Five professional development hacks

The path from occupational therapy (OT) student to clinician can be bumpy, especially for those who graduated during the pandemic. New graduates may also find themselves practicing alone, particularly in school-based settings. To make the way smoother along my journey to competency as a pediatric occupational therapist, I have had my eye on mentorship opportunities since I graduated—speaking to professors and clinicians, exploring fellowship opportunities, and joining communities of practice. All these helped, but I was not able to find the consistent structured mentorship that I felt would help me grow as a clinician.