K is for… Knowledge!
Continuing with Occupational Therapy month and the theme of #abcsofOT… today’s letter is K, and K stands for Knowledge. Just the other day, I was talking to a PT/DOR friend of mine who has been practicing for nearly 30 years. She has such a wealth of knowledge and experience, and she said that she still has moments when she thinks, “Why are they asking me?” The truth is that we have a wide body of knowledge, and yet sometimes we forget that it’s there between our ears. So, in the spirit of spreading knowledge, here are some things that I know for sure:
School is hard. That goes without saying. There is nothing easy about this OT education. First there are the prereqs: anatomy, physics, psych — where are my intro levels at?! And it doesn’t get any easier once you’re accepted. Now you’re facing neuroanatomy, neuroscience, kinesiology, anatomy lab, and Level One clinicals. Oh, hey, you've got your undergrad degree! Congratulations! But wait, you’re not done: you have to survive your Master’s program! Level Two clinicals, here you come! And while you’re doing that, perhaps you should start studying for your boards. Just a suggestion. Yeah… It’s hard. But you can’t say that I didn’t warn you.
School is fun. If you believe me when I tell you it’s hard, then you must also believe me when I say that it’s fun. Some of your best days will be spent in your occupational therapy program. Two of my very favorite OT school memories were spent in my Peds labs: Baby Day (so many cuties!) and Sensory Day (swings and shaving cream and stretchy suits!). Any day we had anatomy lab was a favorite, and guest speakers were always great. Having fun while learning — isn’t that what we all want school to be?
This education is life changing. It will change your life in ways that are obvious and ways that are not so obvious. Clearly you’re getting your degree, setting the course for the rest of your life. But it’s also leading you to very specific career paths. Are you going to work with adults or kids? In a hospital, a school, or a clinic? Inpatient, outpatient, or in schools? It also forces you to confront realities that most humans will never have to. Working in medicine, we see a lot of sadness and unbelievable scenarios. Being exposed to these situations allows us to be more open minded and more compassionate humans. It also allows us to put in place plans for such situations, or at least expose us to different possibilities. It opens your mind to possibilities beyond the obvious. It’s literally our job to create opportunities where there are none currently existing. What a mind boggling opportunity, and what an enormous undertaking! You leave OT school a different person than you were when you entered.
This education will continue for the rest of your life. And not just because you have to stay on top of your continuing education credits! From this day forward, you will be surrounded by other occupational therapists who are just as curious, thoughtful, and passionate as you. You will meet other rehab therapists who are working their tails off to help your same patients return to their prior levels of function. You will meet other healthcare professionals who share your love of the industry — and will also b!tch about shared dislikes (which can be necessary at times!). These people will teach you alternative ways to address problems and concerns. They’ll show you where things are located in the hospital, online, and in stores. They will give you the gift of technical skills you never learned in school. And then there are the patients and their families who will teach you how to (and how not to) overcome obstacles, embrace help, and never, ever give up hope. But just another reminder to keep up with your CEUs because if you don’t, then you can’t be an OT anymore!
Happy OT Month! Come back next week for my post on the letter R! Until then, may your patients be patient and your caseload be easy and refusal-free!