How Were You Drawn To OT? Was It Fate?

What was the moment when you first heard about occupational therapy? Did you always know that OT was the career for you, or did you determine this late in your college years? Once I noticed the little trail of breadcrumbs leading the way, the decision to become an occupational therapist was easy for me.

The choice was part of a whole process of little events. I had not obtained a four-year degree right out of high school. The decision I made was to go right to work. I did study off and on with some college courses and a certificate course, but never really found what I truly loved. This state of affairs never felt comfortable to me, and I always wished that I had gone to college.

When I returned to school in my early thirties, I really wanted to do something in the medical field. That was my defining factor! I had dabbled in being a chair side assistant for a dentist, but when the time felt right to go back to school, I didn't want to be a dental hygienist.  Actually, the only thing that I knew was that I wanted to get a degree and I wanted to work closely with people in some sort of medical aspect of their lives. This began a series of events that would lead me to occupational therapy.

Not knowing much about the many different types of careers one could have, I considered the fields of nursing and medical technology. Those careers were not foreign to me, so I started taking the classes that would prepare me for either one. I did know that there was a field of study called physical therapy, because my dear friend in high school became a physical therapist.

I added physical therapy to my list of possible choices.

The community college that I attended had recruiters from different four-year colleges visit to attract transfer students and as I studied the catalogues I noticed the field of occupational therapy. The next step in my journey was attending a career day event where an occupational therapist was on hand to discuss the profession and her experiences.

As I listened with focused attention, I was coming close to being sold!

My next step was to follow this occupational therapist throughout her workday. She was a homecare therapist; I was able to see firsthand how much she was able to help her patients and how important it was for them to rehabilitate in their home. No two patients were alike, and I saw varied ways that OT was a vital link in a patient's life.

By the end of that day I knew I had to look seriously at this profession. I also did some volunteering in Doylestown Hospital's Department of Occupational Therapy. This experience pushed me over the edge in regards to making an educated decision!

I was glad that I had all the appropriate courses completed in order to move forward with my studies! I also visited an open house at the college where I was interested in transferring. I took the plunge and applied to Thomas Jefferson University College of Health Professions and the rest is history for me. Little did I know that the area of study called occupational therapy could afford me so many varied experiences in my work! It also allowed me flexibility, with my choice of initially working part time, and I have never regretted this choice of health career.

Many people go into areas of study for different reasons. At the risk of sounding corny, I felt truly guided in my choice. I would love to hear from you as to what it was initially that led you to occupational therapy and then what was the defining factor that "clinched the deal" for you! 

Was it fate?