My 2018: Occupational Therapy and more
By: Maduka Ihalagama
Tags: Occupational Therapy, Blogger, Oxford Brookes, 2018, Year In Review

For me, 2018 has been a year of highs and lows. Two semesters, two placements (fieldwork as called in the US), and a busy summer accounted for my 365 days. Undoubtedly, this year has been the most challenging year I have had in university. Before 2019 tops that, it is an excellent time to look back at what I learned.

Placements

Two placements have been the highlight of my year. Between April and May, I worked in an inpatient rehabilitation setting for 6-weeks. Despite having to set the alarm for 5 am and a 2-hours long commute on two trains, I enjoyed my first placement. The OT team worked with older adults to assess and providing interventions to maximise independence and reduce risks to health and well-being. My favorite part of this placement was being able to work with a patient through their rehabilitation from start to finish. It was rewarding to see people regaining their skills and strengths. The amount of time dedicated to patients truly helped to develop a productive therapeutic relationship. I was upset that the 6-weeks flew by.

My second placement did not have a happy ending as the first one. When we I was given a placement in an emergency department I knew it was going to be difficult. The fast work environment did not agree with my style of working. Spending time with patients as I did in my previous placement was not possible here, which was frustrating. However, having a supportive practice educator was helpful. Upon reflecting, I can only hold myself accountable for not getting over the line. I made silly mistakes that could have easily been avoided with a touch of self-awareness. But I also understood that some difficulties I faced are unique to the setting and may not be found elsewhere.

University

The most nerve-racking experience of 2018 was the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). The build-up to it since we started classes in September 2017 was not helpful. We had to pass it to be able to go on placement, so the lot was at stake. My task was to recommend a walking aid to an actual elderly gentleman with a made up condition. There were two lectures in the corner doing the marking and timing. Although I was a bag of nerves during mine, I did enough to pass (lately this has become my motto). The best advice I can give to anybody doing an OSCE is never to do one without timing yourself beforehand.

Throughout the year I wrote several essays which were related to the OT process. Designing assessment strategies and intervention plans for real-life cases was exciting and challenging at the same time. At times it felt like a puzzle with all the edge pieces missing, so you have no idea where to start. This year I was able to get rid of my bad habit of starting an essay right away. I would typically end up going back and forth between reading and writing, killing my productivity. Instead, I read the sources and made a plan of the content before writing making sure it is relevant and checks out the marking criteria. This way, I only had to deal with the mandatory stress that comes with assignments.

Summer

I wanted to gain experience working in a clinical setting over the summer. Therefore, I was excited to hear that I have been accepted for a healthcare assistant job in a community hospital. Thinking of how I enjoyed my first placement in inpatient rehabilitation this was this was the ideal scenario. I worked nearly full time over the summer break and switched to part-time over the term. Although the job does not involve occupational therapy, working with patients is a priceless experience. Also, the money was not bad either.

Instagram

Opening an Instagram account to post about my journey through the course has been an amazing experience. I used to be sceptical about social media, especially Instagram. But listening to Gary Vaynerchuk made me realise that posting selfies is not the only use of Instagram. Through the learningot account, I was able to connect to a large community of like-minded people. It is an incredible platform for sharing knowledge and experience. The OT community on Instagram is incredibly supportive.

Looking at 2019

This year is going to be the most challenging year of my life so far. It will have a dissertation, two placements, and many job applications. However, rewards at the finish line are going to be sweet. I will be entangling myself in the following over the coming 12 months.

1. Working on my dissertation + coursework

2. Improving my performance in placements

3. Getting regular exercise

4. Applying for OT jobs

5. Reading more books

6. Being more active on Instagram and the blog

I am grateful for the growth that has taken place in all aspects of my life in 2018. I look forward to another great year with you all.

Happy New Year!!