Evidence-Based Practice Reflection

When beginning occupational therapy school, research was a foreign yet repulsive term
that I wanted nothing to do with. The minimal exposure I had to research consisted of aimlessly
shuffling through articles that had no meaning or relevance to me. I could not help but think all
of the research classes listed among the didactic courses for the next two years were going to be
the same type of experience as I had in the past.
My opinion of research began to change during the first few research courses we took
with Dr. Costa. During these classes we learned basic research terms, how to identify important
information in articles, and how to determine if the information presented was valid and reliable.
We continued to refine these skills, while also learning how to most efficiently search for
literature when completing our systematic reviews during fourth semester. The skills acquired
during these courses made research much less frightening and showed me how research could
aid in effective treatment development and delivery as a future practitioner.
It was not until my first level II fieldwork that I really began to appreciate and enjoy
searching for and utilizing research to shape and guide my intervention planning. Being in a hand
therapy clinic, I did not feel confident during the first several weeks because I was unsure what
types of modalities and treatment techniques were most appropriate for many of the diagnoses
seen in this population. Through the Jay Sexter Library and its databases, I was able to find
countless articles and studies that propelled me to deliver effective treatment. Without the
knowledge of how to locate and decipher these articles, I am confident my experience in the
hand therapy clinic would not have been as positive as it was.
As discussed elsewhere in this portfolio, my view on research has changed dramatically
over the course of the past two years. Rather than hearing or using the term research, I now see it
as evidence-based practice and one of the upmost important tools in providing patients with

the best care. I believe all of the skills I acquired over the past two years will be pivotal in the
future as I continue to submerse myself in the research and make sure I stay up-to-date with the
most effective treatment techniques.