Occupational Therapy Personal Statement Essay

One of my favourite memories growing up is of harvesting potatoes with my grandmother on our rural farm in Romania. While the rural lifestyle has taught me responsibility and work ethic, I truly grew to understand and appreciate the importance of meaningful occupation to our health and well-being following my grandmother's hip fracture. Although my grandmother's condition was poor, she was eagerly anticipating her return to the vegetable field. Unfortunately, the lack of rehabilitative services that are necessary to treat injury and disability left my grandmother confined to her bed for several months. It was troublesome watching her happiness deteriorate. Romania's limited access to appropriate care has not only deprived people of their ability to live independently, but has also restricted many hard-working individuals from continuing meaningful and productive lives in their most valued occupation – agriculture. My motivation to pursue a career in occupational therapy (OT) developed from
sympathy and concern for people at a time of vulnerability, especially those with the least access to adequate care. In addition, the knowledge, skills, and characteristics I have gained from my university education and volunteer experience have greatly contributed to my preparation for this career choice. awks paragraph incoming: When my family relocated to Canada, I was intrigued by the array of services available to those with disabilities and injury. Upon learning about OT, I realized that this profession fit the values and beliefs that I developed growing up (i.e. the importance of occupying one's time with meaningful activities). I became increasingly attracted to the profession's emphasis on enabling people to enjoy productive and satisfying lives through compassionate and holistic care. Having witnessed the consequences of occupational deprivation, I realized that I wanted to become the OT that my grandmother never had. My undergraduate education in Psychology has also sharpened my sensitivity to the diverse values, beliefs, and interests that people possess, strengthening my ability to undertake a holistic perspective.
In response to my desire to gain more knowledge about the OT profession, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer with a pediatric OT at Pathways Therapy. In particular, I assisted the OT in addressing problematic feeding behaviours in pre-school children by utilizing the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding program. Through this experience, I have learned the art of patience and compassion. To increase children’s comfort level with food, I encouraged the children to explore and learn about the different properties of food in a playful, non-stressful manner. Paying close attention to the children’s body language allowed me to identify the children’s comfort level with food, and enabled me to modify my approach to fit their individual needs and abilities.
I have also strengthened my research skills while working as a research assistant to Dr. Colin MacLeod and Dr. Tanya Jonker in the Memory, Attention and Cognition Lab. In this position, I contributed to examining the effects of memory retrieval and the mechanisms underlying human memory. This experience facilitated the development of my analytical and critical thinking skills, and has also refined my interpersonal skills. For example, I have learned how to effectively interact with participants in an ethical, informative, and caring manner, while maintaining confidentiality. In many ways, the relationship formed with participants resembles that of the therapist-client relationship that I observed while volunteering at Pathways Therapy.
During my time at Pathways to Education, a community-based program to student support, I was challenged with reducing high-risk behaviors of at risk-youth living in low-income communities.
By actively engaging students in a variety of learning opportunities (e.g. sports, art, workshops), I supported students in establishing a personal identity and developing a healthy pattern of skills, occupations, and coping strategies in preparation for a successful future. This experience has helped me realize that occupational barriers are not only a consequence of injury and disability, but may also result from psycho-social, community and environmental influences. In this position, I have also assumed a compassionate role by empowering students to effectively cope with many of the struggles that emerge in the early adolescent years. Working with youth from varied backgrounds has also strengthened my confidence in my ability to meet the diverse needs of a growing and diverse
society.
Long before learning about the OT profession, I had developed an appreciation for meaningful and productive occupation. My grandmother's experience provided me with a deeper appreciation and understanding for the need and role of occupational therapists.
My volunteer, academic, and professional experiences have given me several perspectives into the roles that OTs can posses in enabling occupation, and have affirmed my desire to pursue a degree in OT. The skills acquired through an OT education would allow me to turn my passion for promoting health and wellbeing into a career that meaningfully impacts the lives of others.