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Occupational Therapist Philosophy

1) Why do you want to be an occupational therapist?I want to be able to assist people to live independent, fulfilling lives. I believe everyone deserves to live

comfortably regardless of his or her diverse upbringings, and I want to be able to help them in achieving their goals.

2) What are four traits that you possess that you feel are critical for this profession and why do you see these four asthe most important?

I am genuinely interested, eager to learn, patient, and caring. These traits are critical to occupational therapyschool. Having a genuine interest in the subject allows individuals to be motivated to grasp the concepts ofoccupational therapy and practices. It also shows that the individual considers every piece of knowledge as significant

and critical to understand. Eagerness to learn is important because it shows that the individual is excited for their careeras an OT. Patience is important because it will allow the individual to remain calm if they dont understand a conceptand to seek understanding. Caring about the subjects will also be critical in getting the most out of the education thatindividuals receive at the institution.3) What are two traits that you possess that you feel might be detrimental for this profession and why do you see them

as detrimental?I travel back home often because of an ill family member. It may be detrimental to my studies but I work hard

to keep up with my studies. I tend to worry about my family member and it has interfered with my studies in the pastbut I have steadily improved with my coping. I am also very empathetic. I am able to easily take on the feelings of

another. I feel that may be detrimental for this profession at times if I let myself get too emotional or too overwhelmed.I need to be able to remain composed and strong for my patients to ensure that I am giving them the support and helpthat they need.

4) What place does conformity have in the work environment?Its important to find some common ground with classmates with respect to interests and hobbies. A sense of

camaraderie is important. I also feel that once you get out in the work field, conformity becomes important to ensurethat the clinic runs smoothly and efficiently by following all appropriate rules and protocols.5) Give me an example of work that you are proud of that you did by yourself and work that you are proud of that

you did as part of a team. Which way do you feel that you are the most effective and why?I was a mentor for freshman at The University of Texas at Austin. I was very proud of this work because I was

able to help new students at the university adjust to the college lifestyle. I prepared every week for the seminar that Iwould present at. I fostered a tightknit group among the new students, and they were able to learn more about

themselves and the university through it. I am proud of work that I did as a team when I worked on a research projectat UT. I couldnt have been successful without the help from others. I was the project coordinator and it was critical foreveryone to cooperate and work together. I communicated effectively with the other members of the research team andestablished a feeling of trust and authority for them. I feel I am most effective when I work alone. I am able to pushmyself to be the most creative and innovative that I can be. I am also better able to concentrate and get more workdone in a shorter amount of time.

6) If the organization were to divide everyone into three categories: superstars, hard workers, or out-of the boxthinkers, which one are you? Why and why do you think these skills are important in this profession?

I would be in the hard workers category. When I am given a task, I give it my all. It is important to give thework that you care about your best. I am constantly looking at ways that I can improve my work and ways that I can

better assist others.

7) Tell me about a time that you set your sights to high and a time you set them too low. What did you learn fromthese experiences?

My junior year of college I took on the volunteer coordinator officer position at a student organization at UT. Iwas able to manage the role successfully but it was very time consuming and stressful with all the other activities I had

going on including ballet, school, and boxing. I felt overwhelmed, stressed, and as a result my grades suffered. A timeI had set them too low was when I took easier classes at UT while completing my practicum. I thought the practicumwould be more time consuming than it actually was and the academic semester was not as challenging. I could have

taken more classes or challenged myself in other ways. I learned that I am still learning about and adjusting my worklimits. I am still learning about how much work is too much and how much is too little, but most importantly, I learned

that I can handle a lot.8) What would you do if you knew someone was cheating? (In class for graduate school, on expense report for work)

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For graduate school, I dont think I would report his or her activity simply because they are the ones hurtingthemselves in the end. I would however, encourage the individual to report his or her own cheating or encourage them

to self-reflect so that they may discover how to better prepare so that they do not cheat again.9) Give me an example of a time you had to comply with a policy with which you did not agree.

When I worked at Best Buy we were told to upsell all the customers. I think it is important to give customerseverything they need but I didnt agree with trying to sell them products that were not of the highest quality, our onlyselection, to upsell them. I thought it was unfair to the customer to buy a product that would not last them very long

only to increase the profit of the company.10) How would you describe your work ethic? What would you consider your most important work ethic?

I work diligently and for long periods of time. I give my work the best of my ability, and I try to consider allthe factors involved and all the people that will be affected by my work. I try to make sure that I am meeting the needsof all those affected by my work and that I am producing high quality work. The most important part of my work ethic

is my commitment to excellence, professionalism, and consideration of others.11) What do you see as your responsibility to those that are less fortunate?

It is so important to help those that are less fortunate. It is both humbling and necessary. I believe everyoneshould have a desire to help the welfare of his or her communities. Without that desire, so many of our communities

would be lacking in the necessary resources to produce productive members of society. Not everyone is born on equalfooting, and helping those that are less fortunate helps to even out the playing field just a little bit more.12) Describe a time that you took on a leadership role and what you learned from the experience.

When I took on the leadership role as a mentor for university freshman, I learned that I care immensely aboutthe people whose lives I touch and that I want to have a positive imprint in their life. I brought in guest speakers to talk

to my mentees about internship and research opportunities. I also brought in one of their professors to come talk tothem so that they may lose any intimidation they may have for their professors and be able to see that they are trulyregular people. I also helped them discover and learn more about themselves by taking them to the Sanger Learningand Career Center where they were able to pinpoint their interests and discover new career opportunities. I learned thatI love helping people and that I want to serve them to the best of my ability.

13) What is the most important development in this field over the past 25 years, and why?The most important development in this field is the incorporation of research into occupational therapy

practices. It is important in knowing who needs it and what will work for individuals receiving treatment.

14) How do you deal with authority? Give me an example of when you had to confront someone in authority and howyou handled the situation. What would you have done differently?

I always respect authority. I believe it is important to treat them with the utmost respect. The vice provost of

the international office has an office space in the international office where I work at The University of Texas atAustin. She frequently has very important visitors and we have to follow a protocol when they arrive that I was

unaware of. Instead of letting her assistant know that her visitor was here I went to her directly and she was notprepared for her visitors. If I could do it over again I would have asked about the proper protocol.15) What makes you special? Why should we hire you (or admit you) over our other qualified candidates?

People say that I am always smiling. I think that I am a positive energy and presence to those around me. Youshould hire me over other qualified candidates because I encourage others, I bring a sense of peace to those around me,

I am productive, and I get along with many different personality types.