Why I Chose OT

September 30, 2010
by Austen

What are OS/OT?

My 24-year-old friend Garrett was deployed to Iraq in January 2007 with the United States Marine Corps. Scheduled to come home that August after four tours, his trip was cut short when he stepped on a land mine that immediately detonated. Garrett landed in a ditch and lost his left leg, a sheer miracle that he survived. Due to the severity of his injury, he underwent multiple invasive surgeries, each cutting his left leg shorter and leaving only half of his thigh. After just months of occupational and physical therapy, Garrett recovered incredibly. Today, he uses a prosthetic leg to walk, snowboard, and ride his motorcycle. His therapists helped him maximize his skills and abilities in order to continue to live a satisfying and meaningful life. Watching Garrett’s recovery, hearing his stories, and seeing how gratifying his life is despite his condition inspired me to want to help others on the arduous journey to recovery and progress.

I quickly became interested in health care when I experienced the physical pain and emotional burden of injury. As a gymnast for 9 years, I suffered two severe knee injuries that unfortunately ended my gymnastics career too soon. I had surgery on both my right and left knees, and went through extensive physical therapy to recover. I relied on my physical therapist Leo to help me strengthen my muscles and joints, and learn how to use my environment to regain normal functioning. We established a trusting relationship, and he quickly became my mentor. After going through therapy, shadowing Leo, and volunteering as an office assistant at his physical therapy clinic, I experienced both sides of the patient-therapist interaction. I fell in love with it. It excited me to see how therapists build relationships with clients, make new friends, and learn from everyone they meet, while positively impacting someone else’s life.

I followed this initial fascination with therapy and interned at Therapy Solutions for Kids, a pediatric clinic in Portland, Oregon offering occupational, physical, and speech therapy services for children. As I shadowed an occupational therapist for three months, I caught a glimpse of what the profession entails and realized occupational therapy is more for me with its deeper psychological aspects. It touched my heart to see the young patients eager to “play” with their therapist for an hour, proving the positive influence occupational therapists impart on others. The children and parents usually left with a sigh of relief, knowing they made progress that day. I was able to see myself in the occupational therapist role, working with children and making therapy sessions entertaining, beneficial, and effective for each patient. Witnessing the difference occupational therapists made each day in the lives of children with autism, sensory-motor processing issues, or developmental delays inspired me. Later learning that occupational therapists have the freedom to work in hospitals, schools, long-term care, rehabilitation centers, or private practice with different kinds of people including children, stroke victims, elderly, and the mentally ill solidified my desire to be an occupational therapist.

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