Do I have the right personality to be an OT?

I have to tell you guys, my favorite questions from blog readers are in regards to things like anxiety, personality, etc. Personal issues. When prospective students ask me things like what is the difference between PT and OT I get a little frustrated because it can be found out through exploration. But when someone writes me and tells me their fears/worries/concerns about being an OT, it really means a lot to me. I was scared too. I have all sorts of anxiety issues and it’s definitely been a challenge for me, but I love what I do. I just need a lot of downtime to make up for the psuedo extroversion…lol.

Question received form a prospective student:

My first question has more to do with the type of personalities that work well with OT. I would like to start off and say that I recently discovered the profession of OT — I am embarrassed to admit I did not know it existed before. However, when I found out what being an OT entails I already got the intuitive feeling and “chill” that I knew this would be something I would love and feel passionate about on a daily basis, something I could really see myself doing for the rest of my life (as super cheesy as it sounds). I still feel that way especially since I always knew that my life goal is to help people on a more personal level. I have even had many daydreams of doing missions or volunteering abroad in developing countries, so I know that the passion for being an OT and helping patients is there. However, I have a little bit more of a shy personality, it is not too bad — I am just more of an observer in the beginning of new situations until I feel comfortable (takes several days, nothing too drastic). I know this is probably a silly question but I also know how extroverted people excel easily and more quickly in patient related occupations as opposed to introverts like me. Do you think there is a “typical” OT personality that mainly includes more extroverted people?

Okay, now on to more of a normal question :-P. When it comes to OT schools and programs– does the ranking of the program really matter when it comes down to it?

My answer:

Rankings wise, no, it doesn’t really matter as long as you have the drive and initiative to make the experience good. The school is just a vehicle, you are the one that will make it worth it. Obviously a good school high in rankings might be better than other schools, but if you don’t have time or resources to make it happen, just go to whatever school you can.

Regarding personality – I consider myself an introvert. I’m shy too, believe it or not. I do also like to have a few days to kind of figure out what’s going on before I speak up. You will definitely be challenged to be an introvert in the OT world, but it is 100% doable, you will just be out of your comfort zone at times.

Addition: (I didn’t put this in my email to her but I just reread the question and saw something I missed). There will definitely be people that tell you that there is a typical OT personality, and yes, life in a patient-centered healthcare field is certainly a little easier energy-wise if you are an extrovert, but even as an introvert you can be a wonderful OT and love your job. Just know your own strengths and weaknesses and find a job – there are so many options – that will allow your introversion. IE, perhaps don’t sign up for a job doing lots of big groups!!

Yay!!

Part of the PRO of having an OT blog is getting lovely letters from people telling me they went into OT at least partially because of my blog. I've gotten quite a few of those over the last 5 years, but sometimes I get a really extra nice one and I would like to share it. Many of you have written or commented about considering your own blog, and I think when you see letters like this from readers, it really helps in making you feel like it was all worth it. 🙂 You won't even necessarily realize it until one day when you get a message from someone who was helped by it even though they had never commented. Unfortunately it took me a long time to reply, but hopefully Mary is doing well and I would love to meet her some day! Maybe she will show up at conference in San Diego this April. 🙂 Thanks again Mary!!!!

Closed webspace…OT pencil grips…

A recent to do list for work, names/schools changed obviously

School 1 
Check in on A
See S, R, J, J, R
Get VP the blue signed copy of MAA
Get educational specialist the 5th grade copy for T

Run to school 2
Pick up DTVP-2 pieces for Me and fellow OT
See L and M if time 

Go to school 3  by noon max? idelaly 1130?
Meeting 1 to 3
Observe A!!
Pick up A's profile
Check on Educational specialist's two kids
check on M/J/ if time 

Go to school four 
Meet D's mom 830am – see email
Check on new kid, K For some typing
Check on M, D, T 
Observe B


Misc
Answer M's mom
Answer A's mom
Update Excel with new minutes/times/kids******
Update Excel logs
Update red binders
Check on emails
Grade B's DTVP-2, and copy one example of each subtest from the book. ** Give DTVP-2 to fellow OT .
Prep DEM for Monday.
Copy HWT stuff + other resources
Finish up paperwork/filing!

Tweezers and ice cube trays in OT session

Tweezers and ice cube trays. Good for hand strengthening, especially the muscles used in handwriting…

Connect Four, travel size

I swear I posted this picture before but couldn’t find it. Anyway, he needs to be trying to use his index finger instead of his middle finger. This is definitely commonly seen in OT kids! Trouble aligning their thumb and index and instead using middle.

OT Blog Blizzard

my goal was NOT to do a blog blizzard but somehow I discovered a ton of the posts I assumed went up the last few months, per schedule, did not go up??? So I published all the old ones. I have like 15 more drafts of things I need to write about that are more serious and/or more data intensive. And about 100 more to go in email box. So enjoy the ones below, I’m working hard on getting completely up to date on the blog this week. 

HandiWriter: Awesome sauce for OT

I have a child who fists his pencil – have tried so many different things – I know he has the ability based on his abilities with other utensils/items – the Handiwriter helped. The charm goes in the last two fingers, the big band goes around the wrist, and the little piece goes around the pencil. More later….

pain

losing a loved one can be so hard. People who work in healthcare fields are often with people at some of the hardest times of their lives. When my grandmother was dying, my aunt wrote this to me in an e-mail, and I really like the concept.

There is a way to look at death that I have always liked.  Imagine that there are 10 points of pain to be absorbed when someone dies.  They are split between the person dying and the loved ones left behind.  If someone dies unexpectedly, like in their sleep (how we all want to die), then the survivors take 9 points of pain because it is such a shock.  We had a patient once with metastatic disease.  She defied the odds for 11 years.  In that case, the “dying” person took 9 points of pain.  Her death was not unexpected and many thought it was a blessing.  It's easier to take some of the points of pain if you have the idea that you are saving your loved one from taking them.

Blogging

So I got down to ZERO new emails out of 290 old mails, those old mails being abut 95% blog related in some form ie emails from blog readers, comments, things I need (ok, want) to blog about, etc. I started today with about 340 new out of 1,200, so that's a pretty big achievement for the day.