Division of Health Sciences
Occupational Therapy was my first choice as I wanted to study a
profession that helped others through a caring and personal approach.
Although I considered other health professions Occupational Therapy will
allow me to spend client contact time enabling them to achieve their own
goals and finding out what they enjoy. Often doctors, nurses and other
health professionals do not get this luxury, which is why Occupational
Therapy can be so helpful to clients. My one Occupational Therapy degree
will qualify me to work in a wide range of areas meaning that I can have
a varied and flexible career both in Australia and overseas.
I have made a lot of new friends in my course. Both the staff and
students at UniSA are a very caring and friendly group, which makes
coming to uni worthwhile rather than something to dread! Occupational
Therapy teaching staff are all very caring and understanding – it is
after all part of their profession! As it is a relatively small program
they are approachable and often remember your face or name, which never
happens in a much larger course.
The work experience I have completed so far has been valuable for me to
help determine what fields I would enjoy working in. I was able to see
how Occupational Therapists work in a variety of settings with a range
of client groups and with other health professionals. At field practice
you have first hand experience of what works in the ‘real world’ which
we often don’t consider in the classroom where best practice is
discussed. I have learnt about applying treatment plans for individuals
and a lot about communication skills.
I plan to work and travel after finishing my degree. I would like to
work overseas and experience different approaches. I have also
considered the option of doing some placement overseas before I finish
my degree.
Allied Health and Occupational Therapy are fast developing fields with
new information constantly available. I believe that developing research
skills is an important part of becoming a leader so that you can stay
updated with new information. Flexibility and good communication skills
is also important to work with a range of clients and health
professionals from different backgrounds and with different skills.
Download this article - JPEG 298kb (right click on the link to 'Save Target As', save in an appropriate folder to access and insert into other documents)
