Collaboration After Class: Changing the Personal Value of Professional Collaboration After a Fieldwork Rotation at AOTA

Rebekah Highlander, Saint Louis University

During the COVID-19 pandemic, professional collaboration has taken on a whole new look, and I’ve gained a new perspective of what collaboration means. Wrapping up my master’s coursework in 2020, I was eager to get out in the clinical setting but nervous about meeting expectations for becoming an entry-level practitioner. After a 6-week Level II fieldwork experience in dementia care, I had the opportunity to intern as a Level II fieldwork student at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) with the Practice Improvement team in the Knowledge Division. One of the many valuable lessons this experience taught me is the importance of professional collaboration for occupational therapy practitioners.

The Practice Improvement team at AOTA utilizes evidence-based practice, knowledge translation, and quality improvement to create resources that assist practitioners' implementation of these skills. I expected to spend my time looking at research articles and chatting about strengths of evidence, but I quickly learned that translating research into practice was a bigger priority than reviewing existing research. AOTA collaborates with content member experts to conduct systematic reviews on various topics and areas of practice. The results are summarized through various methods, including Critically Appraised Topics (CATs). One of my projects was to find ways for the evidence found in the CATs to be more accessible and useful for members.

I took cues from AOTA staff on how to collaborate. For all projects that I observed and assisted with over the course of 6 weeks, staff members from all different divisions (e.g., Innovation & Engagement, Knowledge, Executive, and Finance & Operations) shared in the development and implementation of projects. They met to discuss member priorities, OT advocacy “wins,” Conference materials, and more. They collaborated from start to finish when discussing an idea or challenge, with the collective goal of providing the best resources for AOTA members. Big tasks like website redesign, AOTA INSPIRE, refreshing practice tools on the website, and creating tools for practitioners based on new evidence, all required a team of experts with open ears and open minds. For example, an idea presented by a Special Interest Section (SIS) would be shared with various Knowledge Division staff for additional input and project analysis. One topic that was discussed at the time of my internship was the desire to create a checklist for pediatric evaluations. Then, the appropriate staff members would take responsibility for getting the ball rolling. For this project, the Director of Quality, Julie Malloy, MOT, OTR/L, PMP, CPHQ, was my staff resource. She guided me to other staff members on the Practice Engagement and Capacity Building team, Data Science and Knowledge team, and our Practice Improvement team. I was also encouraged to reach out to AOTA member experts to gather data regarding their evaluation methods. All of these interviews were compiled into a document and presented to my team at the end of the rotation. Throughout all the projects I worked on, staff utilized a continuous quality improvement process, requesting AOTA member experts and other AOTA staff to review and provide feedback on materials. The inclusion of diverse perspectives and skillsets during project development results in the high-quality products available for members, which I’d encourage you to explore if you haven’t already. 

As I begin my career as an occupational therapist, one of the most comforting ideas is that my professional organization supports me. Staff members truly listen to your input and work to adjust their materials to the changing needs of us members. For instance, they’ve revived the Every Day Evidence podcasts to make information more accessible to aural learners. I felt intimidated during the first few team calls because there were many professionals on-staff with distinguished careers. They quickly welcomed my input and accepted my 1-on-1 meeting invitations, showing their personal interest in my success and the success of the profession. The staff at AOTA have emphasized in word and deed that collaboration is most important with AOTA members and practitioners. I had the opportunity to work with members on long-standing projects (e.g., COVID-19 case studies, Journal Club Toolkit, Knowledge Translation toolkit) and reach out to members who post on CommunOT to listen to their practice experiences and concerns. A pillar of occupational therapy practice is client-centeredness, and just as we model this for our clients, our professional organization models it for members. When school group projects are weighing you down, remember the valuable skill of collaboration for your future practice. When you are overwhelmed at fieldwork or insecure about your knowledge set, remember to collaborate with your professional peers and mentors. Someone has been in your shoes before and can probably offer you comforting insight.

Our clients have better outcomes when we take the time and patience to incorporate the skills and opinions of others. In a virtual world, you can still find connection with others. Consider online calls with professors and their suggested network to pursue a professional interest, reading through the posts on CommunOT, and talking with peers about what they are learning outside the classroom about the profession. Let’s continue to use collaboration in and out of the classroom to address client needs and celebrate victories as a system and body of occupational therapy practitioners and stakeholders.

Rebekah Highlander is a Master of Occupational Therapy Graduate from Saint Louis University. She recently finished her last Level II fieldwork rotation in a suburb of Washington, DC, and is planning to start her career in pediatrics. She is currently working on becoming a specialist in nature-based therapy through TimberNook. Her personal interests include hiking, gardening, and hosting friends and family. Her professional interests include entrepreneurship, nature-based therapy, mental health, and OT advocacy. 

July 2021