If you are a current student at Towson, or upcoming student, could you please give me more information about the program. I'm going into this program blindly and would have benefited significantly if I had attended an info session. Below are a few questions I have.
How many field work courses are there and how are they chosen for you?
Do you have classes with other students outside of OT?
What is the faculty like?
Is there an open door policy?
Are there opportunities to get out in the community...meaning community service as a program such as a health fair?
What is something you wish you knew about the program that would have benefited you prior to starting?
Thanks in advance for answering my questions.
Hey, I'm beginning my second year in the program. Here are some answers to your questions!
- Starting in the second semester, you have about 40 hours of Level 1 fieldwork in mental health, physical rehab, & pediatrics (one experience each semester). You do these experiences during your coursework. The final two semesters are spent on Level II fieldwork full time. Level I placements are chosen by sign up sheets/professor placement. Level II placements are done in a lottery system.
- The only class you'll have with students outside of OT is Neuro, during the second semester. It's in the Biology building & you have other majors in there as well.
- I've had a positive experience with faculty. The class sizes are small (either 20 or 40 students) so you get to know your professors pretty well, and you'll have some professors multiple times throughout the program. The only not-so-wonderful faculty member is the fieldwork coordinator. I haven't had too much trouble with her, but those who are looking to go out of state for Level II fieldwork seem to be annoyed with how she's handling everything.
- Professors and faculty are pretty available, but those who work somewhere else full time and only come for class may be harder to coordinate meetings with. But they all are willing to meet with students and answer any questions. I've popped in on some professors before and they don't mind.
- Towson has "living and learning" opportunities that are totally voluntary, but they provide students opportunities to get into the community and see different areas of OT and serve people in the community. These opportunities get emailed to students frequently and they're easy to sign up for.
- I wish I had known that OT school is not as crazy as everyone makes it out to be. It's a lot of work, but that's what grad school is. I went into the program very scared of failure and feeling really insecure about my abilities to get through it. It's not as scary as I thought. If you really have a love for the profession you'll find the classes and projects interesting.
Hope this helped!
