Transitioning from clinic to academia: An occupational therapist’s point of view

"Never say never” is a motto I live by and refer to often. I still find it hard to believe that after 16 years of working as an occupational therapist in the geriatric population, I began a new career. An opportunity presented itself that I could not pass up. I was offered a position as an Assistant Professor at a local university, teaching in the area of productive aging, which allowed me to change jobs while remaining in the profession. I loved working in the clinic, and the knowledge and experience I gained was invaluable. However, I longed for something different—a new way to give back, a diverse way to make a difference. Although I had no formal teaching experience, being eager to learn and a well-organized and experienced clinician, I was up for the challenge.

Heading into my new job on the first day, I was thrilled thinking about the opportunity to share my knowledge, skills, and experience with students. However, I was unprepared to sit at a desk trying to figure out how to operate the school's learning management system. When I graduated from the occupational therapy program, we had an overhead projector and a notebook to take notes. During the global pandemic, working in person daily in a skilled nursing facility, there were few opportunities to learn—let alone become proficient in using—video conferencing software. As a new faculty member, I realized quickly that I had a lot to catch up on when it came to emerging technology.

Transitioning from clinician to academician can be a stressful and challenging process. I experienced several emotions during this transition. Leaving the security of the clinical setting after years of experience, I was no longer in a familiar environment where I operated as an expert clinician. Instead, I became a novice educator. This new role brought anticipation and excitement when thinking about shaping future practitioners, as well as confusion and worry as I began to settle into my new role. It took work to grasp the differences between health care and academic culture. Instead of hearing the familiar language about CPT® codes, productivity, evaluations, and discharge summaries, I heard words such as ACOTE®, curriculum, and tenure. I began seeking information about teaching and identified mentors among my colleagues to help guide me through this process. I gathered insights from books and articles and joined a mentorship group for new educators. Having opportunities to sit in on colleagues’ classes helped me better understand classroom management techniques.