1.

Increase level of involvement in OT profession by increasing awareness of opportunities and

committing to involvement in at least two
a. Talk to at least 4 of the following individuals regarding opportunities to get involved
i. Dr. Kemp – IHIS volunteer
ii. Dr. Page – research assistants
iii. Professor Griffin
iv. Dr. Weaver
v. Dr. Robinson
vi. Zoe Swain – wheelchair rugby
vii. Jessica Brown – Jane Case-Smith 5K subcommittees
viii. SOTA members regarding future volunteer opportunities
b. Identify at least 4 of these opportunities to consider – type up list of role requirements,
making note of my own strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth in each
setting
c. Commit to getting involved in at least 2 of these areas
d. Spend at least 30 minutes / week reading AOTA’s OT Practice magazine to increase
awareness of profession, opportunities, etc.
e. Talk to former PTE vice president about opportunities within this position
2. Increase both self and projected confidence in my ability to become an excellent clinician
a. Ask at least 2 professors and 2 classmates for specific feedback regarding their
perception of my performance in the program – make note of both strengths and areas
for improvement
b. Develop and implement actionable steps to address areas of improvement as identified
by professors/peers
c. Participate in events/opportunities outside of those I naturally gravitate towards (i.e.
seek out experiences that will challenge me)
d. Make list of weaknesses/limitations regarding both personal and professional factors;
counter each with tangible steps to overcome, including either measures to be taken
consistently now or measures to put into place in the future
e. Practice limit-setting / establishing boundaries with friends who are more assertive than
me
f. Practice explaining OT-related concepts to family members and/or friends as a means of
increasing comfort and confidence in ability to educate future clients
g. Talk to at least 3 second-year OT students about their experiences on level 2 fieldwork,
making note of ways they wished they had prepared better beforehand

Reflection

The first goal I have chosen addresses my level of involvement in the program, but also in the OT
profession as a whole. Throughout this first year of the program, my classmates and I have been
presented with numerous opportunities for getting involved. One of my weaknesses, however, is taking
the first step toward getting involved. This is not for lack of desire/interest, but rather because of the
desire to be involved in too many things, which often prevents me from committing to one or two
opportunities. Therefore, I would like to take steps toward increasing my awareness of these
opportunities through talking with those who can inform my decisions. In the past, I have found that
once I take this first step, and especially once I have committed to participating in a group/activity, my
greatest strength to contribute is dependability and dedication. Once I am involved, I am fully on board
and committed. Thus, by outlining how to get past the more difficult first step, I will increase my
involvement, thereby opening doors for growth and new experiences that will ultimately shape me into
a better clinician.

My second goal is largely tied to the first. By increasing my level of involvement in and beyond
the program, I will subsequently increase my confidence in my ability to become an excellent clinician.
While I am doing well academically, I know one of my weaknesses is seeing how academic performance
translates into clinical practice. As a result, I lack confidence in my ability to provide future clients with
the care they deserve. I do know, however, that in nearly every uncomfortable scenario or experience I
have undertaken in the past, I am quick to overcome this initial hesitancy once I’m in the midst of it, and
I thrive in the challenge of figuring out how to master my performance of the task at hand. Therefore,
my hope is that these steps will help me to get over the “hurdle” of being intimidated by the challenge
and to excel in realizing I am in fact capable of becoming an excellent clinician.