OT in UT

September 6, 2016
by Kimmy

Fieldwork School/Life Balance

For my first Level II fieldwork experience, I spent this past summer in Utah.  Since I returned home for every summer before, I was itching for an adventure! And what an adventure I got!

I decided to go out of state for fieldwork because it is uncommon to be granted an opportunity to work anywhere you want for three months. At this point in my life, I have the freedom to travel and I wanted to make the most of it. Though I had never been to Utah before, I was excited to learn about a new place and, more importantly, learn about OT in a new place!

I completed my pediatric fieldwork rotation at the University of Utah Life Skills Clinic. As an outpatient teaching clinic, the site was very receptive to students and provided me with a valuable learning environment. The mentorship from experienced occupational therapists and partnership with other fieldwork students made me feel comfortable in this unfamiliar place.

As all OTs preach, balance is a key part of any meaningful experience. So I made sure to balance my fieldwork responsibilities with recreational exploration. When I wasn’t in the clinic, I could probably be found on a mountain. In addition to hiking every weekend, I went tubing down the Provo River, rode in a hot air balloon over Park City, and was captivated by national parks of Southern Utah.

Based on my own adventures, I would encourage everyone to consider traveling out of the area for fieldwork! I found it extremely eye-opening to learn about OT in a different state, meet students from the OT program at a different university, and become immersed in the culture of a different place. But the best part, of course, was being able to come home to USC at the end. 😊 If you have any questions about out-of-area fieldwork, please reach out!

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