Putting it into Practice: OT Student Blog : COTA

Changes

Jennifer Preston — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:25:00 GMT

So many changes in my life over the past few months. I went from an unemployed new graduate to a certified, licensed profession with two jobs! Last week I had my first assignment with the staffing agency. I spent a week in a very nice SNF. The problem...(read more)

Employed

Jennifer Preston — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:41:00 GMT

Here I am, an employed woman. It is a great feeling. I have not started work yet, as I am in the process of doing all the pre-employment screenings, but I may start as soon as next Tuesday. I decided to accept a position with a staffing/recruiting facility....(read more)

Defending COTAs

Jennifer Preston — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:39:00 GMT

My job hunt has been very enlightening thus far. I feel I have spent more time defending COTAs than actually interviewing. I have done this on three separate occasions now. In the first instance, I was called regarding my resume, but was informed that...(read more)

I am a COTA!

Jennifer Preston — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:49:00 GMT

I passed the exam! I am now officially a COTA! I can't believe it's finally done, that was the last hurdle I had to jump and now I can officially be on my way to my new career. It's such an awesome feeling to know that there will be no more lectures,...(read more)

The Exam

Jennifer Preston — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:52:00 GMT

Today I took the NBCOT certification exam. Wow. That was not fun. I have studied diligently for the past 2 months and I do not if I will pass. It is just one of those exams that you do not walk away from feeling great about your performance. I say this...(read more)

Surprises

Jennifer Preston — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 20:48:00 GMT

Last week was full of surprises. It started out Sunday morning with me receiving my ATT letter. On Sunday morning. That was quite a surprise! So I promptly reviewed my information and scheduled my certification exam for February 28th. On the one hand,...(read more)

Inspiration

Jennifer Preston — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:24:00 GMT

“‎I’m an occupational therapist, an obscure profession if there ever was one. We are few and far between, maybe because we have chosen to serve people with disabilities. All disabilities. Not a glamorous endeavour, nor a lucrative one. And I say serve...(read more)

My Final Placement

Jennifer Preston — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:43:00 GMT

What a crazy week! I started my final fieldwork placement in an acute care setting at a major hospital. Talk about culture shock. It is a whole different world there and I am scrambling to learn what I need to survive the next 7 weeks. Everyone keeps...(read more)

Preparing for the Exam

Courtney Crone — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:34:00 GMT

Well I am finally done with fieldwork, have applied for my temporary license and have started preparing for the NBCOT exam. Where I live I must be certified in order to continue working so it is a mandatory process for me. I am nervous for the exam, we...(read more)

Feeling Like a Therapist!

Jennifer Preston — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:31:00 GMT

This week I finally started feeling like a therapist. I have been taking the lead in most of the sessions and have even been left alone to run a few sessions on my own. I have come up with the majority of the interventions and am currently writing all...(read more)

Wrap Up

Courtney Crone — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:06:00 GMT

As I and the group of students I am with finish up our fieldwork we as a group are having difficulty saying goodbye. It is difficult first because we are all leaving on different days and second because we all have our own ways we think we should say...(read more)

Preparing for Level 2

Jennifer Preston — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:32:00 GMT

I will be starting my level 2 fieldwork placement in 16 days. How has this happened so soon? I have been placed in a center that works with children with developmental disabilities. I am excited for this placement for several reasons. First of all, I...(read more)

Time is flying by

Courtney Crone — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 23:07:00 GMT

As I write this post I realize I never posted last week with the craziness that is my life it doesn't seem like a week has already gone by. I finished my first level two fieldwork and have two more weeks off before my second (and final) level two. I am...(read more)

Researching Carpal Tunnel

Courtney Crone — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:44:00 GMT

As I prepare my presentation for fieldwork I am finding some surprising results. I have never read the research on Carpal Tunnel I always assumed the OTR who was supervising me had read the research. As I go through it all the main conclusion I have is,...(read more)

Graduation

Courtney Crone — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:00:00 GMT

As graduation approaches this weekend I have become nostalgic looking back at the time I spent in school. While this ceremony is somewhat arbitrary because I still have 6 weeks in this clinical and a second 12 week clinical to complete before I am officially...(read more)