School So Far.
So I started my Master’s in Occupational Therapy program a little over two week s ago and it’s going well so far. This summer is a “small” semester with only 10 credit hours, but it feels like full time. Six of those hours are dedicated to anatomy, and then we have some field work, an Evidence Based Practice and an Intro to OT class. Anatomy by far takes the cake this summer. It’s not that it is conceptually difficult, but that you are expected to learn so much in only 10 weeks. It’s like trying to take a sip from a fire hose. I’m pretty much studying for it every free moment I have. We do have breaks in between classes where we can study, but it feels like I could study for hours and still not know anything. It’s insane to feel like you know a lot and so little at the same time. This class is much different from my undergrad class in the depth of details as well as the focus. In undergrad we took it one system at a time i.e. skin, bones, muscles, but in this class we take it by region and learn all the bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels etc all at once. Right now we are focusing on the back and upper limbs. I could draw for you right now from memory the Brachial plexus, name all the nerves that arise from it and from which vertebrae (C5-T1), what all these nerves innervate, and what movements would be weakened if any of these nerves were damaged. Which to me seems like a lot of info, but its really only a small part of everything that I will be tested on this Friday. CRAZY!
We had our first cadaver lab this past week. It went A-okay. The med students have this summer “off” and some of them opted to work as a T.A. for our class. They do all the dissecting for us, and help with the practicals. When I went into the lab I thought the smell would be ridiculous, but the room is actually well vented and I think the fact that the bodies are prosected helps out a bit too. I only freaked out for a second when I was at the first station and the body was laying face up with the face showing. It was that moment I remembered how freaked out I am of mannequins and started to irrationally fear that my cadaver was suddenly going to move. Oh, and the girl standing next to me was standing just so that the hand that was sticking out was nonchalantly brushing up against her, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why she didn’t move out the way! That FREAKED me out. When a cadaver’s hand is reaching out and touching, you move. I’ve decided that having prosected cadavers is the best thing that could have happened. I would flip out if I had to cut. More like cry nonstop.
We also have a surface anatomy class this summer which takes anatomy and makes it applicable to an OT. In this class we focus on being able to palpate the muscles and bones on our own and other’s bodies. We are all required to wear sports bras and gym shorts to this class so that we can take off our shirts and find structures on each other’s backs. The room is lined with what essentially look like massage tables and we take turns being the patient. We focus on the insertions, origins, innervations, and all the functional movements of each muscle as well as how to test them. I like how this class focuses so much on function.
Our other classes introduce us to research in the Occupational field as well as just a general intro to OT. I will have field work in July when I’ll start helping with a dance camp for kids with developmental challenges such as autism. We’ll be helping them with things like balance, coordination, and just functioning in a group setting. It should be fun.
I don’t know if you know this but my class is all girls which is great and not so great at the same time. It would have been nice to have the diversity, but at the same time I can’t say there is anybody in the class I don’t get a long with. I still feel like I’m getting to know people, and it has been a fun few weeks.
In short, it’s a lot of work, BUT I know that having a career in Occupational therapy is going to be so fulfilling. I’m really excited about the big picture. Wish me luck on my first anatomy test this Friday!
Categories: Cool, Kat, School
Tags: Anatomy, MUSC, Occupational Therapy, OT
Comments: 2 Comments.
What amazing knowledge you are gaining. Sorry about the “manequin” experience! The massage table lab sounds much better. So proud of you!
My wife is going to be applying for the OT program at MUSC in 2013. She has done lots of work in equine assisted therapy (PATH Certified Instructor) so she is sure this is what she wants to do. But she is worried about getting accepted at MUSC. I am trying to reassure her that her excellent undergrad GPA and thousands of hours on the job training will put her ahead of many younger applicants. But she is a worrier. Do you have any tips for submitting a “winning” application package?