When I first set my sights on OT I remember being very overwhelmed by all that was required before you could even apply. It was not just a matter of simply filling out an application. There were pre reqs to complete, letters of recommendation to get, an essay to write and observation / volunteer hours to complete. Most of this I knew would take some time but I was sure of how to go about it. With the observation hours however I was kinda stumped. In undergrad if we needed to shadow or get clinical practice it was set up and all we had to do was be there. I had no idea how all of these clinical experiences got set up. Plus each OT school wanted a different number of hours in a different number of settings. I can distinctly remember thinking to myself “Why can’t all the schools require the same thing?”…because that would make the application process so much less fun! I suppose you have to be willing to put in the work in the application process, because if you are not willing to put in the work during this step of the processes then why would the schools believe you would put in the effort when you are in the program?
I truly believe the OT schools want to see you take the initiative and requiring observation hours is one way they do that. I also think that the schools want to make sure you know what OT is and have observed it in numerous settings so you really get a real feel for it. This will hopefully keep you from getting part the way through the program and deciding it isn’t for you. This gives you the chance upfront to make that decision without wasting any of your time or money on something you may or may not be interested in. When you think about it, it is actually quite a good idea and I wish it was part of the training in other fields as well. So now that we have rationalized why we should complete these required hours, how is one to go about getting them?
Most schools require you to observe in multiple settings with a minimum of 20-40 hours in each setting. This differs from school to school so make sure you read the information on the school’s website. Also make sure to look and see if the schools you are applying for have a special sheet they want filled out for observation hours. If they don’t have one what I would recommend would be making one of your own. A simple time log with the dates, hours and the signature of the therapist you shadowed works well. If you are shadowing at more than one location at a time you can add location to your sheet or have two separate logs.
There are so many different locations that you can choose from to shadow. You can try anything: the hospital NICU, outpatient clinic, acute rehab, schools, retirement facilities and so much more! If you are working full time the hospitals and retirement communities are open 7 days a week, thus they may provide observation opportunities on the weekends. To find opportunities to shadow the first thing I did was a google search of occupational therapist / facilities in my state. I took this list read what each facility or person specialized in, narrowed it down to areas I was interested in / facilities that offered a wide range of specialties and then started making phone calls.
Some of the calls I placed were never answered, others were only to happy to help me. I was able to get all of my shadow time through this method at 4 different locations. I made sure that I was upfront about the minimum number of hours that I needed and most places were willing to give me as much time as I wanted. One particular place that served a wide variety of clients let me stay on way past 40 hours and I learned so much! If you like one of the places a lot you could even see if they would let you stay on as a volunteer if you have the time.
Don’t be discouraged if some places say no or if you don’t like a certain place, stick it out, get what you came there for (minimum number of hours) thank them and move on. Once you find a place and an OT to shadow, get to know them, learn anything they will teach you. Be a sponge, never turn down an opportunity to gain experience. Show interest and offer to help whenever possible. After you have been a few times if you haven’t already you might bring up the idea of writing a recommendation letter at the end of this experience. That way at this point you have gotten to know the OT and they have gotten to know you, allowing them to judge whether or not they can provide you with a good recommendation letter. If they say yes, then provide them with your resume (this will give them a snap shot of you so they can make the letter a little more personal) and you are good to go!! If they say no, trust that it is for the best and you probably wouldn’t have wanted them writing you a letter anyway. Plus you still have a few more locations to try and get letters from so do not be discouraged!
Remember to thank them for their time once you are done obtaining your hours. It is really nice if you give them a card or baking something or giving a small gift for taking the time to work with you. These are not required but are a very nice gesture. Also if you really liked the place you shadow, remember if possible keep the avenues of communication open for job prospects down the road. Then move onto the next place of observation and repeat.
Take the school that requires the most hours and go at least slightly over that number. That will give you more than enough hours for the other schools and still put you over the top for the school with the most hours. It is also helpful to keep a list or journal of things that you did / enjoyed during these observation experiences as it may help you in writing a personal statement or in an interview. These are just some things that I experienced while obtaining my observation hours that I think others may find helpful, but everyone will have different experiences with this process. I hope this helps at least a few of you find some great facilities to obtain your hours at. As always, if you have any questions feel free to ask!
One step at a Time 