Why OT/PT?

[Mhunte03]

While the wait continues - I was just wondering, for those of us on here, why did you choose OT/PT and what do you hope to do with it?

 

In terms of myself; I finally made up my mind that I would apply early in September after starting my clinical placement at an early intervention centre with infants with special needs. I loved the whole thing - the assessments, the goal setting and the rewarding feeling I got when my babies reached their goals and it was time to make new ones.

 

If I get in, upon completion I would hope to work in the neonatal follow up clinics with infants and families - pediatrics is my passion

[Dr_Scully]

You're awesome I'd love to meet you in person I feel like we have so much in common!

 

I was born 3 months premature and because of that I was sort of "fixated" on medicine for a long time. I did volunteer in a centre for children & youth with disabilities at the end of high school (the one you do placement at isn't Holland-Bloorview in Toronto, is it?), so I got exposed to OT from there, but that was 10 years ago.

 

Ironically, I got into a car accident 2 years ago, and ended up seeing a PT from that. It was because of that I started to look at PT & especially OT again as a possible career path - hence leading me to apply to OT this year. I'm sort of drifting away from medicine now as a career choice. It would be nice, but at the end of the day I just want to help people and working with kids has been on the back of my mind the entire time.

 

I too have dreams of opening up my own clinic someday as an OT, specifically working with children & babies with special needs. I can't think of anything more rewarding. This year is our year!! We will get in!!

[Mhunte03]

Thank you! You've been one of the people on here who has definitely helped me to stay positive. Wow opening your own clinic would have to be about the coolest thing you could do in this profession - I thought it would be interesting once in the program to hook up with someone in the medical program to do research/thesis with. I did my final placement at Infant and Child Development Services Peel although I heard some people from Bloorview speak at conferences that my supervisor took along to. Good luck on May 17 - I have a good feeling!

[SeaGal]

Wow great stories guys! I really hope we all get in!

 

I too was in a car accident but mine was 10 years ago. I worked closely with PT's and for many years had to adapt my ADL's to help the healing process. In my 3r and 4thd years of my undergraduate I worked with children with ASD and got to see the benefits of the OT practice up close. After traveling and moving to a new city I lost the matriarch of my family (my great - grandmother) and began reflecting on her life in a care facility. I realized the my personal experiences with rehabilitation sciences could be used to increase the quality of life for seniors and I see OT as the most beneficial area to do this in. I have also job shadowed at hand therapy clinics and would like to be able to do some training in that area. I love how OT embraces quality of life and utilizes various tools and techniques to ensure everyone reaches their highest potential! We often treat our elders as infants and I would like to see them regain the independence and respect they deserve :-)

[dabby]

Wow, I definitely don't have any inspiring back story to my decision! I basically just think that my skill set, experience and desire to work with people all align perfectly with the role of an OT. It was a more recent revelation as opposed to always knowing this is what I would want to do... I spent a year doing additional courses after my undergrad and volunteering at a LTCF to make sure I would enjoy it before applying (while working full time... the courses and volunteering were done more in "free time" than being my main focus, since a girl has got to have an income), and now here I am!

 

I definitely think my ideal job would be in a smaller clinic - Maybe as a part of a group practice? I am not 100% on that though, because I am sure there are a MILLION options for working as an OT that I have never even thought of that I will find out about through schooling (for example... I know the prisons here hire OTs to work with prisoners who face struggles as they age within the correctional system... not that I would want to do that necessarily, but obviously that is not a job that would immediately comes to mind when considering what you could do with this profession).

[MazzyMaz]

I had to go to physiotherapy for my knees when I was in high school. The pain was so bad I couldn't climb stairs. Anyways, that was my first exposure to PT and I thought it was so cool. All of the equipment that was used, the knowledge my PT had, the environment, etc. Then in university, I did a co-op placement at a physio clinic in Hamilton and just fell in love with it. At that point, I decided to switch from Health Studies to Kinesiology and I discovered my true passion for so many things: physiology, anatomy, helping people return to normal, pain-free ADL. It's just so rewarding to be able to use your own knowledge to help others. I honestly cannot picture myself doing anything else with my life. Fingers crossed!!

[BurstFracture]

Interesting question! All of you have great stories. I don't think I've ever truly verbalized my career goals before, so thank you for asking.

 

Why did you choose OT/PT and what do you hope to do with it?

 

I'm choosing Physical Therapy, and hope to go on and complete an SPC* Diploma and a Ph.D. in Sport Physiology. As a physiotherapist, I want to work mainly with serious athletes who participate in adventure/extreme sports, either recreationally or competitively. As a scholar, I'd like to be writing textbooks and teaching courses on applied physiology and rehabilitation science.

My ultimate goal is to open my own sports clinic, which would be focused on training, conditioning, and rehabilitating athletes, as well as teaching future sports medicine providers. I'd really love to have a clinic that's been designed for a specific sports demographic and takes advantage of modern technology (i.e. wind pools, surf machines, indoor tracks, etc). I'd be happy working one-on-one with athletes, but it'd be great to have my own practice.

*Sport Physiotherapy Canada

 

Additionally: I choose Physical Therapy because I love sports and health care. I want to see people be able to give 100% to the activities they love, and also maintain a healthy lifestyle.