(Pronouns: she/her)
What year did you start the program?
2021
What are your prior degrees and at which institutions?
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, The Sage Graduate School
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, Russell Sage College
What was your favorite course in the program?
My favorite course in the program was OT 887: Health Promotion, Community, and Occupation. This course was taught by Dr. Winstead and while I was taking the course, I was much less than thrilled. What makes this course my favorite course is looking back on how much I grew while taking this course. Dr. Winstead’s course design challenged me to grow and stretch skills and knowledge I had from previous courses and experiences to put the final pieces together. After successfully completing this course, I felt I had skills to better support my own professional career! While this course has become my favorite, the other two courses that round out my Top 3 Courses were the QIPE course with Dr. Jessica Asiello, again because I felt like I learned so much form the course and the Service Delivery Course with Dr. Sarah McKinnon, because it informed policy and procedures related to my work.
What was your Innovation Project title?
All Things OT Fieldwork: Utilization of Podcasting for Advocacy and Educator Support
Tell us about your Innovation Project.
This project grew out of a professional practice problem that I encounter frequently; not having enough OTPs willing to supervise Level II fieldwork students. Through my research related to this problem, I found that educators were limited by time, support from others, and environment. I developed a publicly available podcast to provide another tool in the OTP toolbelt to support fieldwork educators.
What do you think is special about the Post-Professional OTD program here at the MGH Institute?
So many things are special about the IHP but I feel like the individual support and mentorship and the program design and structure are what sets the IHP apart from other programs. Throughout the program each student has a 1:1 meeting with a faculty advisor. These meetings don’t feel like the typical advising meetings as the faculty members really care about students, their needs, and feedback. During the second half of the program, these monthly advising meetings continue but in addition, students are paired with an Innovation Project Mentor. Students are able to meet with the project mentor weekly for project support as well as general confidence boosting as we all have had days when we just need a little validation! In addition to the individual attention students receive, the program design and structure is so supportive of professionals who are working full-time. There were many times in the program where I felt I was stretched thin but never to the breaking point! I believe this is because of the thoughtful and intentional design of the program that allows students to focus on one course at a time without having competing coursework. In addition, after completing each course I had a new skill or artifact I could use within my professional work. I never felt as though I was doing an assignment for the sake of evaluating my knowledge, instead the assignment had a direct impact on my own practice.
Why did you choose to come to this program?
I chose the IHP because of the program design. I knew I had multiple competing roles and responsibilities, and I did not feel as though I could handle more than one course at a time. While this was my initial reason to complete my PP OTD at the IHP, I am so thankful for all the opportunities, encouragement, and support I found among my colleagues and faculty.
What are your goals for the future after you graduate?
My future professional goals include becoming a leader in OT education; both student and fieldwork education.