Hello,
Would anyone happen to know of any OT related internship or work opportunities in New York City?
Would anyone happen to know of any OT related internship or work opportunities in New York City?
Employment & Professional Networking NYC Internship Opportunities?
- Thread starter lavitae
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I did an internship this summer at the AHRC of NYC. They can place you in a variety of settings working with adults, seniors and children that have intellectual or developmental disabilities. I did this prior to applying to OT school. It was such a fantastic experience. See link for more information.
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At hopefulbrooklynOT, what was the process like to apply for a AHRC internship? Do you have to pay them? Was it a pay or unpaid internship?
Thanks for letting me know @hopefulbrooklynOT. Were you able to choose which setting to intern at?
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@Osillyphilly and @lavitae I'm gonna answer both of your questions with as much detail as possible.
I had a contact at AHRC of NYC that connected me with the director of internships. He can be reached at the [email protected] email address listed on the above mentioned link. He is very easy to get in touch with. I sent him an email explaining my interest and desire to intern at an OT setting with AHRC of NYC and he sent me the internship application forms. Now because they usually do not have OT at the adult day programs you will most likely be placed in one of their early learning schools for children between 3-5 years of age.
Once you complete the forms and send it to the director you will then be scheduled for a meeting with the principal one of their schools. At this meeting you will discuss what you would like out of your internship, tour the school and ask a lot of questions. You can also set your future internship start and end date and your availability. If your scheduling and internship needs align with the school's, you will then be scheduled for a training. The training session is VERY long and VERY in depth. The director is a very nice man and you will learn a lot about the awesome work AHRC does in NYC.
IF you are interning at a school (and most likely you will because you want to observe OT work), you will need some pretty expensive background checks. You will need a department of investigations finger printing that costs a small fortune and another background check for the department of education. These background checks are required and the cost is substantial (I think I paid a little over $200). You will also need to do a number health checks and drug screening (AHRC of NYC pays of this and schedules you appointment on the day of your training).
The medical and background clearance is substantial but the good part is that since you already did it you can then use it for future volunteer and internship opportunities. I believe the DOE and DOI clearance is good for several years.
Overall, the intern experience at AHRC was wonderful. HOWEVER, if I could do it again I would tell them explicitly that I want to observe all the OTs and COTAs and not be stuck with one. All OT practitioners a different (some are better then others...let's keep it real) and the worse thing that could happen is to lose out on a valuable internship experience because you were too shy or afraid to ask to observe someone else.
The school's under AHRC deal with children all over the autism spectrum, down syndrome, unspecified developmental disorders and other conditions. They get the whole range of services: OT, PT, and speech. The teachers in this school are specially trained to work with the kids. The people I was directly observing with made me work hands on. I was putting kits and projects together, interacting a lot of the kids, fixing equipment (cause I'm a handy person) and much more. The kids were A BLAST. It was criminal how much fun I had. At the school where I was observing there was actually an OT in training doing her fieldwork.
I hope that answers your question. Also if you want recommendations for great volunteer sites, hits or misses in trying to get your hours please let me know! I might actually make a separate post because I went through SO MUCH CRAP to get hours.
HOPE THIS HELPS! May we all be accepted to the school of our choice!
I had a contact at AHRC of NYC that connected me with the director of internships. He can be reached at the [email protected] email address listed on the above mentioned link. He is very easy to get in touch with. I sent him an email explaining my interest and desire to intern at an OT setting with AHRC of NYC and he sent me the internship application forms. Now because they usually do not have OT at the adult day programs you will most likely be placed in one of their early learning schools for children between 3-5 years of age.
Once you complete the forms and send it to the director you will then be scheduled for a meeting with the principal one of their schools. At this meeting you will discuss what you would like out of your internship, tour the school and ask a lot of questions. You can also set your future internship start and end date and your availability. If your scheduling and internship needs align with the school's, you will then be scheduled for a training. The training session is VERY long and VERY in depth. The director is a very nice man and you will learn a lot about the awesome work AHRC does in NYC.
IF you are interning at a school (and most likely you will because you want to observe OT work), you will need some pretty expensive background checks. You will need a department of investigations finger printing that costs a small fortune and another background check for the department of education. These background checks are required and the cost is substantial (I think I paid a little over $200). You will also need to do a number health checks and drug screening (AHRC of NYC pays of this and schedules you appointment on the day of your training).
The medical and background clearance is substantial but the good part is that since you already did it you can then use it for future volunteer and internship opportunities. I believe the DOE and DOI clearance is good for several years.
Overall, the intern experience at AHRC was wonderful. HOWEVER, if I could do it again I would tell them explicitly that I want to observe all the OTs and COTAs and not be stuck with one. All OT practitioners a different (some are better then others...let's keep it real) and the worse thing that could happen is to lose out on a valuable internship experience because you were too shy or afraid to ask to observe someone else.
The school's under AHRC deal with children all over the autism spectrum, down syndrome, unspecified developmental disorders and other conditions. They get the whole range of services: OT, PT, and speech. The teachers in this school are specially trained to work with the kids. The people I was directly observing with made me work hands on. I was putting kits and projects together, interacting a lot of the kids, fixing equipment (cause I'm a handy person) and much more. The kids were A BLAST. It was criminal how much fun I had. At the school where I was observing there was actually an OT in training doing her fieldwork.
I hope that answers your question. Also if you want recommendations for great volunteer sites, hits or misses in trying to get your hours please let me know! I might actually make a separate post because I went through SO MUCH CRAP to get hours.
HOPE THIS HELPS! May we all be accepted to the school of our choice!
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I haven't done direct OT internships in NYC. However, I used to live there, and I volunteered a lot. Some organizations I have encountered:
1. Rusk Rehabilitation Institute is an NYU affiliated rehab program, and one of the top in the country. I had friends who were pursuing rehab-related professions in college and who also did their competitive internship program: http://www.med.nyu.edu/rusk/ and http://www.med.nyu.edu/rusk/educationtraining/health-career-opportunity-program
2. YAI Network, organizations focused on delivering services to developmentally challenged individuals. I lived near their main office in Queens: http://www.yai.org/about/
3. AMAC, school programs for children with autism. I used to volunteer there on cooking and movement projects with the kids on Saturday mornings, I don't know if they have OTs there but you could ask: http://www.amac.org/
4. Coler-Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island. I used to lead a weekly game night for the patients who had physical disabilities there as part of the volunteer organization New York Cares (https://www.newyorkcares.org/): http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/coler-goldwater/home.shtml
Are you looking for internships or just wondering the kinds of fieldwork are in the area? I hope this is helpful either way!
1. Rusk Rehabilitation Institute is an NYU affiliated rehab program, and one of the top in the country. I had friends who were pursuing rehab-related professions in college and who also did their competitive internship program: http://www.med.nyu.edu/rusk/ and http://www.med.nyu.edu/rusk/educationtraining/health-career-opportunity-program
2. YAI Network, organizations focused on delivering services to developmentally challenged individuals. I lived near their main office in Queens: http://www.yai.org/about/
3. AMAC, school programs for children with autism. I used to volunteer there on cooking and movement projects with the kids on Saturday mornings, I don't know if they have OTs there but you could ask: http://www.amac.org/
4. Coler-Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island. I used to lead a weekly game night for the patients who had physical disabilities there as part of the volunteer organization New York Cares (https://www.newyorkcares.org/): http://www.nyc.gov/html/hhc/coler-goldwater/home.shtml
Are you looking for internships or just wondering the kinds of fieldwork are in the area? I hope this is helpful either way!
Thanks so much everyone!!! All information has been great appreciated.
@jka252 I am looking primarily for internships (unpaid or paid). I am currently an undergrad student right now and would just like to gain more shadowing experiences -- but I would rather look for an internship than volunteer opportunity if possible.
@jka252 I am looking primarily for internships (unpaid or paid). I am currently an undergrad student right now and would just like to gain more shadowing experiences -- but I would rather look for an internship than volunteer opportunity if possible.
