Earlier this year, I was very fortunate to be accepted into the occupational therapy program at the University of Utah. If you are not exactly sure what it is........google it. Nah, I'll define it......occupational therapy is the therapeutic use of work, self-care, and play activities to increase development and prevent disability and to achieve maximum independence (AOTA). So basically OTs help patients function to the best of their abilities while focusing on everything what we as people do everyday which involve fine motor skills (writing your name, buttoning your shirt buttons), gross motor skills (reaching above your head or throwing a baseball), strengthening and stretching of muscles, life skills, activities of daily living, and the list goes on. I heard a really neat story this week actually how an OT was treating a young man (21 years old I think) after a traumatic brain energy. After relearning many different skills such as walking and problem solving, the OT took the patient out to relearn more skills such as shopping and interacting with others in the community, and the two of them went to go purchase a guitar, setting a new goal to relearn songs he knew before his injury. How sweet is that! The patient said that was one of the greatest days of rehab and it meant so much to him. (Aww!) So OTs actually work in MANY different settings such as school systems, in patient and out patient clinics, hospitals (ICU or even NICU are examples), home health, mental health clinics, assisted living homes, and more. Specifically, for me and as of now, I would LOVE to work in neurological rehab with pediatrics in a hospital setting. In this type of area I would work with children aging from newborn to about 23 years old who have neurological problems, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, diseases such as polio, seizure disorders, muscular dystrophy, and much much more, but we will see if that's where my heart is at the end of the program and if I can even get a job in that area!
SO....as I was saying, the OT program at the U of U is what brought me to Sale Lake City. I do have to say that Salt Lake has been growing on me. Compared to Rexburg, there always is something going on or there's always something to do and that weekend events don't require much creativity nor thought, but then again....I think that's why I have such great memories of Rexburg! Though, if I had to pick one thing I loved most about SLC (besides the Temple and Temple Square) are the Wasatch Mountains. I have absolutely loved the close proximity to the mountain range and they are always beautiful! So that is a plus about the location. And one more thing to add, I am proud to say that I finally have the I-15, 215, I-80 down to a science. My friend visited this weekend and was very impressed with my sweet navigating skills and driving capabilities in busy traffic (again, as compared to Rexburg.....I did live there for FIVE years). But I think living and going to school in Salt Lake will be another learning and growing experience for me, just as BYU-Idaho was but in a completely different way. Already, I have been stretched in ways I never thought possible (cadaver labs!!!), but really, that's how we learn and develop mentally, physically, and spiritually. I absolutely love my class, everyone is so great, so fun and very helpful! So I am excited for this year and the next two, for I am finally starting on the journey of becoming an OT!!!!
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