Felix Isaac Tiburcio wroteHi there! I'm Felix Tiburcio and I'm an OT student from the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM)
Throughout my two years of OT education, I've learned that the OT profession and the allied medical professions in general are supposed to uphold a client's quality of life, which is why I found it shocking when one of our professors told us that the majority of student appointments at the Psychiatric Department from our internship hospital (The Philippine General Hospital) come from the College of Allied Medical Professions, where anxiety and depression are common among these students.
It makes you wonder if the course is too challenging and demanding for the students to take or if the program is too condensed for us students to follow. You see, our course was supposed to be a five-year course but our college insisted on condensing it to a four-year course; thus we immediately studied human cadavers in our second year without any prior knowledge of comparative anatomy during our first year. In my opinion, the biggest challenge for us OT students is the somewhat "disjointed" transition from juvenile freshmen immediately to a sophomore who is expected to carry a rather heavy load that our first year wasn't able to prepare us for.
Going back, the weight of the curriculum's demands sometimes get the better of me. Sometimes, the heavy workload makes you question your very position as an OT student, and you just get stuck thinking about it. I'm not saying that I'm depressed or anxious, it's just that sometimes you need time to breathe. Whenever that happens, I just tell myself why I fell in love with OT in the first place. And breathe.
—
(￣▽￣)ノ
Hey Felix!
I could not agree with you more (ಥ_ʖಥ). I often feel the same way, if not all the time. Things always seem to be hitting us like multiple waves from out of nowhere, and we really cannot avoid these moments of doubt, questioning if the drooping bags under our eyes are really worth it (ಠ▃ಠ).
It shocked me as well to see the irony that we, Allied Med students, are frequenters of psychiatric help (ಠ~ಠ). Add that we OTs are supposed to promote occupational balance, yet we, ourselves, find it difficult to squirm our way to it.
(☉_☉)
The curriculum is no joke. Sometimes, I cannot help but think that we are balanced, not occupationally, but in being drained physically, mentally, and emotionally (⋟﹏⋞). I know that we all had our own fair share of breakdowns, and that people are getting sick left to right. But truth be told, one thing that helps me get going is you guys.
(≧∇≦)/
WEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Amidst the sickly feeling, I see people attending class. I see students making the most out of the learning experience CAMP has to offer. I see future OTs with tear-stained cheeks, but a pen in hand, taking down notes. And I have come to realize that this helps me get through my struggles and continue with determination.
(ಥ﹏ಥ)
Now, it makes sense that our environment matters so much. Environmental press, as we OTs call it, is what we unconsciously contribute to each other. We may not notice it, but we guys help each other in more ways than one. And I could not be anymore thankful for being surrounded with a bunch like you guys despite the toxic environment.
( /＾▽＾)／
Here’s to more inevitable sleepless nights and wonderful experiences together!
