Relevant Experience for an Occupational Therapy Degree

[Payne1234]

(Outside of shadowing an OT,) What other kinds of voluntary work would be considered relevant/appropriate when applying for a place at uni?

I have contacted the admissions (twice) about this but they have not replied

TIA

Payne

[Meglet]

My sister does OT but I have a rough idea what she's done. Since she went to Uni she has done the following work / work experience..

Nursing, drug & alcohol rehab, working in high security prison (she was cooking with the prisoners), psychiatric (sp?) ward.

[Payne1234]

Thanks Meglet. Those would work equally well for Mental Health too...

[Payne1234]

Bumping before bedtime...

Anyone want to add

[meriden]

I would have thought anything involving working with patients would be good. Not an OT but have worked in hospital settings. Seem to remember a significant part of OT work was assessing elderly patients for return home, so just getting used to a care setting and chatting to patients might be helpful. Care work doesn't usually require any former qualifications and jobs can be evenings, weekends, day or ad hoc (bank).

[meriden]

Sorry - just realised you said voluntary work. How about helping the activities coordinator in a nursing home? They sometimes do some ot type things.

[ohanotherone]

Hi, I am a Senior OT.

Working with people with disabilities of all ages would be good experience. This could be with children or adults with either mental health problems or physical problems or learning disabilities or difficulties. I think the important thing from a Uni persepective is that you could demonstrate that you have experience working with people who have difficulty coping with everyday skills, self care, mobility, domestic activties, community or work/school situations. In your application say what you learnt during your voluntary work.

[ohanotherone]

Meriden's idea is great, you would learn lots about the difficulties that elderly people have!

[Payne1234]

Have just logged in tonight.

Thanks for the additional replies meriden and ohanotherone, much food for thought...

(Until very recently I was a full time carer for an elderly relative, who required help in all the aspects you mentioned ohanotherone, perhaps I will write some of my experiences down as part of my supporting statement)

Payne

[ohanotherone]

Good Luck Payne, it's a brilliant job, hard work but really rewarding XXXX