Advice by Daisy Alvarado, OTD-S:

Any career requires a specific level of investment to be successful. When it comes to entering OT school, you are about to make one of the greatest investments of money, time, and energy in pursuit of a fulfilling career that you hope will positively impact your life and that of your clients. My advice to those in the incoming cohorts is to view these next few years as an investment that will generate value in the future – a good grade, knowledge, a fulfilling career, the ability to help a client, and countless more.  

When it comes to money, there is no doubt that OT school comes with a significant price tag and upfront financial investments often with loans. On top of loans, there is an investment in the supplies you will need for your specific program. It is important to invest money wisely. I say this with caution. Spend money responsibly but do not allow it to hinder your learning experience. Some money matters make sense, such as renting a book for a lower price than buying or splitting costs with classmates for items you can share. Money spent on memberships to organizations (such as FOTA or AOTA), equipment for personal practice in class/fieldwork, workshops, or a book in your topic of interest is valuable. Consider these investments in knowledge, in your ability to help a client in the future, and in building the career you want.  

Time is also a significant investment in OT school. You will not only dedicate time to attending classes and completing assignments but also to studying content, practicing skills, and engaging with the OT community. Here is when it is important to learn how to use the time to your advantage. Find the time of day that works best for you. Avoid wasting time on distractions and wasting time re-focusing after getting distracted. There are only 24 hours in a day and it can be easy to fill up the hours with other commitments and leave the remaining hours to “becoming an OT.” The key is you will not only be an OT in class or the clinic or the hospital. You will be an OT 24 hours a day; use those hours to practice your skills and gain an occupational perspective. Analyze the skills you and others use in your daily tasks at work, observe the roles and routines others fill in your community, or brainstorm intervention ideas as you walk down the store aisles. Practice what you learn!

The third major investment you will make in OT school is energy. You will get tired! First, when energy is lacking, take some time to recharge and meet your needs. Second, find something that makes you excited about being an OT and use it to fuel your energy. In the few years of OT school, there is no wasted energy. Every assignment, exam, quiz, lecture, etc. serves a purpose even when we do not see it at the moment. Every member of each cohort has different ideas and areas that energize them, and we each bring energy to different areas of the profession. OT school is your opportunity to explore the field, grow, and find yourself. Use this opportunity and the possibility of what could be as energy to fuel the next few years. 

Advice by Deborah Kofsky, OTD-S:

Congratulations, you have made it! Trust the process. Your cohort is your team, the faculty are your coaches, and the best way forward is together. A community of learning is fostered through the open sharing of knowledge; there is no need to compete with your classmates. Seek support from each other as well as from students at later stages of your program. Remember that the content you are learning now is the foundation for your life’s work, so take it seriously and take your time. You are learning a new language, and it will take time and countless hours of practice to become fluent. You are not expected to have all the answers, you are here to learn. While you may use grades as one measure of your learning in subjects, grades are not the point. The reason you are here is to become an effective occupational therapist. Some classes may spark your interest more than others, but each of them builds the foundation for you to become a well-rounded clinician. Seize every opportunity to learn and welcome constructive feedback from your professors – they are there to guide your success. Finally, do not forget to allow yourself time for all your meaningful occupations during this journey!

 Advice by Leah Knight, OTD-S: 

One thing I wish I would have known when starting OT school is what  “occupational balance” is and how important it is. Occupational balance is pretty much what it sounds like - balancing all the things that you need to do or want to do, especially the ones that are most meaningful to you. Now this is easier said than done… Between assignments, readings, quizzes, lectures, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, having some sort of a social life, sleeping occasionally… the list goes on and on; life can get pretty crazy. That’s okay. It’s normal - welcome to grad school! What is most important is understanding that you don’t have to have it all together all the time. You just need to learn how to find the right balance. 

Newsflash - all your professors care about is that you are trying your best. They’ve been in your shoes. They know that on some days, your best is being 100% prepared for class with all the readings done, lectures watched, and notes ready to go. But other days, your best might be 75% or 50% or even 20%, and that's OKAY! Some days you might need to prioritize going for a run over reading an article or spending time meal prepping listening to your favorite songs instead of listening to your lectures. The key to surviving grad school is learning to look at your “need to do’s” and “want to do’s” and deciding what you can handle in that moment - finding that occupational balance. Learning how to do this will help keep you from burning out and keep you on track to becoming the best OT you can be. It seems overwhelming now, but I promise you will figure it out. You’re a future OT, helping people achieve occupational balance is what we do! 

Best of luck! I can’t wait to see how you’ll succeed!

Hello everyone! My name is Leah Knight and I am a first-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student at the University of Florida. I am a #TripleGator and have previously graduated from UF with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and a Master’s degree in Health Education and Behavior. I chose OT specifically as it combines my love of caring for others with the ability to educate along the way. My area of interest within OT is pediatrics, specifically pediatric early intervention and school-based therapy. Occupations I love getting to engage in during my time outside of school and work include anything that has to do with being on the water (scuba diving, fishing, snorkeling... you name it!) and listening to podcasts/reading books about true crime. I hope to be able to continue to learn and grow so that I am prepared to work in a career where I can impact the lives of those around me with absolutely no limits!

Deborah Kofsky, OTD-S, Guest Writer