Occupational Therapy Career Essay

I have struggled for years attempting to decipher what I should pursue as a career. However, when considering top priorities in terms of a career, helping others and variety are the most important to me. Occupational therapy definitely fits those parameters, and through my shadowing experiences, I feel confident that this is what I am meant to do. I admire that occupational therapists care for a wide range of patients across the lifespan, with each patient offering a unique perspective and a chance to learn something new. I also appreciate the flexibility of this field in regard to the broad definition of “occupation” and the variety of settings that occupational therapists can be seen working in. I received a promotional email from Lenior-Rhyne

Staffed in a children’s emergency room in an urban setting, you can imagine the diverse range of patients I see, as well as the diverse concerns and medical history of each patient. I have worked with patients of many different ethnicities, and this can present challenges of language barriers and different cultural beliefs and reactions to treatment plans. PCT’s are the first clinical staff members that interact with families, and these initial interactions can set the tone of their visit. It’s imperative that I remain unbiased and sympathetic, as I will never know the full extent of their personal lives, and I could be seeing these patients and families on one of their worst days. Furthermore, I grew up in a fairly large city where there were different ethnicities represented in my schooling and extracurriculars. Identifying as a heterosexual, middle-class, Caucasian female, I acknowledge that I have privileges that millions of people on this Earth do not. I want to use the gifts and opportunities I have to advocate for what I believe is right, and that includes providing equal care to all patients, regardless of what sets us apart. The prospect of learning about my patients’ upbringing and beliefs inspires me, as I recognize that people who are different than me can teach me more about myself and the world. Being open and listening to the lived experiences of others fosters

If someone wasn’t familiar with the field, I would describe it as being similar to physical therapy, except more diverse - physical therapy focuses solely on movement, such as sitting up, standing, walking, etc., whereas occupational therapy focuses more on tasks, such as dressing yourself, brushing your teeth, cooking, etc. Healthcare professionals in all fields rely on evidence-based practice. The AOTA defines evidence-based practice as, “the integration of critically appraised research results with the clinical expertise, and the client’s preferences, beliefs and values.” From my understanding, this means that occupational therapists review research on different evaluation and treatment methods, and adapt that research as it applies to each patient. An example of this comes from the same vision-impaired patient I mentioned before. The occupational therapist bought different lightbulbs and installed them around the patient’s home, as they explained that vision-impaired patients can see different hues of lighting, such as white, blue, or yellow lighting, better than others; this is something she learned when she researched treatment methods for this population. Evidence-based practice is important for occupational therapists because 1) it promotes confidence that treatments will be successful, 2) it allows therapists to answer patient’s questions of, “why am I