Sudhee Acharya PDP Reflection

Looking back at my Professional Development Plan, I realize that I was able to complete

some goals, but need to improve on my ability to complete others. My professional service goal

for this semester was to volunteer at one SOTA event by frequently going to SOTA meetings and

keeping up with emails. While I went to almost all of the SOTA meetings and kept up with

emails, I did not reach the goal of volunteering at an event. I was able to donate candy needed for

Backpack Awareness Day, but I realize that donating did not give me the physical volunteering

experience. Next semester, I hope to sign up for one of the first events offered rather than

waiting until later in the semester. My first practitioner goal was to complete at least three more

shadowing hours over Thanksgiving break. Unfortunately, with the facility’s cancellations

during the holiday, I was only able to complete two shadowing hours over this semester. While I

gained less hours than expected, I am planning on contacting other facilities to accumulate hours

over my spring and summer breaks as well—so I can gradually strive towards the requirement of

sixty hours. My other practitioner goal was to be able to successfully define the term

“occupational therapy.” I was successful in reaching this goal, as I now know that occupational

therapy is a health profession concerned with allowing people to complete activities that give

meaning to their lives. My leadership goal was to take a leading position in my OT infomercial

group by communicating with my group members weekly. I believe that I reached this goal

because I always initiated conversations about where and when to meet at the beginning of each

week. I was also the editor, so I frequently reminded my group that we needed to finish writing

the script and filming early on in the semester in order to leave enough time to edit. The timeline

was successful, and we were able to finish the entire project before Thanksgiving break begun.

My practice scholar goal for the semester was to attend at least one Journal Club meeting, and I

successfully completed this goal as I attended the meeting on September 18. Overall, I was able
Sudhee Acharya PDP Reflection

to reach most of the goals on my Professional Development Plan, but I could have reached all of

my goals if I had volunteered for a SOTA event and shadowed an occupational therapist earlier

in the semester; I personally need to improve on taking opportunities as soon as they arise.