Occupational therapy - does it matter which uni?

[crazycrofter]

Dd is looking at doing occupational therapy. Obviously it’s a vocational course, so I’m assuming the usual provisos about going for the best/RG uni you can get into don’t apply?

She’s at a grammar school where there’s a lot of focus on RG etc and she’s likely to be predicted 2xAs and 1 A*. She’s a little swayed by the RG snobbery, but that would leave only Southampton and Liverpool as options (Cardiff is probably out due to funding issues). She would really like to look at Plymouth and Oxford Brookes too. Should she just forget the academic league tables as they’re irrelevant?

Yeah York is a fab city however small and so might have to travel further for placements.

Leeds and Bradford have a bit of competition for placements but the metropolitan area has a huge range of options.

Will she have access to a car? It makes placement so much easier.

I’m hoping she’ll have passed her test (she’s not yet 17) although if she’s anything like me (2 years and 4 tests!) maybe not. As she’d be getting the NHS bursary, we’ve said we could help with a car.

DD2 just been to Plymouth for a day visit. City, not university. I didn’t know she was going! Said it’s a shithole. So I stand my ground that there are much nicer places to spend 3 years.

Poor Plymouth! Don’t worry, I won’t be forcing Dd to go anywhere she thinks is a shithole. She has grown up in Birmingham though so maybe she has different criteria

We’re going to try and do a grand tour. It’s a shame they’re all in different directions!

@crazycrofter

That doesn’t sound good. Where did you train?

She seems to be warming to the idea of Liverpool as one of her friends is considering it for a different subject! But If her ultimate aim is to work in mental health, perhaps she won’t need the anatomy ?

She wants to do mental health now, but That may well change once she gets started. The aim of the undergrad should be give her the best foundation and basis in anatomy and physiology. I think the PBL v traditional lecture model distinction is a very important one. Does she want a ‘teach it yourself’ approach or chalk and talk lectures? Also worth bearing in mind lots of OTs go on to do medicine as a postgrad. I wouldn’t be encouraging her to set her sights on a particular specialism from the outset.