OT Personal Statement
As I began on my collegiate journey, when asked or considering what I wanted to major
in or what my goal was to become, I simply would have stated something where I can help
people. Working with children has always been my passion, but I was not yet clear on what
profession I would thrive in. Given my past, present, and future aspirations, I would like to
elaborate not only how and why I chose the field of occupational therapy as my career, but also
how I have been prepared for graduate school.
At the age of 11 years old, my father committed suicide due to depression; completely
changing my life and began the shaping of my decision of wanting to help individuals. At this
point in time, I learned to really care for others, especially children, as well as understand them
and be able to communicate with them. With my father passing and my mother having a full-
time job that was 40 minutes away, it left me with taking care of my brother that was two years
younger than me and my little sister that is seven years younger than me. Mentally, physically,
and emotionally, I was there to care for them as I knew my mother could not do it on her own.
This was the age in which I also began playing softball and became a student athlete, continuing
into college until I got injured during my freshman year.
Being a student athlete, beginning in middle school, has taught me many things in life. I
have learned that people working together, helping each other, and caring for one another is very
important in order to grow and learn. In occupational therapy, therapists are there to help
individuals not only physically, but also mentally and with their confidence. I was also able to
develop many skills that would benefit me both during the course of graduate school and as an
occupational therapist. Some of those skills include time management, great communication,
being innovative in problem solving, and being able to be a part of a team, along with thriving
individually. O
During my first few years in college, I continuously changed my major, as I was still not
doing what worked for me. The physical therapist I saw during my injury mentioned looking into
occupational therapy (OT) and I instantly became fascinated. I moved to Jacksonville in 2022
where I was continuing my education, majoring in science in health with a concentration in
public health at UNF. I also found an amazing job as an early childhood educator, where I have
received certifications with DCF, working with children at a private school called Collage. At
Collage, occupational therapists and registered behavior technicians are constantly involved in
the classroom. Since then, I have also been able to shadow at Brooks Rehabilitation, both with
adults and the pediatric recreation program. Along with that, I have also been able to shadow an
occupational therapist that works with newborns and children. Throughout shadowing in these
different OT settings, I was able to see all the different ways that occupational therapists are able
to help their patients, not just physically, but also psychologically as well. Allowing patients to
be able to reach their highest level of independence and continue to grow and see their progress
is something that is so special.
Health in Science is the major that I chose to prepare me for my OT career, as I was able
to gain knowledge about many aspects about health and healthcare in general. For starters, I was
able to learn about individual, community, and global health, along with areas that could use
improvement. This major also taught me about the basics of science, behavioral, and mental
health, more specifically how they all work together to form the quality of an individual’s overall
health. I was also able to understand and learn about the similarities and differences between
individual, community, and global health and how the government regulates and supports the
treatment that people need. Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) was a big part
throughout the Health and Science major, as specialists are able to constantly assess the needs
and capacity for the best of people, implement their strategies after planning, further evaluation
and researching, followed by advocacy and communication, while showing a form of leadership
and professionalism. All throughout my journey in this major, I was able to learn and apply these
different learning objectives and subjects, as I plan on carrying them with me into the course of
graduate school.
I had stated that I previously had little inkling to where my adult life would take me.
However, as I continue to experience life and grow as a person, it is clear that helping others is
what I want to do, as such, life as an occupational therapist is what I want to pursue. It is my
sincere hope that an education in occupational therapy at Jacksonville University can set me on a
path towards my future of helping treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic
use of everyday activities.
