I am applying to grad school for Occupational Therapy. I need some feedback. Thoughts? Have I addressed each topic?
Questions that I need to address...
Why OT as a career? How does an OT degree relate to immediate and long term goals?
Describe how your personal, education and professional background will help you achieve your goals.
From a young age I recognized my innate passion, in continuing my education, in a career that would substantially impact and benefit others. Growing up in a single parent home, losing my father to cancer, I developed a strong-willed, compassionate, patient, and determined stance; shaping who I am today. Being the oldest of three, a role model, I had an underlying motivation for adventure, and a drive to discover what would be of best fit in life. I have always taken pride in my uplifting personality, and the positive resolute attitude I possess, to carry out activities of daily life. Taking a look into Occupational Therapy, I am able to incorporate these in a career that provides occupation-based intervention, to enable optimal participation with clients, in self-care, leisure, and work activities.
Clarifying my goals, I have compartmentalized my ambitions into ongoing and future. Continuously, I look to strengthen proficiencies that will help me to achieve a seat in the Occupational Therapy program. I focus on purposeful, goal directed activities to continue my active process in improving lifelong professional development. To do this, I look to expand my World in the skills, values, beliefs and professional behaviors that characterize the profession. I increase my knowledge to grow and succeed, by accentuating my willingness to learn in areas of contingency.
Through admittance and graduation, I will possess the skills, abilities, and professional behaviors, to creatively and innovatively use client-centered practices, and occupation-based inventions, in competence. Applying my professional knowledge and proficiencies, during clinicals and after obtaining my license, I will work with a variety of ages, impairments, and diverse and multicultural populations. I strive to work with diverse therapists to gain new viewpoints, in a variety of contexts and environments. My endeavors will deepen my capability of self-reflection, by providing daily experiences to catalyze improvement, life-enhancing engagements, and professional socialization. I will fulfill my desire to encouragingly help individuals, gain or restore independence, attributing to a more satisfying quality of life. After getting my license, an ongoing goal I have, is to expand and grow, throughout a lifetime of practice, by attending various workshops. When substantially knowledgeable and well established, I will address unmet occupational and educational needs in communities that lack easily accessible services. Goals I have, will persistently be modified and amplified, as I continue to discover my strengths, passions, and individual talents in my distinct career path. Outlining upcoming goals, they will orbit around life long socialization and learning, in Occupational Therapy.
Experiences that I have had in my personal, educational and professional background will help me to achieve these discussed goals. Overcoming copious obstacles through adolescence, I have established a charismatic, hardworking, dynamic, and supportive personality; all valuable traits in a health care career. Through life's explorations my honest, kindhearted, innovative position to express genuine concern, and a caring nature, has surfaced. Interactions that I have encountered strengthened my intrinsic compassion and patience, in a life-enhancing role, to add value to daily life. It is an irreplaceable experience to have a client leave with a feeling of faith and hope. It may not be today, it may not be not tomorrow, but with the continuation of exercise and therapy, they will regain feasible independence in areas meaningful to them. With my well-rounded, persistent, and determined attitude, I will make a difference as an Occupational Therapist.
Having an interest in our society and human kind, prompted me to double major in Communication's and Psychology at Kean University. If I am to help others around me, I need to learn how to facilitate my position effectively. This requires understanding how clients think, and how to interact, in a way that will get through to them. Everyday we communicate with others around us, but how many do we connect with? We hope to connect visually, intellectually, emotionally and verbally, but a countless number of us fall short. As a therapist, it is crucial to build rapport with every client; the greater the relationship, the easier it is to build trust, and to demonstrate they are of our utmost importance. Superb interpersonal skills and behavioral strategies, to cater to each patient's unique and discrete needs, is an essential skill to acquire. By studying Communication's, I learned not only how to effectively speak, but how to connect, understand, and build rapport, in distinct dynamic engagements.
Expanding on Psychology, I cultured myself on others, and the World in which we live. Choosing to study behavior patterns and norms, provided the stepping-stones to pursue a career path that is well-aligned with my passion, to make a difference in the lives of others. With a hectic schedule, of never-ending work and school, I synthesized the perfect configuration to build upon my time management and organizational skills, as well as my professional self image; all necessary to be a pronounced therapist.
Having an interest in health, nutrition, and fitness, I began my journey in a holistic life style. Taking part in running, biking, Pilates, yoga and weight training, I have seen first hand transformations in the body, that I did not think to be possible. I became intrigued to educate myself in the physiology of the body, nutrition, and inspirational stories. I continue to seek out fundamental wisdom, through a self directed and dedicated quest, to promote positive growth and change in others and myself. By implementing time for self-reflection, my personal and professional, identity and development, has broadened. Seeing developing, restoring, and promoting life-enhancing alterations, I will be able to elaborate on these as a therapist. I am certain the motivation, determination, and discipline I possess to lead a holistic lifestyle, will undoubtedly carry over into your program, as well as future career goals. As a well-rounded, balanced, self-driven individual, this will provide the superlative foundation to professionally integrate myself into this career.
My professional background of volunteer hours spent at Nelson Pediatric Therapy, and Dynamic Hand Therapy, was very diverse, and greatly expanded my knowledge of the field. At Nelson Pediatric Therapy, I observed children and adolescents, in home and clinic settings, receiving Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapy. Many of the patients attempted to live a comfortable lifestyle, struggling with cognitive, motor, perceptual, social, or sensory processing concerns. The vast amount of accessible therapists and patients, provided me the advantage to observe numerous sessions, and diverse practices. At Dynamic Hand Therapy, I had the opportunity to shadow a highly skilled nine-year certified hand therapist, with immense experience, and a wide array of clients. I was privileged to witness a variety of splits crafted, and modified in following therapy sessions.
I thrive on the chance to be part of a rewarding career, that incorporates my kind heart and drive, to provide individuals the opportunity to achieve their highest potential. Every minute I spend in the vicinity of a therapist, is another minute I am utterly convinced, this profession is the best fit for me. My passion has been found in a gratifying, inspiring, challenging, motivating lifelong learning career. I crave the one on one interaction, between therapists and clients, to promote and regain substantial independence, and self-help skills. By incorporating creative, simplistic, effective exercises, I am helping patients to live an attainable life; in my mind there is nothing better. I possess the foundational cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical concepts; admittance into the program will build upon these, to develop more advanced and complex skills. I am confident I possess the enthusiasm, passion, and drive to be a positive asset to your program.
