Navigating OT School During a Pandemic

Madeline Carbery, University of Wisconsin-Madison

As current occupational therapy students, we are becoming experts in understanding how multidimensional factors, such as COVID-19, affect the way we perform occupations and form habits and routines. COVID-19 is drastically altering our educational experience, including online coursework and virtual fieldwork experiences. It is important we implement our own OT advice to succeed during these unique and challenging times. The following tips are ways we can adapt as students while working and studying from home.

  1. Set up a routine equivalent to in-person classes

Although getting up for your 8 a.m. probably still sounds unappealing, sticking to a routine can help differentiate time dedicated to school from time for other activities. Even if lectures are pre-recorded, attending class at the same time of day during the week can create structure, prevent procrastination, and reduce stress during leisure time.

  1. Create a productive workspace at home

A workspace with natural lighting can assist with establishing a routine. Daylight serves as a physical sign for when it’s time to study or put down the books for the day. A space with a door can be a physical barrier between work and home life. Don’t forget about good ergonomics with your makeshift desk, too! Sitting in a chair that allows for a 90° bend at your elbows, hips, and knees can save you from wrist, hip, and back pain.

  1. Utilize roommates, family members, or neighbors for assessments and techniques

Just because our classmates are unavailable to practice therapy techniques doesn’t mean we have to rely solely on YouTube videos. Practice range of motion (ROM) on your roommates, or administer an interview assessment on your grandparents over the phone. My 5-year-old neighbor loved helping me with a handwriting assessment! This is a great opportunity not only to practice on real people, but also to hone your OT elevator speech and raise awareness of OT among individuals who may not understand our profession.

  1. Take advantage of free webinars, especially on telehealth and COVID-19

Many organizations are offering discounted or free webinars for students, which would typically be expensive to attend. Take this time to explore an area of OT you are interested in. For example, you can learn about how telehealth will be changing the way we treat, or what OTs are doing to combat COVID-19. Learning about current events and your personal interests is just as, if not more, important than finishing every paragraph of an assigned reading. Suggested webinars.

  1. Take a break!

COVID-19 is not only affecting our education, but also our social lives, mental health, and physical health. Yes, graduate school is important, but remember to take a break to focus on yourself. Taking care of yourself will benefit your sleep, stress level, and studies, which will make you a better OT in the long run!

These are difficult and uncertain times, but our adaptability as occupational therapy students will make us stronger health care practitioners, advocates, and leaders who will express empathy towards our future clients during personally challenging times.

“We can’t practice compassion with others if we can’t treat ourselves kindly”—Brené Brown

Madeline Carbery is a second year MSOT student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and originally from Wheaton, IL. She is a research assistant in the Geriatric Health Services Research Lab and leader of Community Connections, an organization focused on raising student awareness about community-based initiatives within the occupational therapy practice domain. Outside of graduate school, Madeline enjoys gardening, biking, and spending time on the lake.


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