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University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration

Joe

October 27, 2015
by
Joe

Getting Involved

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This past week I had a very special opportunity: the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) invited me to represent OT at their National Student Conclave (NSC) in Omaha, NE. USC Chan really emphasizes leadership & innovation in the field, so I was able to attend this 2 day conference with support from faculty & the program through a Leadership Award.

Joe at APTA's National Student Conclave

Joe at APTA’s National Student Conclave

Physical Therapy is one of our most frequent care team partners, so attending their student conclave was a unique opportunity to discuss interprofessional collaboration and get a better understanding of their profession on a national-level. I met with the leaders of the APTA Student Assembly and had meaningful conversations on how to manage our large student bodies and better develop student leaders. Funny enough, the point person for their interprofessional initiatives is a PT student from USC! My fellow Trojans did a great job at representing our school: winning the APTA Student Advocacy award, and playing an integral role in bringing together other professions to attend their National Student Conclave.

USC PT students win award

USC PT students win award

The sessions I attended were really enlightening as far as PTs’ practice concerns, and I was able to answer some questions student’s had about OT & collaboration in clinical practice. One of my favorite moments was the Town Hall with Sharon Dunn, DPT, the current President of APTA.

As the lone OT, I asked her to describe what she considered the challenges and future of interprofessional collaboration. Her response? Doing exactly what I was doing at their NSC — having collaborative conversations with each other when we weren’t in the high stakes/high stress environment of the clinic.

The lone OT asks the APTA President a question

The lone OT asks the APTA President a question

Inspired to work on more interprofessional initiatives with students from other disciplines. Stay tuned!