yooOT Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 What are your top choices for OT or PT and why? I want to go into OT but the programs seem similar to me in terms of curriculum. Does anyone have any helpful info/links distinguishing the programs from one another and what factors would personally influence your decision to choose one school over another? I've applied to UBC, Queens, Western, UofT, Alberta (all OT), McMaster (OT and PT). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambi Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 You are asking good questions but in practical terms, a) a large part of your decision will be made for you once you receive acceptances and rejections and at that point, you will focus upon acceptances. I recall a number of years ago, a good friend applied for a LLM amongst 7 universities in US & Europe. When I asked her preference, she told me to as when she received acceptances. She had 4 acceptances, 3 from top universities. One prestigious university was perfect in that the program specialized in the field she really wanted, however, she chose another university that covered other fields too. Her reasoning was that should she not find a job in her field of choice, she would be employable elsewhere in view of her wider program. It turned out that she hit the nail on the head, i.e., jobs were not available in her field of choice and her choice of university permitted her to be hired in another specialization where she has made her career. I wish you every success! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futureOT2017 Posted March 13, 2017 Report Share Posted March 13, 2017 If you are not a self directed learner, McMaster may not be your ideal choice. Most of their program is online and or group projects (PBL). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yooOT Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 You are asking good questions but in practical terms, a) a large part of your decision will be made for you once you receive acceptances and rejections and at that point, you will focus upon acceptances. I recall a number of years ago, a good friend applied for a LLM amongst 7 universities in US & Europe. When I asked her preference, she told me to as when she received acceptances. She had 4 acceptances, 3 from top universities. One prestigious university was perfect in that the program specialized in the field she really wanted, however, she chose another university that covered other fields too. Her reasoning was that should she not find a job in her field of choice, she would be employable elsewhere in view of her wider program. It turned out that she hit the nail on the head, i.e., jobs were not available in her field of choice and her choice of university permitted her to be hired in another specialization where she has made her career. I wish you every success! Thank you! Yeah, I would be ecstatic to receive even one acceptance....it makes me so anxious thinking about it! I was just wondering if anyone had strong preferences for particular programs (or if one program is known to be better than the others), especially those in Ontario Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yooOT Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 If you are not a self directed learner, McMaster may not be your ideal choice. Most of their program is online and or group projects (PBL). Oh thanks! That's helpful to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marinaOT Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 If you are not a self directed learner, McMaster may not be your ideal choice. Most of their program is online and or group projects (PBL). Oh thanks! That's helpful to know Hey there, just to follow-up on this... I'm a current McMaster student OT and it's true that the program has a strong emphasis on self-directed learning. I just wanted to clear up that I can't think of any significant part of the program is online based, at least not in OT. I was aware of the self-directed learning aspect going in but it was still a big adjustment for me. Don't get me wrong, we have a lot of class as well but the responsibility is really on you to be aware of where your weaknesses are and to seek out resources that will help you improve. This is an expectation of all students. I've struggled with that at times, especially when I am feeling really stressed! PBL is one of my favourite parts of the program and really works for my learning style. It can take up a lot of time in my week (preparation and tutorial time) but I know that it's where I'm cementing what I'm learning in other courses and making connections between concepts. I also find that the skills I practice in PBL help me when I'm on placement because it gives you a way of thinking that you can transfer to many situations. The reality is that everyone applying is usually grateful to get into any program at all. If you end up having a choice there will be lots of factors to consider. No program is perfect and once you are in you will always find something to complain about... But definitely don't underestimate the importance of reflecting on your learning style and how it fits with the programs you are considering. I'm really glad I ended up at McMaster but I know it isn't for everyone. If you have any questions about the McMaster OT program, don't be a stranger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yooOT Posted March 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Hey there, just to follow-up on this... I'm a current McMaster student OT and it's true that the program has a strong emphasis on self-directed learning. I just wanted to clear up that I can't think of any significant part of the program is online based, at least not in OT. I was aware of the self-directed learning aspect going in but it was still a big adjustment for me. Don't get me wrong, we have a lot of class as well but the responsibility is really on you to be aware of where your weaknesses are and to seek out resources that will help you improve. This is an expectation of all students. I've struggled with that at times, especially when I am feeling really stressed! PBL is one of my favourite parts of the program and really works for my learning style. It can take up a lot of time in my week (preparation and tutorial time) but I know that it's where I'm cementing what I'm learning in other courses and making connections between concepts. I also find that the skills I practice in PBL help me when I'm on placement because it gives you a way of thinking that you can transfer to many situations. The reality is that everyone applying is usually grateful to get into any program at all. If you end up having a choice there will be lots of factors to consider. No program is perfect and once you are in you will always find something to complain about... But definitely don't underestimate the importance of reflecting on your learning style and how it fits with the programs you are considering. I'm really glad I ended up at McMaster but I know it isn't for everyone. If you have any questions about the McMaster OT program, don't be a stranger! Oh thank you!! that's very helpful to know and definitely an important factor to consider I'm not sure if I'm a self directed learner but I'm sure any OT program would be a huge adjustment for me! Does PBL stand for problem based learning? Do you mind explaining how that works in the program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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