Lesson of the Day| Never Become Complacent!

I talked to one of my professors today and I just want to try to recall some of the things she mentioned and reflect on them for my records. Keep in mind I'm a horrible paraphraser! Let's go ahead and get started. 

So, on Monday, one of my professors shared her experience of going through a point in her career where she realized she really was not understanding why she was providing some of the treatments she was to her clients. She said that she understood the basics or would simply do a treatment because she remembered seeing another therapist do it. She expressed her frustration and feeling of incompetency. She realized that she probably needed to go back to school and learn more -- so she did.

So today, I asked her what she did differently the second time around to help her improve as a practitioner. She said that the two things that she did differently was 1) found appreciation in theory and 2) had a mentor that helped her problem solve and improve her clinical reasoning. She spoke a lot about the importance of understanding theory and using it as a way to ground your practice. She said that it truly helps you to understand how to approach intervention all the way from interaction to evaluation to outcomes and provides guidance on choosing the best treatment for a patient. We've only learned about three occupation-based models (EHP, MOHO, OA) so far, but I can already see how understanding these theories would prove to be important as a therapist. It really helps you to broaden your scope and see your patients through a more comprehensive lens.

Later in the conversation, she mentioned that your learning as a therapist will never stop. She even went as far as to say that if you look back and ask yourself, "Am I doing therapy the same way I did last year?" and your answer is yes, you are doing something wrong. She said not everything in your practice will change but that every year you should be finding better ways to improve your practice and become a better therapist. She said you do this through continued education, reading updated research, and exploring new theories. Basically, to sum it up, you should never become complacent with your skills, you should always seek to learn more in an effort to provide the best services for your clients. Common sense right? One would think! However, unfortunately (and I've witnessed this myself, especially with older therapists), that drive to constantly learn new and better ways of providing therapy sometimes wanes and therapists do seem to become somewhat content with the knowledge they already know.

We talked for a long time so I can't remember everything, but I tried to pull out the bigger details and what I thought were important "take home messages."

Getting into "A" Program that you WANT! + Plan B

I know, I know...another video! Hopefully some of you find this video helpful.

The title of this blog post and video may be a little misleading so allow me to elaborate. This video is geared towards those who may find themselves applying to 2, 3, 4, etc. programs, but only getting one offer.

I hope that my advice will help you to have no hesitations in accepting that offer and to become one step closer to your goal as an occupational therapist. It is my belief that you should never see the programs you apply to in the scope of "most desirable to least desirable." Instead I challenge you to see the colleges you apply to as "All great programs that I would without a doubt love to be in." If you make sure that all the programs you apply to are programs that you would without a shadow of a doubt be ready to pack your bags and get to moving, you lessen the chance of you getting accepted into a program that you really don't want to go to and end up turning it down for whatever reason.

Let me give you a couple of examples of how the scenario may play out. 

1. "Ah man, I really can't afford to go that program."
2. "I really don't think I'm ready to move to New York."
3. "I don't think I want to spend 5 more years in school."
4. "I just don't think that program is a good fit for me anymore."

These are the types of situations that I hope to help you avoid.

Best of luck as you apply to different OT programs!

Link to Blog Post I Mentioned| http://oteatime.blogspot.com/2014/01/tips-applying-to-mot-program.html

3rd Week Update! (Fall 2014)

This Video Covers: 

• How I Feel About Classes So Far
• The Lazy Rut I've Been in
• Socializing with My Classmates 
• OT Polos I Ordered 
• Guest Speaker- NICU 
• SOTA (Student Occupational Therapy Association)

First Day of Fall 2014

After the summer session we were given about a week off to relax and recoop. I decided to go back home for the break and spend time with my family. My break was consumed with watching butt tons of movies and sleeping. My grandpa was in the hospital for most of my stay so I went to the hospital to visit him as often as I could. Other than that, mom and I would make trips to places like SAMs and Costco to pick up a few items for the house and my apartment. I didn't do anything too exciting, my main goal was to just relax, which in a round about way is exactly what happened.

Now that my short, but much needed break is over it is time to get back to work! Today was our first day of class (Aug. 20th). Before we left for the break one of our professors emailed us and said that our 9 o' clock class would be cancelled for the first day. This meant that I didn't have to be at school until 10:30am. Awesome, right!!? Yes and no. It was great because I got to sleep in. I had big plans of eating breakfast and doing this and doing that, but pssht none of that happened. I lolligagged around ALL morning lol. The bad side of a 10:30am class was that parking was horrible. Student parking was completely filled so I had to park in an outside extra parking lot that is farther away from the academic building. It wasn't a terrible walk, but definitely a long one. I think the summer session spoiled me when it came to parking because there was always tons of free parking spaces.

Today I had "Theories and Foundations in OT" and "Occupational Performance Throughout the Lifespan." Before today I had my reserves about my theory class. Like I told mom, theory classes usually go one of two ways really good because the teacher loves the subject they are teaching or really bad because the teacher has absolutely no enthusiasm about the subject and class is a drag. Fortunately, it looks like this is going to be a good class. I think I am really going to enjoy it! Both of the professors have great personalities and are really nice, I have high hopes for these classes.

Other than that, not much happened pretty smooth typical first day! Ain't nothing wrong with that :)

All I'm working on today is putting all my dates that I have so far for tests, quizzes, and projects due in my planner and get my apartment organized. 

Fall 2014 Semester Classes & Books

Hey guys, it's that time again! New semester, new classes, new books!



I waited to the very last minute to register. The director emphasized that she wanted us to make sure that we were going to pass anatomy before registering. I knew I would pass, but for some reason I just kept pushing it off and pushing it off. Classes start on August 20th and my last final is December 10th! I have to take Theory and Foundations of OT, Introduction to Evaluation and Intervention in OT (which has a lab), Research Process in Occupational Therapy, Occupational Performance Throughout the Lifespan, and Conditions in OT. These all total 15 hours. I'm looking forward to all my classes minus Research Process in OT. It just doesn't sound fun. lol

This is what my schedule is looking like this semester. Classes 3 times a week!
(Unless I have an exam in "Conditions in OT")

Since I only have classes roughly three times a week I plan to take out more time for myself to do the things that I want to do and focus on. Like I told one of my friends, I have spent the last 3 years of my life focusing on school, school, school and not really my happiness. I want to do yoga at least once a week and I want to start reading for leisure again as well as actually start reading my Bible again. Just the small things you know, the ones that I always push to the side because "I don't have time" "I have to study" "I'm too tired"....whatever the reason may be. I also plan to eat healthier because my diet is pitiful and that's probably why I never have the energy I need. Since I have a sensitivity to caffeine once my energy is gone it is a WRAP!

On to the books...

Here are a list of the book titles and authors (left to right; top to bottom):

• Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Vision for Participation (Brown & Stoffel - 1st Ed.) 
• Screening Adult Neurologic Populations (Gutman & Schonfeld - 2nd Ed.)
• Research in Occupational Therapy: Methods of Inquiry for Enhancing Practice (Kielhofner - 1st Ed.)
• Occupational Therapy for Children (Case-Smith & O'Brien - 6th Ed.) 
• Human Development and Performance Throughout the Lifespan (Cronin & Mandich - 1st Ed.)

Not pictured: (bought in summer session 2014)

• Occupational Therapy for Physical Dysfunction (Radomski & Trombly - 7th Ed.) 

Books this time around cost me $438! I purchased them all from Amazon this time around.

Woah, We Have Some MAJOR Catching Up!

Long time no read, huh? I know, I know. This summer was INTENSE. It was stressful and time-consuming, but definitely do-able. Since I have quite a few blogs to write in an attempt to catch you up I decided to create this main blog post that will link you to all the blogs I write as a part of this whole catching up thing. I would love to post these in order of when they will be posted, but that's not going to happen so bare with me. I'm not sure how many blogs I will end up writing, but they will all be linked down below as they are written! :) (You may see the title, but it is not clickable. That means that I am working on the blog. It just has not become live yet because it's not finished.)

Cadaver Lab Experience & Tips

Summer Session Finals & Grades

My Anatomy "Book of Knowledge"

Netter vs. Gilroy Anatomy Atlas

Fall 2014 Semester Classes & Books

First Day of Fall 2014

Week 3 & 4 | Average Test Scores; High Emotions

If you were wondering...nope there has not been a slow down. Every day, every week is the same thing. Study, study, study. I have been trying to take Thursday OR Friday's to kind of relax and treat myself so I don't go crazy. I will usually either go to the movies or catch up on the shows that I have missed throughout the week.

I know some of you are probably wondering how my first exams went so let's get that out the way. On my first anatomy exam I got an 85.33 on the practical and an 86.66 on the written so my actual test grade came out to be an 85.99 (there is no rounding in grad school; at least not this one). There were 75 questions on both parts. I'm not particularly too excited about my grade but seeing that the class average was in the 70's and only about two people in my program made A's I think I did pretty good. Plus, after taking the first test I felt DEFEATED! I honestly thought I failed. My biggest problem was that I just ran out of time. I went over all the material, but since the forearm, wrist, and hand were the last things that I studied none of it really stuck. I felt pretty good about anything unrelated to these parts (so basically the rest of the entire upper extremity) but the hand and stuff just had way too much information to remember in little to no time.

Though I made roughly about the same grade on both parts, the practical is where I really struggled. The Wednesday before the test the TA's hosted a practice practical. I felt pretty confident during the practice and I could actually think. Problem was at 8 in the morning, when I had the real thing, it felt like my body had not fully woken up and I was moving in SLOW MOTION! I mean I couldn't think for NOTHING! I kept saying, "This is not real, this is not real!" I literally felt like I was sleep walking and since we only have a minute at each cadaver station there is no time for slow processing brains. My confidence was completely blown after taking the practical portion. Then I had to go take the written. I felt much better about the written. My body had actually had a chance to wake up a bit more and I had much more time to think through each question.

My next test is June 27th. I don't know I feel about this test. I changed the way I prepared for it a little bit from the first so we will see what happens. I am glad that this time I have written first and then the practical. I'm hoping this gives my body a chance to wake up and my brain to start working.

On to better news, on my first Kinesiology exam I made a 98. It was mainly multiple choice and then had an essay question at the end. We also had a ROM competency yesterday (June 24th). I was super nervous because I did not feel competent and I was already in a bad mood, but I think I did pretty well. It had a written part and then a performance portion. I don't think we will get our grades back until the second lab group takes their test. UPDATE: Grades were posted Thursday (26th), I got a 100! 

Last post I told ya'll that my other two classes get super neglected. This still holds true. The intensity of the anatomy class does not allow me to appreciate my other two classes. They feel like more of a burden than anything else. I haven't read one article, reading, or assignment for my intro to OT class. We also have an essay due soon and an activity analysis due. Have I started? That would be a no. That's my goal this weekend...to at least finish the activity analysis completely and at least 1/3 of the essay. I can't release the topic of my essay yet, but we basically had to choose an intervention or treatment and now we are responsible for finding 10 related articles, using 5 of them and writing a 5 page paper. I am having a little difficult time finding articles relevant to my topic, but we will see when I actually have time to do real searching.

Enough about that though! Let's talk about these emotions of mine. Smh I wish I was writing this in the middle of my emotion because then I could better explain to you how I have been feeling -- but I am not...so bare with me please. This is going to be all jumbled so follow along. Okay so, I am an emotional person in general, but lately I have been feeling really down. I'm not really sure the root of my tears. It may be a combination of being overwhelmed, disappointed, and exhausted, but I'm thinking mainly disappointed. When I graduated from my undergrad...well even before then, I told myself that I wanted my grad school experience to be different; to be a fresh start at life. Long story short, I didn't have much fun in undergrad and I didn't make many friends...if really any at all. I am an introvert by nature and it is easier for me to not deal with people so that is usually the route I take -- 9 times out of 10 I just like being in my own company. This time around I wanted to be more social and make new connections.

The first week, maybe even first two weeks of school that was going well. I was talking to people and they talked back, but now I can feel the distancing and I definitely feel like an outcast even though I know I am not alone. Most people in my program and even the other DPT and AT program students seem to like to study or review in groups. As a result, they form strong connections and relationships with the people that they are studying with and spending time with the most. Me, on the other hand, I just don't learn effectively in groups and especially not with the pace and intensity of this course. Being that I am not willing to sacrifice my grade because I want to make friends (since we technically don't have a GPA, if we fail anatomy we are OUT of the program and a C or D gets you academic probation -- the pressure to pass is REAL), I just leave groups alone. I tried it I think two times so far this summer and each time it was a complete FAIL (I may go into detail in a later blog -- long story short much time wasted; not much accomplished).Even for tutoring I would do solo tutoring. I am trying to work on that though because it's killing my pockets. I'm so broke it's not even funny (not just because of tutoring, but just being careless with my money in general). Even if I could find one more person to join me in tutoring that would cut my expenses in half. I only do about one tutoring session a week and sometimes not even that if all the TA's are booked, but still!!!

Anyways, getting back on track...I usually don't eat lunch with people either because I use that time to eat and study. A lot of people don't like being alone or doing things alone, but it's something I have always done and feel comfortable with. However, since I was hoping for something new the reality of my situation is discouraging. It's like undergrad all over again. There is one girl I have met so far that I seem to click with well. I also appreciate that every 2 weeks we get new lab partners, which allows us to meet and work with new people pretty regularly. Thankfully, I've enjoyed working with both groups. My first lab group I clicked with more on a social level so it was sad when we had to "break up." My second group, not so much, but I liked that we actually used our lab time to review course material and not just mindlessly dissect. During this course, EVERY minute counts so if you spend 3 hours in the lab just dissecting you are going to end up super behind knowledge wise. Anyways, I still talk regularly to two people of my first group and if I see the other two I'll speak, but that's pretty much it. We will be assigned new lab groups on Sunday so we will see how this next group turns out.

My thoughts as of right now is that I am probably not going to make too many friends over the summer simply because of the circumstance. However, I am hoping that once the fall comes around and the pace settles down a bit, I'll be able to engage in the more social aspect that comes with being with the same group of people for 2.5 years. I  do think it will get better though. Just have to pray about it.

For now, with anatomy being so intense and then things not going as I envisioned, though it's sometimes hard to deal with emotionally and I am ALWAYS tired and having headaches, I have come to the conclusion that I have to just take it one MINUTE, one HOUR, one DAY, one WEEK at a time. I will keep ya'll updated on how I feel as time goes on.

PS: I took my second anatomy test today. We will talk about that later, but grades will be posted Monday (Jun 30th)

PS2: If there are ridiculous typos -- my bad.

Week 1 & 2 | Too BUSY for a Break Down!!

Well guys, it's been two very long, but quickly paced weeks. I haven't had much time to do really do anything other than go to classes, finish up dissections, and study. No time to cry, text, talk and barely time to eat.

My first day of real class (May 28th) had an interesting start. I left my laptop, iPad, and keys on top of the lab lockers for 2.5 hours before realizing that I had not put them back in my backpack (Luckily everything was right where I had left it). I got lost trying to find my way back to the lab and then from the lab back to class. I went during one of the 5 minute breaks we get thinking I would be down and back in a flash...SIKE! (Now there is nothing to it and it's actually really simple to get to, but that first day was a mess). I also splashed the cadaver tank. There is really no telling what else I did that day - can't remember.

We have an anatomy quiz every morning at 8 o' clock on the dot. I get about 4.5 hours of sleep Monday through Thursday -- 5 if i'm lucky. I'm usually in class from 8-5 and usually don't get home until 9 finishing up cadaver dissection.

My other two classes have been going well, but honestly, they get SUPER NEGLECTED. I have a quiz about once a week in my kinesiology class. For kinesiology lab we practiced drawing surface anatomy on our classmates and how to properly use a goniometer. We will be tested over it in a couple of weeks. I struggle with finding the end of the clavicle, the lateral border of the acromion process, and the supraspinatus tendon. I've been practicing on a couple of my classmates and googling palpation tips for those areas. I've gotten a little better, but hopefully I will be on top of my game by the time we get tested over it.

On Wednesday (Jun 4th) we took a practice OTKE, which is basically a practice board exam. It had 100 questions and we had 2 hours to take it. I took the full 2 hours. We won't get our score until we are basically finished with our program which sucks! I really wanted to know how I did. Oh well!

Anyways, overall, it has definitely been challenging for me. At times I just want to break down and cry, but I suck it up quick because there is just NO TIME FOR A BREAK DOWN! I have an exam next week on the 13th. It's 4 hours long about 150 questions including written and practical portions. I'm nervous because it covers soooo much information and I know by the end of it I'm going to be extremely hungry and tired.

I attended a tutoring session on June 5th. I got to pick my tutor and I think the session went really smooth. I was able to answer most of the questions he quizzed me on and he pointed out some things on the cadaver that I have been having a difficult time locating. Unfortunately, he said he probably won't be tutoring anymore because his classes are starting to get too busy. He recommended a couple of other tutors that he thought would fit my style of learning. I texted and scheduled a tutoring session with one of them for Tuesday to go over the forearm and hand. The tutoring sessions cost a pretty penny ($20 for an hour). Most people get tutored in a group to cut the price, but I learn more effectively solo and I feel that the tutor is better able to attend to my needs as a student.

Welp, that about wraps it up. Sorry I don't have much to tell. I had so much I wanted to share, but since I didn't write it down I forgot! :( Hopefully the Fall will be easier when it comes to keeping up with my blog and sharing information. I'm about to go back to studying, but when I get some extra time, whenever that may be, I'm going to share some of the things I have created to assist me with anatomy.

PS: The first week of school I lived off of fast food since I never had time to cook -- talk bout being broke! Second week I was able to make it to the grocery store on Sunday so I've been packing my lunch -- typically something microwavable (i.e. pasta) with some fruit. I also found time to cook 2 Ibs. of hamburger helper and froze it in portions. I also ate at the hospital's cafeteria once this week. I think I would eat there again. They have a lot of options.

First Day: Orientation (Summer 2014)

So the games have begun!!

Let me tell you something first though. The night before orientation, I was freaking out!!! Not because I was nervous about classes, but because I had no clue what to bring for the first day of "class." I was confused because the orientation website said that orientation would start at 8:30am, but we also got a memo from our anatomy professor that we needed to bring our lab coat, dissection kit, and gloves. So in my head I'm thinking..."are we going to have orientation and then classes or what is going on?" I was at a total loss so I packed EVERYTHING!! lol Come to find out all I needed to bring was a pen. *side eye* I really wish they would have made that clear on the orientation website. There were absolutely no classes and all those "supplies" we needed??... SIKE!

Anyways, since orientation was at 8:30am I decided to leave my apartment at 8:00am. I live about 10 mins away from campus. I wore business casual (purple blouse, kaki pants, and matching flats) since I knew we would be taking pictures. Most students at orientation were dressed in a similar fashion.

Orientation was very informative, but if I can be honest, BORRINNGG! It was basically a series of back-to-back speakers talking about the different services Program Z offers to it's students. We were also given a folder with tons of brochures, papers, and forms needing to be signed. Like I said, great information, buttttt lol

For breakfast, small snacks like nutrigrain bars and bottled water were provided. For lunch, they served the traditional boxed lunch (sandwich, chips, and a cookie). I chose "ham on white."

Around 1 o' clock I started getting a HORRIBLE headache. I mean my head was killing me and we were no where near finished! At 2pm, we broke up a bit. In the beginning, all students within Program Z, including OT, PT, Athletic Training, Molecular Pathology, and a couple others were together in a small auditorium style classroom. When we broke up, the OT, PT, and AT stayed in the room. Our speaker was the gross anatomy professor who wanted to talk to us about accessing our lecture and lab notes and what we needed to do tonight before class tomorrow (view dissection tutorials). He also recommended that we start on the intro chapter of the book. After he was done speaking, another professor spoke to us about study tips, mentioning that the most important thing will be balance and not taking short cuts.

From there, we broke into our individual programs -- mine being OT. It was nice to have a change in pace, that's for sure! All the professors introduced themselves with their own individual ppt presentation. It was really nice and gave a couple of laughs. They all seem like very down-to-earth people. We then had to go around and introduce ourselves (the students). After the introductions, we got to meet with our faculty advisor. The advisor I was assigned to is very bubbly and sweet. You could tell she was super excited! We were also given a clipboard with some information printed on it and a pediatric outcomes chart (there was more information on the back as well). In my opinion, these were the most awesome things we received all day! Also, at our desk was another folder with a bunch of papers. One of the papers inside of the folder that caught my attention was a "Tips for Surviving Anatomy" sheet. I thought they were pretty helpful tips so check them out for yourself! :)

**NOT ALL TIPS WILL APPLY TO YOUR CLASS OR PROGRAM!**

Orientation was finally over at 4pm. We had the opportunity to take a tour or meet with the IT people for laptop assistance. I went to the IT room, but left shortly because I was not sure if I actually needed assistance or if was just going because everyone else was going. I asked some of my classmates what they needed help with and they did not seem all too sure either. I checked to make sure my lockdown browser that we were required to download was working. It was, so I bounced.

After orientation, I went to Target to pick up a new planner and a "weekly combo dry erase board." I'm not exactly sure what my plans are for the board lol, but I got it! After I finished up at Target, I drove home to change and then went to the BBQ hosted by Program Z. The BBQ started at 5pm, but I did not get there until around 5:45pm. There, I met my "Big." (About a week or so ago I signed up for the "Big/Little" program where we are matched with a second year OT student) She bought me a gift. Very sweet of her. It included a dry erase board (which I plan to use as a lap board for drawing and labeling different diagrams), dry erase markers, starbursts, skittles, sour patches, pens, pencils, gatorade, mini water, flash cards, flags, white out, sheet protectors, hand sanitizer, tissue, and, highlighters. I left the BBQ at 6:30pm sharp. It was nice for the most part, but I needed to get going.

After the BBQ, I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some school supplies, scrub bottoms, and a pack of men's t-shirts. After speaking with my "Big," a couple of other second year students, and some faculty members, I was informed that it would be in my best interest to wear clothes that I did not care too much about. I was told that most students where scrubs every day for the summer and old tennis shoes. Apparently, the smell of the cadaver lab lingers really badly on your clothes and you'll want to burn them by the time everything is all said and done.

That pretty much wraps up my day. I am home now and about to get started on these dissection lab videos. I wanted to start reading tonight, but it's already 10pm and I'm trying to be in bed by at least 11:30pm. I already printed my lecture notes though, so that's a plus!

PS: Did I mention I got a warning ticket for parking in the faculty parking lot? lol Well, I did! I didn't know that the parking lot was split half student, half faculty. I wrongly assumed that the entire parking lot was student parking. Oops! Glad it was just a warning! :) 

PS2: There were also door prizes throughout all of orientation. I didn't win! Hence why I may have forgot to mention the door prizes! :P

PS3: If there are typos, I apologize, but I am tired and needed to get this up QUICK! Overall, orientation was successful, just boring. I am excited to officially hit the ground running tomorrow! Wish me luck! <3

Tip of the Blog: Arrive to orientation early. It will help you avoid some of the long lines that may develop. 

Tuition? What Tuition!?

So it's Friday morning (May 23rd), say 3am'ish and I'm thinking "OMG...did we pay all of tuition?! (Not sure why this thought just dawned on me, but it did) I freak out and start googling when tuition was due -- May 16th. I'm thinking "Oh crap!" I quickly try to log into my account to view my tuition bill...of course they are doing maintenance. *side eye* 

Usually, I always get an email notifying me that my bill has been posted to my account, but this time I did not for whatever reason. Since I filled out my Hazelwood for the summer, most of my fees were paid. However, the extra fees universities like to add are not covered (i.e., medical fee, recreational fee, etc.). Anyways, since I couldn't access my account I kept telling myself, "Rest now, worry later!" When I woke up it was between 8 and 9am, so I decided to check my tuition bill again. It said that I still owed $132 *whew*... not too bad!

I called Student Business Services (SBS) and asked them about the late fee I would need to pay. The woman who answered the phone said that our accounts have yet to be audited and that I should be fine as long as I paid the rest of my balance that day! What a relief!!!! I will be checking my account again this week to make sure no late fee charges pop up and if any do that I take care of them immediately.

Definitely not a mistake I want to make again!!

Note to self: Don't rely on SBS to send you an email notifying you of your bills. It is your own responsibility. (Duh Bemo, what were you thinking!??) 

CLASSES START IN ONE DAY...AHHH!!!!

Full Summer 2014 Classes & Books

Hey! Guess who? Yup, you guessed it! It's Bemo and I'm BACCKKK!

So basically, what this post is going to be about is the classes I will be taking for the summer, the books that are required, and what I've been doing to prepare before orientation (May 27, 2014). Let's get started!

So, for the 2014 Full Summer Session, classes start on May 27, 2014 and end on August 13, 2014. I registered for classes on April 14th. The registration process was pretty quick and simple. We received an email with a link to our orientation page that hosts all sorts of information about what we need to get done prior to orientation and how to go about doing it. One of the links on the page lead to a list of the CRN's (registration numbers) we would need to register. When the time came, I simply typed in the numbers and boom I was done. So enough of that! Let's get into the classes. For the full summer session (2014), I will be taking Human Anatomy Lecture & Lab, Applied Kinesiology in Occupational Therapy Lecture and Lab, and Introduction to Occupational Therapy. This all totals up to 9 hours.

Here is what my class schedule looks like. I'm not looking forward to having to wake up super duper early M-F, but hey what can you do?

Now, on to the books! 

Here are a list of the book titles and authors (left to right; top to bottom): 

• Netter's Anatomy Flash Cards 3rd Edition by John T. Hensen (my choice) 
• Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence  by Sladyc, K., Jacobs, K. & MacRae, N.  (required)
• Kinesiology: The Mechanics & Pathomechanics of Human Movement by Oatis, C.A. (required)
• Atlas of Anatomy by Gilroy AM, MacPherson GR, & Lawrence MR
• Atlas of Anatomy 5 ed. by Netter F. 
• Occupational Therapy for Physical Dysfunction by Radomski, M. & Trombly Latham, C. (required) 
• Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach by Gylys, B.A. & Wedding, M.E. (required)
• Clinnically Oriented Anatomy by Moore KL, Dalley AF, & Agur AMR (required)

All roughly cost me about eh I don't know, a little under $550.... like mmm $520 maybe and that includes shipping and everything. I did not purchase from the place my program suggested. I purchased all my items online through textbooks.com, ecampus.com (can be a little expensive depending on what you get), and I got the flash cards from barnesandnoble.com. 

After reading about the flash cards on someone else's blog I decided...what the heck! They seem to have been really helpful to that person so hopefully they are just as helpful to me.

The atlas' were a pick one or the other, but I decided to get both because I didn't know which one I would like better. Most people recommend the Netter version over the Gilroy version, but I will keep you updated on my thoughts.

Everything else was required and let me tell you...some of these books are THICK! Thick and heavy! They are playing no games -- none!

Once my books started coming in though, I started getting super excited! I flipped through some of them and they seem really interesting. I can't wait to dive in! I'm still nervous, of course -- that's only normal, but I definitely don't think it's anything I can't handle.

I also had to purchase a long white lab coat, dissection kit, and non-sterile gloves. This cost me about $53 bucks from Varsity bookstore. (not pictured)

"So what have you had to do to prepare for orientation?" you may ask. Well, I'll tell you! I've had to register for classes, purchase my books and equipment, pay $51 for a background check, purchase a $45 parking permit that is only going to last me until August *side eye*, and get my Hazelwood application submitted. I have also taken one training so far, which was the HIPAA Privacy and Security Training. I still have to take the EEO - Sexual Harassment Training, Safety Services Training Program, and Lab Safety Training. I will be taking these last three all this weekend (May 2nd and 3rd)! I've also decided to make a Facebook page so that I could join the Class of 2016 MOT Student page that one of my classmates made. I do not like being searchable, which is why I didn't have a FB prior and also why I go by an alias. However, I figure if all I'm using the FB page for is to keep up with the group, then it should be fine. It will be a good way to form study groups and to stay in the loop.

I'm also working on getting proof of enrollment so that I don't get dropped from my mom's insurance. I am 20 right now and will turn 21 in a couple of weeks. I have to be a full-time student in order to stay on mom's insurance -- which I am. However, my program is talking about they won't be able to give me proof of enrollment until the 12th day of class... hmpf. So basically, mom and I have been going back and forth trying to figure everything out. Bleh!

Anyways, other than that, all I've really been doing is trying to finish the semester up. My last actual class day is on May 5th and then I have 3 finals to take! My birthday is on the 14th of May and I am super stoked. I have a whole day planned for my self: breakfast, spa treatment, mani/pedi, alamo drafthouse! Ahhhh can't wait!!!!

Welp, that's all I got for ya! I will talk to you guys in a couple weeks. If you have any questions, just let me know!

Email: OTeaTimeBlog@gmail.com

Tip of the Blog: To get the best prices for your books, I would suggest pricing the books at the place your program recommends first. Then, go online to see what you can find for cheaper. The bookstores recommended are typically overpriced or just super expensive. My favorite website is textbooks.com. However, I would recommend you compare 2-3-4 websites to see who offers the best prices! I would also suggest that you buy all used books, new if you must, but try to refrain renting your books if at all possible. You are going to want to start a personal library for yourself. You may find these books helpful later in your profession!

Tags: Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapy Student, OT Blog, OT Student Blog, Blog, OTS Blog, MOT blog, MOT student, MOT student Blog, OT Student Tips, Registering for MOT Classes, MOT Student Books

Sharing| "We're Gonna Be OTs"

Occupational Therapy Student Anthem! Love this ;) 

Source: http://youtu.be/xgb1TVGpjg8

Tips| Applying to an MOT Program

Before I begin, let me start by saying that these tips assume that you are completing a 4-year Bachelors program before starting your MOT program. Many of my tips may apply to other routes, but my tips are mainly based on the route that I took. Okay? Let's go!

1. Research the OT programs you think you may be interested in. 

http://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Find-School/AccreditEntryLevel/OTMasters.aspx will give you a list of all the accredited MOT programs in the United States.

From there check out the programs' website and dissect it to pieces. I mean really get in there!!

You can also consult websites such as http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/occupational-therapy-rankings?int=493b21, but keep in mind that ranking should NOT be your ultimate decision factor.

You ultimately need to choose a school that best fits your learning style, personality, and goals.

2. Tour the program(s)

You really can't get a good understanding of a program until you visit it first-hand (at least in my opinion). Visiting campuses allows you to explore the location (do you feel safe?, what's available?, what does the housing look like?, are their any housing options available on campus? how clean is the area?, what are the pros and cons? are you likely to have to evacuate because of a hurricane warning?, etc.), allows you to meet the staff (are they nice?, are they down to earth?, are they willing to answer questions?, open door policy?, etc.), meet current students (how do they like it? where are some places they like to go? do they feel like the program is truly preparing them? what are some cons about the program?, etc.), and you get to tour campus (does it feel like home?, do you feel comfortable?, are the facilities legit?, does it make you happy?, or do you have concerns?, etc.).

When you go just don't go through the motions! Pick up brochures, ask questions, get involved!

If you can't tour the program because of say... money, distance, time -- don't fret! You can google the location, look at pictures of the city, crime rates, consult the program's website for pictures, and other what nots. You can also call the admissions office if you have any questions that you need addressed. If you still decide that the program is still in your top choices from your online browsing and you get invited for an interview, they usually give you a tour of their facilities and from there you can do and reflect on all the things I mentioned above.

3. Narrow your selections and meet the pre-requisites

Once you figure out the top 2-6 programs you are interested in, ensure that you are meeting the pre-requisites for each program. Most programs' prerequisites are similar, but there can be differences and you want to make sure you pay particular attention to those differences. **Keeping an organized binder of your potential MOT programs may prove to be helpful**

I will also inform you that some programs require all course pre-requisites to be satisfied before applying, others the Fall semester prior to enrollment, others the Spring semester prior to starting the program, and others have specific courses that need to be taken prior to application and the others can be satisfied by "such and such" date. Make sure you know which category your program(s) fall under.

Some programs require you to take the GRE -- others don't

*Note: If you have to take the GRE I would recommend taking it at least 1 year prior to applying for grad school. You are allowed to take the GRE up to 5 times I think (don't quote me). This will give you enough time to retake the GRE if your first score wasn't too hot. (I don't have any tips for studying for it because I didn't have to take it)

What are the GPA requirements?

*Note: GPA is NOT everything, but it is important. Try your best to keep your GPA up, especially in courses that are pre-reqs for your MOT program. I will inform you, however, that the average GPA for those accepted into MOT programs is at about 3.5. However, if your GPA isn't quite there, don't be discouraged. They really do take into account your entire application...not just your grades. If your program doesn't require the GRE, but will still accept it, you can try taking it to boost up your chances of getting accepted a bit.*

How many observation hours do you need? Is documentation required? Do they provide a form or do you have to figure out your own system?

Here are the pre-requisites I had to meet for Program Z:

• English	6 hours
  Statistics	3 hours
  Anatomy and Physiology (with lab)	6-8 hours
  Physics and/or Biomechanics and/or Kinesiology	3 hours
  Introductory Psychology	3 hours
  Abnormal Psychology	3 hours
  Introductory Sociology	3 hours
  Developmental Psychology (across the lifespan)	3 hours

• Bachelors Degree prior to beginning Program
• No GRE Required 
• Minimum of 3.0/4.0 GPA
• Minimum of 40 Observation Hours
• 2 Letters of Recommendation (One letter must be completed by an occupational therapist)
• All College Transcripts 

4. Make sure your observations are in different settings or focuses 

Programs care more about the variety of OT settings you have experienced than the number hours you have obtained. For example, if you observed 200 hours, but they were all in pediatrics, it does not carry as much weight as if you observed 100 hours with a hand therapist, in an outpatient clinic, in a hospital, in a school, in a nursing home, in a pediatric clinic, etc. 

Here are some common OT settings/focuses:

• Inpatient
• Outpatient Clinic
• Pediatrics
• Geriatrics
• Home Health 
• Hand Therapy 
• Schools 
• Rehabilitation Centers
• Nursing Homes 

Programs want to know that you have thoroughly explored the field and know exactly what you are getting into. They want the students in their program to start and FINISH. Not start, realize it's not what they really wanted or expected and then DROP OUT!

5. Notify your recommenders WELL in advance AND have a back-up!

Be sure to notify your recommenders at least a month before you plan on submitting your application. Not a month before the application deadline, but when you are actually going to submit your application (the sooner the better). 

Also, be aware that although some programs have forms available for recommenders to fill out on your behalf and then fax, mail, or email in, at the time of your application, many actually send an online form to your recommenders for them to fill out electronically. That was an issue I ran into. My recommenders went through all the trouble of trying to use PDF programs to enter in their letter and/or check boxes and then when I started my application and filled out my recommenders' information lo and behold...the programs sent them an electronic version. *side eye*. 

My recommendation would be to tell your recommenders to just know what boxes they would check and then to type up the recommendation letter in a word document. That way if your program does send them an electronic version they can simply copy and paste and then choose their selections. If the program does not send them an electronic version then they can go through the hassle of trying to type or do whatever to the PDF document, which can be frustrating. 

Also, have a back-up! Some people are natural procrastinators and will never get your recommendation letter filled out. If they do not want to act right, even after consistently reminding them, it's best to have a back up person you can ask. 

6. Start your application as soon as it opens

Some programs' application process can be quite long and unfortunately you won't know until you get that baby started up. You want to get started on the steps ASAP because they may take awhile...and then dun dun dun you may have an essay question or two to write and that's going to take you more than a while!

7. Have several people and/or professionals review and revise your essay

I'm sure you are a great writer, but trust me when I say that you are going to want a second, third, even fourth opinion. The more people that review, revise, and make suggestions on your essay(s) -- the better! 

When I finished my essays I had three different people critique it. I asked my professor, I went to the campus career center, and I went to the writing center last for final touches. Professors have had to write admission essays themselves, campus career centers are exposed to admission essays all the time, and writing centers are filled with people who eat, breathe, and sleep grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and essays. 

8. Get your transcripts and/or test scores (if required) sent ASAP!

For many programs processing transcripts and test scores can take several weeks. Thus, it's best to get those bad boys sent and out of the way as soon as you can. 

9. Submit your application well before the deadline

The sooner you submit, the better your chances! However, with that being said do NOT rush through the application process because that's just as bad! Instead, start early and work consistently on it!

10. Take a deep breath

Up until this point you have done absolutely everything you possibly could to prepare yourself for admission into the MOT programs of your choice. Trust in your effort and take a DEEP breath!

11. Trust that you will get at least one interview and start preparing

Preparing for interviews can be quite difficult, but the best advice I can give you is to NOT over prepare. You do not want to go into the interview sounding like a robot. Your answers should sound natural.

Starting Points: (you may be asked one, some, or none of these questions, but they are good questions to know the answers to and/or will help you answer others)

Note: PLEASE don't just rely on these questions! This is to just get you started and thinking! 

What is OT in your own words? 
What experiences have you had that really brought to light for you what OT truly means?
What is the difference between OT and PT?
Why do you want to be an OT? Are you sure?
Why are you interested in Program A, B, C, D? How/why are they a good fit for you?
What have you done to prepare for program A, B, C, D?
Your strengths, weaknesses?
What have you learned from your observation experiences?
Recall a time that you have been critiqued. How did you take it?
How well would you say you work with others? Give an example. 
What are current issues that are currently affecting Occupational Therapy as a field?
What questions do you have for program A, B, C, D? (think of at least 3 & then alternatives)

Also, do not think you have to immediately respond to a question. Take a couple of seconds (I'm talking 2-3 seconds, don't get carried way lol) to organize your thoughts and then speak. I typically like to repeat the question quietly to myself so they know I am thinking and not just zoned out lol. I don't know whether they appreciate it or not, i'm just telling you what I do :) Also, show a little personality, but don't scare them!! ha

Email: OTeaTimeBlog@gmail.com

Tags: Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapy Student, OT Blog, OT Student Blog, Blog, OTS Blog, MOT blog, MOT student, MOT student Blog, OT Student Tips

Note Taking during Observation & Bridge Burning!

If you are anything like me, if you don't write it down, the chances of you remembering something important later is reallllyy low and the more time that passes, the more that little chance you had just windles away!

When I first started observing OT's, I would never take notes. Not sure why, just wouldn't -- but apparently I wasn't the only one. I would just sit there and watch or help if I was allowed. About 40 hours of observation, at that time, stored somewhere in my brain...so I thought. About 8 months passed and I could recall things I observed here and there, but my memory, especially with specific details, was ridiculously poor. 

It wasn't until my next observation site that one of the hand therapists I observed suggested that we (myself and the other volunteer) take notes, write what we learned, and anything else we found interesting. Duhhh...what was I thinking!! Did I seriously think I could just sit there and watch hours and hours of therapy sessions and remember all the important information I needed to? Psshhtt...see the way my brain is set up. lol ;) 

That evening I went to Wal-Mart and picked up myself a notebook. That next session best believe I had my pen and paper ready. 

Now, the therapist's recommendation was to type up your notes afterwards so that if you are asked during the interview what you learned or something related, you can be like BAM RIGHT THERE! Lol I had every intention of typing up my notes, but I let it get away from me and I  took a lot of notes ...A LOT, but for the notes I did type up here's an example of what I did (picture to the right). 

Tip #1: The most important thing to remember is to NEVER write down the patients' name in your notes. If you were to ever lose that notebook, that is a serious breech of confidentialty. If they were a hard patient for me to remember I would come up with little nicknames for them and write it small in the margin. For example, I named one patient "G," and that was because every time I saw him he always had on a green shirt! Simple things like that. In other cases I would just right down the "condition" or reason they were in therapy and was able to remember from that. 

Tip #2: Highlight some of the specific things you learned, different therapy tools used that are new to you (therapy putty, ultrasound, fluidotherapy, splints, therapy ball, ect.) and what they are used for -- helps for easy location.

Tip #3: If you witness something a therapist does that you think it absolutely wrong, but not ethnically wrong nor puts the patient in danger, it's best to just keep quiet -- don't even facially show disapproval. Write down that you as a practitioner would never do it and just move on. I learned that the hard way. At one of the facilities I observed at, there was something one of the therapists said to her patient, a young boy, and I was absolutely shocked by her response to the boy. I was just like, "Woowww reallyyy!?" (in my head, of course) but I think my face showed how I was feeling all to well. My experience with that therapist turned bad from there. I had issues with her from day one, but from there it was just bad, bad, bad. Let's just say I burned that bridge and you know people talk, so I probably burned a couple more :/. DON'T DO THAT! LEARN FROM MY LESSON! 

Tip #4: If a therapist gives you constructive criticism. Do not take it to heart. Just listen to what is said, write it down if you feel so inclined, and just use it to better yourself or performance. Don't attach yourself to it. It will eat you up inside!

Tip #5: Ask questions! However, remember timing is EVERYTHING. Some therapists don't mind if you ask questions during the session (typically with older patients), but others uh, uh, don't even try it (typically with younger patients). Most therapists would rather you just ask your questions in between patients...and honestly some...not at all lol.  The best thing to do is ask the therapist if it is okay to ask them questions throughout your observation and if so, when is the best time.

Tip #6: Every site you observe at might not be appropriate to take notes at. For example, at another site I observed at we moved around a lot and I would have to grab supplies for her, and help her with this and that. A notebook in that type of situation just gets in the way and is super inconvenient. My suggestion is to just REALLY pay attention and as soon as your observation is up quickly type up everything you remember (on something like your phone). You can also consider using something like a small memo pad that you can quickly stuff in your scrub pocket or pocket of whatever you are wearing! That may be easier for you. 

Tip #7: Read over your notes from time to time so you can keep the important things fresh! It's also good just to reflect. Plus, you may be asked to give examples of "such and such" from your observations during your interview.

Tip of the Blog: No matter what happens during your observations – good, bad, ugly… NEVER let it discourage you from striving to become an OT if that is what you really want. You may make a mistake, someone may something you don't like, but you know what? You live, you learn, and you move on! :D

Tags: Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapy Student, OT Blog, OT Student Blog, Blog, OTS Blog, MOT blog, MOT student, MOT student Blog, OT Student Tips