Foundations was an exciting class to begin because it was the first time after beginning OT school that we got to learn about occupational therapy--what it is, what occupational therapists do, and how occupational therapists think. I think it was obvious, by my classes' intrigue, how passionate we all are about occupational therapy. I'm eager to get out in the field, so it interesting to hear real stories and situations from a clinical setting from Professor Lancaster. I liked the projects in this class, such as the occupational profile and activity analysis because they helped in practicing how an OT acts or thinks.
Today in class, we talked about cultural competence, what it is, and why it’s important. What I took away from the lecture the most was how to gain cultural competence. I grew up in a small town in East Tennessee, and moving across the state to Memphis is even a huge change for me. I think it’s important in my journey through OT school and future career to have cultural competence, because I will be in contact with a wide variety of people. Some key things we discussed in class include self-reflection, exposure, and interdisciplinary or inter-professional relationships. Self-reflection is huge in revealing to yourself what you know and think about different cultures and molding those thoughts if necessary. Like I said earlier, I grew up in a small town, and although traveling some, I haven’t had many opportunities to expose myself to other cultures. Contact with other students and professors in the OT program and other programs is a good step as well in gaining ...
Thanks for the feedback! I look forward to continuing to watch you grow, Whitney.
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