to say that we share the same interest regarding pediatrics. I do really love kids and I'm so lucky because the first time we had our field work, I was assigned into a pediatrics clinic and I really enjoyed that field work more than I expected. Though I'm open to other settings, it seems like pediatrics would be the perfect one for me.

Lastly, I also love volunteering.

Hi! Sorry for my late reply!

Yes, most of us get really into sharing stories and making OT-related jokes. We even share memes. Haha

I'm glad that you're enjoying pediatrics. I was really nervous for it, and then I started to really like it more and more every time I volunteered. Sometimes, it's best to keep your options open. I'm always told that I might change my mind once I'm doing my level 2 fieldwork.

Lastly, volunteering is amazing!

- Meg

Meg

actan7 wrote
Meg wroteWow! It seems like there are a lot of students checking in from the Philippines. My family is from Cebu, so I'm glad to see other Filipino students here!

My name is Meg, and I am an OT student from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. I am in my last level 1 fieldwork rotation (pediatrics), and I am loving it. In December, my class and I will be undergoing our level 2 rotations, and we're pretty nervous. We have 2 sections (day and evening), each containing around 30 students. We don't really have many opportunities to interact with the evening section, but for the most part, my class is pretty chill. My classmates and I love to share OT related news and events with each other, and we went to a lot of volunteer events. One really cool event that we did was an adapted surfing event for people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Another was a service learning trip to Belize in Central America, which was eye opening and a great experience. It helped me decide to go into pediatrics (I'm still open to other settings though!).

Ever since I got into the OT program, I've been taking on a lot of volunteering, and it reaffirmed my decision in going into OT. It even made me more inspired and proud of this career.

I'm looking forward to having discussions with you all and reading your entries!

- Meg

Wow! Your rotations sound so interesting! We don't get cool surfing events like that here in Manila but we do have community based rehabilitation which is interesting as well. Last year, our interns were sent to provinces so that they can help improve the quality of life in their community. I hope in the future years we get to be assigned in beach areas as well (lol hehe)

Hi! Sorry for my late reply.

Thanks! They're actually volunteering events, but it was still fun. It's a shame that you guys don't have adapted surfing events since the beaches are amazing and gorgeous. I'd like to hear more about their experience in improving the quality of life in the provinces. Were you also sent to do the same or did you have a different experience?

Meg

sagacho wrote
Meg wroteWow! It seems like there are a lot of students checking in from the Philippines. My family is from Cebu, so I'm glad to see other Filipino students here!

My name is Meg, and I am an OT student from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. I am in my last level 1 fieldwork rotation (pediatrics), and I am loving it. In December, my class and I will be undergoing our level 2 rotations, and we're pretty nervous. We have 2 sections (day and evening), each containing around 30 students. We don't really have many opportunities to interact with the evening section, but for the most part, my class is pretty chill. My classmates and I love to share OT related news and events with each other, and we went to a lot of volunteer events. One really cool event that we did was an adapted surfing event for people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Another was a service learning trip to Belize in Central America, which was eye opening and a great experience. It helped me decide to go into pediatrics (I'm still open to other settings though!).

Ever since I got into the OT program, I've been taking on a lot of volunteering, and it reaffirmed my decision in going into OT. It even made me more inspired and proud of this career.

I'm looking forward to having discussions with you all and reading your entries!

- Meg
Hi Meg! We're the same ! I also want to specialize in pediatric occupational therapy but I still want to explore other areas of OT. Outreach and volunteer programs also reaffirmed my love for OT. In my high school here in the Philippines, we always have outreach programs every year. I was very exposed to vulnerable children and that's one of the many factors why I chose OT as my profession. I want to help them get through with their troubles and difficulties through occupation. I am not yet practicing OT because I am still studying but I can feel that OT will be a very fulfilling profession. Good luck on your fieldwork rotation and keep having fun! I hope you can visit the Philippines soon!

Hello! Sorry for my late reply.

It's awesome that you have that kind of experience, and it definitely drives the need and motivation to help them. I actually visited the Philippines before starting OT school, so I was really happy to see my relatives (and hang out at the beaches!) Thanks for wishing me luck, and I also wish you luck in your studies!

- Meg

Meg

pgcruz4 wrote
Meg wroteWow! It seems like there are a lot of students checking in from the Philippines. My family is from Cebu, so I'm glad to see other Filipino students here!

My name is Meg, and I am an OT student from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. I am in my last level 1 fieldwork rotation (pediatrics), and I am loving it. In December, my class and I will be undergoing our level 2 rotations, and we're pretty nervous. We have 2 sections (day and evening), each containing around 30 students. We don't really have many opportunities to interact with the evening section, but for the most part, my class is pretty chill. My classmates and I love to share OT related news and events with each other, and we went to a lot of volunteer events. One really cool event that we did was an adapted surfing event for people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Another was a service learning trip to Belize in Central America, which was eye opening and a great experience. It helped me decide to go into pediatrics (I'm still open to other settings though!).

Ever since I got into the OT program, I've been taking on a lot of volunteering, and it reaffirmed my decision in going into OT. It even made me more inspired and proud of this career.

I'm looking forward to having discussions with you all and reading your entries!

- Meg

Hi Meg! I'm Phoebe! Wow, I wish that someday I could also go to different places to do volunteering. It must be really fulfilling. I also want to go into pediatrics! It is one of the reasons why I chose to become an OT. Care to share more experiences about your volunteering works? I am interested to know more of your stories!

Does your program have a student occupational therapy organization? Maybe you guys can set up a volunteering event!

Sure! My stories can get pretty lengthy though (there's too much to say), so I'll just be brief with them for now. Haha.

So for the adapted surfing event, there were 2 types of volunteers: land-based and in the water. I did it this year and last year, and I was always the land-based volunteer. I helped coordinate whoever was surfing next, and I also transferred the surfers from their wheelchair to the Beach Wheelchairs and back. Some of the other land-based volunteers or water volunteers did the transfers from the beach wheelchairs to the adapted surfboards. There were different kinds of adapted surfboards. I mostly saw ones that hand handles, but I heard that there was one with a chair on top. I really loved talking to the surfers. One of my favorites was a woman with brittle bone syndrome, and she was the most energetic one in the water. I heard her laughing and screaming from where I stood on land.

The one for Belize was really impactful and really motivated me to learn all that I can right now. We went to an outpatient facility called the Inspiration Center, and we saw children with all sorts of diagnoses (autism, cerebral palsy, Hunter's syndrome, etc.). Me and my classmate were the only OT students who went, and our responsibilities were to help out with evaluations and treatments. We also got to make suggestions for treatments and what parents can do, which was really difficult. Our student organization posted pictures from the trip if you want to take a look. Belize Service Learning Trip

I'm actually about to do another volunteering event this weekend. Haha. I would talk more about it, but I don't want this post to get too lengthy.

Meg

Byeul wrote
Meg wrote
sdarguson wrote

Hi, Meg! Taking up OT in New York must be quite interesting. Did you grow up in the US? How are people's perception of OT over there?
I must say, the reason I actually came to the decision of taking up OT was because of volunteer experiences back in high school. It's a very satisfying feeling.
It really is interesting! I feel like there are so many opportunities in NYC that it sometimes makes me go crazy. And yes, I grew up in the US.

In my experience, it depends on who I talk to. Those in the health care field are pretty receptive to OT and generally have positive things to say, but I still find myself often explaining what OT is to the general population. I still get the "Oh, you mean like PT?" and "Oh, so you work with handwriting?" But sometimes, I find people who know about OT because they know someone who received it, and that makes me really happy.

Volunteering can be one of the most amazing experiences, and I'm glad you had the opportunity! If I may ask, what kind of volunteering experiences did you have?

Hello, everyone!
Wow, it's so nice to hear such heartwarming stories from you guys. <3 it's amazing how OT is able to reach out to many, such as in volunteering.
I agree with you on the perceptions, Meg. 🙂 Somehow there's a stereotype that OT is similar to PT, and it can be a struggle at times to let everyone know what OT really is. When someone asks me what OT is, I ask them if they know what PT is and their answer is always a yes. Hopefully, sometime soon, there won't be a need to explain the difference of our profession from the others.
P.S. The surfing event must have been really cool. Do you mind sharing more about it? Was it actual surfing or were there some modifications? 🙂

Hi, Jemilyn. Sorry for my late reply.

Yes, it can certainly be a challenge sometimes, but patience is your ally. Haha.

Yes! I actually wrote about my volunteering experiences with both the surfing event and the Belize service learning trip in an earlier post if you'd like to read it. It was modified surfing, so the surfers would be prone (on their bellies) while holding onto the handles attached to the surfboard. The volunteers would carry the surfer and the surfboard out to sea and would try to guide the direction as they surfed back to land. They'd do this several times.

It was great hearing from you!

- Meg

Meg

Naja Forchhammer OT wroteHey guys 🙂
I'm Naja, a 27 year old OT student from the Metropolitan University in Copenhagen, Denmark.
I'm very interested in OT, and I think it's amazing how you learn to help people live a meaningful life, no matter where they're from or what they need help with.
I've been doing exchange in both Berlin, Germany, and in Parnaiba, Brazil. In October I'll start writing my thesis about OT and yoga and will be finishing my education in January 2017.
Besides studying I'm running an Instagram account (regarding me and my work as an OT), and a Facebook page. At the moment I'm preparing different posts for the Global ADHD Awareness Month, which will take place in the month of October. If any of you are interested in following it, you can find it under Naja Forchhammer on Facebook 🙂

If you've any questions, please feel free to ask 🙂

Best regards Naja.

Hi, Naja

It's really interesting that you're doing exchanges in Germany and in Brazil. Is it part of your fieldwork rotations?

I also checked out your Instagram, and I'm now following. 😃 Best of luck with writing your thesis and graduating!

- Meg

RichardIrvin

Franzes Dizon wroteHi! I'm Franzes Dizon, an Occupational Therapy student in the University of the Philippines Manila.

The only thing I know about OT is that it is a pre-med course, that's why I chose to pursue it as my college degree. The dream IS to be a doctor, but with the things I know about the profession, I'm starting to think of exploring the world of OT before entering medicine (if ever I still want to by that time). I've also considered shifting into another field, a completely different field, but something about this course keeps me from doing it. It could be the fun of helping others or the opportunities waiting once I graduate from this degree. Considering the current status of Occupational Therapists in the Philippines, many have considered working for other countries, that's one thing my professors keep on telling us: work for the country. Filipinos are not much aware of the importance of our profession, unlike in other countries wherein OTs are highly regarded.

When we had our fieldwork last year, I was assigned to observe in pediatrics area and it was a really fun experience I must say. The patience they have was unbelievable, some kids just cried the whole session yet the therapist still tried to carry out their activity. I know that I still have tons of things to learn, especially the patience part before engaging in those kinds of work and I'll absolutely continue this course despite the high level of difficulty and stress it gives me.

Hope to hear more from you guys!!

Hi Franzes! Like you, I wanted to take up OT as a pre-med course. But now, it seems that OT has really piqued my interest. I now want to explore the limitless possibilities of OT. 🙂

Felix Isaac Tiburcio

Noel Nicanor wroteHey guys! A lot's been discussed already, but I guess it's never too late to introduce myself. 🙂
My name's Noel Niño Nicanor, but you could call me Noel. I'm an 18 year old Occupational Therapy student at the University of the Philippines Manila and I am currently in my second year in the degree program. I initially wanted to take up Psychology, Biology or even perhaps Veterinary Medicine but a lot has happened since then. I really enjoy exploring the outdoors and have fun just tiring myself to death by walking anywhere my feet would take me. I'm even thinking of using the great outdoors as a means of therapeutic treatment rather than being cooped up in a clinic. I guess I'll see whether it is feasible or not as I get to know more about the profession.

On keeping up with the ongoing topic of how we got to know Occupational Therapy, I first heard of this profession (along with speech pathology and physical therapy) from my mom when she got home from the US. She apparently first heard these professions from her friend who worked as a caregiver there. She then asked my Aunt who's a practicing paediatrician in Texas and was thoroughly impressed at how these jobs help in rehabilitating and reintegrating pwd's back into the community through different treatments and also with different areas of focus of each profession. So she then introduced my sister and I to the world of rehabilitative practice. And thus my own adventure as an OT began.

I am still quite unsure of what I really want to do in the future, but I do believe that I was born to be of service using the best of my potential and I think OT is proving itself to be such a suitable course in achieving that goal.

As for being an OT student in the Philippines, I think the environment here is really conducive for the development of a purpose driven attitude because of how my college is located near a hospital. in fact, the hospital, Philippine General Hospital-- an esteemed tertiary state-owned hospital, is located right inside the university campus! This set-up only intensifies the feeling of being an agent of service. At times it also served as an inspiration for me to study well.

I am hoping to know you guys more and have fun discussing the different topics to come! 🙂

Hi Noel! Like you, I wanted to take up something related to psychology or biology but somehow ended up in an OT course. I hope that as you continue your OT course, you'll find a greater love and appreciation for the course and the profession.
By the way, I love your idea of using the outdoors as a source of intervention! I hope that idea will motivate and inspire you to continue pursuing OT. God bless and good luck!

dbamparado

Hello! I hope it's not too late to join in. 🙂 I am Dem Amparado, a 17-year-old student on my second year in the OT program at the University of the Philippines.

I was looking for a course that could serve as a pre-medical course and still allow me to hone my skills and love for art and children when I first heard of the OT practice from my relatives who are doctors and nurses abroad and either took Physical Therapy as their pre-medical courses or have worked alongside OTs and PTs. They recommended OT and, when they showed me different forms of interventions that revolved around making art, I immediately fell in love with it.

Studying OT in the Philippines gives us an entirely different range of perspectives regarding occupational contexts since our clients comes from all extremes of life. Our classroom setting is propitious to studying. Clinics and different hospitals are easily accessible, in fact, the Philippine General Hospital is right within our campus.

In my months of being in this program, I have grown to love the idea that Occupational Therapy can be the way in which I can maximize my ability to be of service to others. It makes me appreciate the gift of ability and drives me to help remind clients that they still can. Travelling to the States to have a firsthand look at the OT profession has made me rethink my decision to immediately pursue a medical career and explore the world as an Occupational Therapist first. There's so much more to see and learn about OT. I genuinely hope to meet and help as many people as I possibly can. 🙂

Naja Forchhammer OT

Hey Meg,
I just saw your message 🙂
Yeah, we have a lot of options to do exchange in other countries. I have really enjoyed those experiences. I have learned so much about cultures, myself and of course OT.

Did you also do an OT exchange?

Meg wrote
Naja Forchhammer OT wroteHey guys 🙂
I'm Naja, a 27 year old OT student from the Metropolitan University in Copenhagen, Denmark.
I'm very interested in OT, and I think it's amazing how you learn to help people live a meaningful life, no matter where they're from or what they need help with.
I've been doing exchange in both Berlin, Germany, and in Parnaiba, Brazil. In October I'll start writing my thesis about OT and yoga and will be finishing my education in January 2017.
Besides studying I'm running an Instagram account (regarding me and my work as an OT), and a Facebook page. At the moment I'm preparing different posts for the Global ADHD Awareness Month, which will take place in the month of October. If any of you are interested in following it, you can find it under Naja Forchhammer on Facebook 🙂

If you've any questions, please feel free to ask 🙂

Best regards Naja.
Hi, Naja

It's really interesting that you're doing exchanges in Germany and in Brazil. Is it part of your fieldwork rotations?

I also checked out your Instagram, and I'm now following. 😃 Best of luck with writing your thesis and graduating!

- Meg

KawJemilyn

Hey Naja!
Your life as an OT student is really colorful and exciting. Getting to study, learn and travel at the same time, bet you're already a multicultural person! I am working hard and is hoping that I can have a chance to join exchange programs for internship after two years. By the way, we're continuing our Students Interaction conversation room on this link: http://otion.wfot.org/viewtopic.php?pid=342#p342. We'll talk about challenges encountered by OT students. 🙂 Hope to see you there! Take care!

Naja Forchhammer OT wrote
KawJemilyn wroteHey Naja!
I'm so glad that you visited our conversation room! (Thank you for responding my Instagram messages as well)
I really love your Instagram account! It's a nice idea of relating yoga to the OT practice, it will surely help your clients in the future! Can you share about your experiences in your exchange program? It looks cool! I always wanted to try an exchange program if I have the chance to.

I'll add you on Facebook and tag me along if you have posts about ADHD, I would gladly share it with my friends.
Good luck with your thesis! Best wishes!

Naja Forchhammer OT wroteHey guys 🙂
I'm Naja, a 27 year old OT student from the Metropolitan University in Copenhagen, Denmark.
I'm very interested in OT, and I think it's amazing how you learn to help people live a meaningful life, no matter where they're from or what they need help with.
I've been doing exchange in both Berlin, Germany, and in Parnaiba, Brazil. In October I'll start writing my thesis about OT and yoga and will be finishing my education in January 2017.
Besides studying I'm running an Instagram account (regarding me and my work as an OT), and a Facebook page. At the moment I'm preparing different posts for the Global ADHD Awareness Month, which will take place in the month of October. If any of you are interested in following it, you can find it under Naja Forchhammer on Facebook 🙂

If you've any questions, please feel free to ask 🙂

Best regards Naja.
So, first I did an exchange at a university in Berlin for one semester, where I followed 1st year, 3rd year and 5th year classes. I followed up on that semester by doing 10 weeks of internship in the neuro-geriatric depart in a hospital in Berlin. Both of these experiences were very interesting, and gave me new inputs as to how to understand OT as well as different ideas on how to do interventions.
About a month ago I finished a 6 weeks internship in Brazil, where I worked at an NGO for children with special needs. It was a real contrast to what I've seen here in Germany and Denmark, and was also a very good experience. I can only recommend people to go on an exchange if it's in any way possible.

KawJemilyn

Hello again, Michelle!

Children are really amazing (that's why I chose OT). I appreciated the child development lessons we had and am starting to observe the kids in our neighborhood, I hope this will be a great start in training my assessment/analysis skills. By the way, we're shifting to another conversation link: http://otion.wfot.org/viewtopic.php?pid=342#p342 to talk more about challenges encountered as an OT student. Hope to see you there (again)! It's so nice to converse with you!

Michelle77 wroteHi Jem 🙂

Thanks so much for your response. I really wish I were a supermom but as with occupational therapy I'm still learning all the time. Children are amazing though aren't they, I really hope you enjoy your child development module. I really enjoyed looking at all the different life stages from birth to old age, its fascinating.

So my reasons for choosing OT...my interest was first gained through my cousin who qualified about 9 years ago and she absolutely loves her job. Prior to that I only had a limited knowledge of what occupational therapy actually was. Now one year in I cant think of anything else I would rather do. We get to help people and the fact that we view the person as more than just an illness or disability is amazing.

good luck with your studies and I hope to hear from you soon x

KawJemilyn wroteHello there, Michelle! Thank you for joining us here @ OTion.
I've got a big WOW for you because of your previous occupation and soon-to-be occupation; it's evident that you're a person with a big (kind) heart because the main agenda of your past and future occupations is to serve the people. (Your children are so lucky to have you as their supermom!)

These past 2 months and the next 3 months, we're tackling about OT theories and childhood development in class; we get to observe children of different ages and check on their milestones. I prefer pediatrics, but my second choice of field is mental health. We surely will be excited when we get to the mental health portion.

What are your thoughts about specializing in mental health? Are there reasons relating to your past occupations that made you choose studying occupational therapy?
Hope that you'll join us in this conversation room until the second week of November! 🙂

Good luck on your academics! Best wishes!

Jem

Michelle77 wroteHi everyone ?
My names Michelle and I'm just about to start my second year of occupational therapy at Salford University, UK. Really enjoyed reading all your introductions...what a great idea this is!
So about me...I'm 39, a mother of 3 and I'm brand new to occupational therapy. My previous experience centres around customer service roles and I spent 3 years as a police officer. I've always wanted a career I love and one where I can help people, and this is definitely it. I've really enjoyed my time at university so far though it has been a steep learning curve in regards to academic writing. I'm making progress though that's the main thing.
I don't have any preferences as yet regarding specialist areas of OT, though I'm really looking forward to my next placement in mental health. It's my first mental health experience so any tips would be greatly appreciated?

I look forward to hearing from you and getting involved in the topics lined up xxx

KawJemilyn

Hi Meg! It's me, Jem. Did you enjoy conversing with us? I surely enjoyed reading your posts and comments about your experiences. They made me want to try applying for exchange programs in the future! By the way, if you wanna continue conversing with us, we have a new conversation room for this week and next week. Here's the link: http://otion.wfot.org/viewtopic.php?pid=342#p342. We'll talk about the challenges encountered as OT students! Hope to see you there!
Take care always!

Meg wrote
etalas wrote
Meg wroteWow! It seems like there are a lot of students checking in from the Philippines. My family is from Cebu, so I'm glad to see other Filipino students here!

My name is Meg, and I am an OT student from Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. I am in my last level 1 fieldwork rotation (pediatrics), and I am loving it. In December, my class and I will be undergoing our level 2 rotations, and we're pretty nervous. We have 2 sections (day and evening), each containing around 30 students. We don't really have many opportunities to interact with the evening section, but for the most part, my class is pretty chill. My classmates and I love to share OT related news and events with each other, and we went to a lot of volunteer events. One really cool event that we did was an adapted surfing event for people who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Another was a service learning trip to Belize in Central America, which was eye opening and a great experience. It helped me decide to go into pediatrics (I'm still open to other settings though!).

Ever since I got into the OT program, I've been taking on a lot of volunteering, and it reaffirmed my decision in going into OT. It even made me more inspired and proud of this career.

I'm looking forward to having discussions with you all and reading your entries!

- Meg
Hi Meg! It seems like you and your classmates really love OT since you spend time together to share OT related news and events with each other. That's so cool.

I also want to say that we share the same interest regarding pediatrics. I do really love kids and I'm so lucky because the first time we had our field work, I was assigned into a pediatrics clinic and I really enjoyed that field work more than I expected. Though I'm open to other settings, it seems like pediatrics would be the perfect one for me.

Lastly, I also love volunteering.
Hi! Sorry for my late reply!

Yes, most of us get really into sharing stories and making OT-related jokes. We even share memes. Haha

I'm glad that you're enjoying pediatrics. I was really nervous for it, and then I started to really like it more and more every time I volunteered. Sometimes, it's best to keep your options open. I'm always told that I might change my mind once I'm doing my level 2 fieldwork.

Lastly, volunteering is amazing!

- Meg

KawJemilyn

Hi Catherine! I bet you're proud of your achievement of getting back as a student again, but now as an OT student. Hope you're doing well! I'm mentally and emotionally supporting you here from the Philippines! Me and my friends want to share more about challenging encountered as OT students, and our instructor made a new discussion room for this, you might wanna join our conversation room again and let's share experiences! Here's the link: http://otion.wfot.org/viewtopic.php?pid=342#p342. Hope to see you there, Cath! Take care always! xx

cathlizzie wroteHi everyone
My name is Catherine and i have recently commenced my second year on BSc Occupational Therapy degree at University of Salford, UK.
I am mature student and I am living my dream of becoming an occupational therapist. I have worked as a residential social care worker with young people/ adults with physical and learning disabilities for over 11 years. I love helping people and promoting interdependence/ independence to enable people to reach their full potential.
I encountered occupational therapy when a young person i was supporting had a sensory assessment. The dedication and determination of the therapist was amazing in order to make a difference to this person's life. From that moment i wanted to be an occupational therapist. So i left full time employment and began my journey as a student .. something i had not done for over 20 years!!! so yes initially i found academic writing hard but with student support and additional workshops i am making pleasing progress..... onwards and upwards now...
I am not too sure which area id like to specialise in, i did originally think SI but last placement was Orthopaedic and i loved it ,.. especially observing TKR in theatre!! my next placement is community mental health setting working with Older adults.
I look forward to hearing from you cheers xxxxx

Byeul

That sounds like you guys really enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your experience, it means a lot to us especially since we're newbies in our degree!
I hope to hear more from you in our remaining sessions! 🙂
- Byeul

Meg wrote
Byeul wrote
Meg wrote
It really is interesting! I feel like there are so many opportunities in NYC that it sometimes makes me go crazy. And yes, I grew up in the US.

In my experience, it depends on who I talk to. Those in the health care field are pretty receptive to OT and generally have positive things to say, but I still find myself often explaining what OT is to the general population. I still get the "Oh, you mean like PT?" and "Oh, so you work with handwriting?" But sometimes, I find people who know about OT because they know someone who received it, and that makes me really happy.

Volunteering can be one of the most amazing experiences, and I'm glad you had the opportunity! If I may ask, what kind of volunteering experiences did you have?

Hello, everyone!
Wow, it's so nice to hear such heartwarming stories from you guys. <3 it's amazing how OT is able to reach out to many, such as in volunteering.
I agree with you on the perceptions, Meg. 🙂 Somehow there's a stereotype that OT is similar to PT, and it can be a struggle at times to let everyone know what OT really is. When someone asks me what OT is, I ask them if they know what PT is and their answer is always a yes. Hopefully, sometime soon, there won't be a need to explain the difference of our profession from the others.
P.S. The surfing event must have been really cool. Do you mind sharing more about it? Was it actual surfing or were there some modifications? 🙂
Hi, Jemilyn. Sorry for my late reply.

Yes, it can certainly be a challenge sometimes, but patience is your ally. Haha.

Yes! I actually wrote about my volunteering experiences with both the surfing event and the Belize service learning trip in an earlier post if you'd like to read it. It was modified surfing, so the surfers would be prone (on their bellies) while holding onto the handles attached to the surfboard. The volunteers would carry the surfer and the surfboard out to sea and would try to guide the direction as they surfed back to land. They'd do this several times.

It was great hearing from you!

- Meg

Maria Nicole Sombillo

Hi Jem! Sorry it took for me a long time to reply. Yes! It is indeed cool! It is interesting and more enjoyable to learn lessons and topics that you can relate or explain with another lessons. It enables learning to be easier and faster because we already have some info and knowledge about it 🙂

KawJemilyn wroteHey Nicole! My childhood dream was to become a pediatrician when I grow up; and now that I'm beginning to learn the practice of Occupational Therapy, I might dive into developmental pediatrics if I get the chance and the decision to go into med school! Now I realize what the old men say, everything is connected with one another. Isn't it cool? All the science courses that we know have certain relations to one another, and there are still courses that are not yet well-known but could surely help us in our future occupations!

Maria Nicole Sombillo wroteHello everyone! I'm Nicole again, from University of the Philippines, Manila. As a 2nd year OT student, I was inspired by a professor and now I'm becoming very much interested in the field Developmental Pediatrics. I want to know more about it. Is anyone else interested in specializing as a developmental pediatrician? 🙂

Maria Nicole Sombillo

Hi Byeul! Sorry it took me a long time to reply. Me too, I feel uplifted when I get to know or talk to someone who already knows what OT is 🙂

Byeul wrote
Maria Nicole Sombillo wroteHi Byeul! I agree with you. OT is not widely known in the Philippines so when people ask what my course is, there will always be back-up questions like "What is that?", "So can you massage me?", "Ohh is it like physical therapy?" (Yes, I become a little bit irritated when they say the second one.) And this also drives me to know more about our course to be able to explain it better and clearer to people who ask. When someone will ask me know, I believe that I can now explain better what occupational therapy is and what can OT's do. I start by teliing them what an "occupation" means. Then I tell them what an OT aims to do, the difference between PT and OT, and other examples of what we do and focus on (like fine motor skills, ADL's, etc). Now, I'm getting better reactions and responses when I explain our course. My favorite response is when a family friend told me that I should study hard to finish my studies and be an OTRP because OT's are very much needed and important for our community, that we can really help, encourage, and inspire other people, especially persons with disabilities 🙂

Byeul wroteHi, everyone! I'm Byeul Kim, a second year OT student in the University of the Philippines Manila.

Before entering college, I would here the adults say to pursue something you like in order to love what you'd do in life. I really didn't know what degree to choose. I didn't have a dream course, so to speak. But I've always loved dealing with babies and playing with kids. With little background on the profession, I chose to take OT in my current university. As I go along with my degree, I grow to love how the profession enables people to live and pursue what they want to do. This keeps me going in school, despite the workload in academics. 🙂

Statistically speaking, OT isn't a very well-known profession in our country yet. This affects me in the sense that as a student, it can be challenging to address others on how our profession works. I'd like to say that I'm still in the process of understanding and figuring out how I can explain OT to outsiders in the best way possible. This encourages and drives me to pursue my course, to be able to fully comprehend it and contribute to sharing how it can improve lives. Forums like these are actually a great help for me and other students to better understand and acquire insights from other professionals abroad - to improve our comprehension in our field. With this, I look forward to hearing more from everyone for us to have a stronger relationship in the OT community!

Hi, Chewy! Yes, it can be a bother at times when people misinterpret what OTs do; however, it's also a great feeling when someone knows what OT is, what we do and how they've witnessed its effect on someone's life. The fact that OTs here in the country are few also makes me want to pursue our degree. It would be such a great experience to contribute and affect someone's life, even in the simple daily tasks they wish to accomplish. This gives meaning to what we do and it definitely warms my heart to hear such stories. <3

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