Getting Observation Hours

[smc4110]

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Hi, everyone!

I applied for this 2012-2013 year for MOT programs but I was put on wait-lists and never got off. So after boo-hooing a lot and some soul searching, I still know that OT is what I really want to do. It's just become a question of "When will it happen?"

I think one of my mistakes was not having enough observation hours. I had slightly over the required amount, but what I've gathered from here is that having triple that amount (read: in the hundreds) not only makes you stand out but probably shows that you have a good understanding of what OT is. I want to branch out and observe in different areas of OT for the next time I apply.

This may be a silly question, but how long does one usually spend with one particular OT? One of my previous shadowing experiences took place over a month's time but I only documented about 25 hours since she was at the SNF for a few hours per week. I also want to spend enough time with someone so that they really get to know me and would feel comfortable writing a LOR.

 

[VioletOT]

Hi smc4110! I spaced my observations out over 1.5 years and did 208 total. The totals for each place were 37, 84 (this was part of a semester long internship-that's why the # is so high), 50, 25, 12. I stayed with each OT for about 3-4 weeks and tried to go about twice a week. Some let me observe for 6 hours a day while others only offered about 2 per session.

I didn't really have any advice on how to do the whole observation thing so I just kind of played it by ear and it ended up working out really well. I also recommend trying to observe in different settings- preschool, hand therapy, rehab, etc. It makes it more interesting and shows that you have really put effort into learning about the profession! Good luck!