OT Personality

[klaysan]

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What do you think are the main personality traits that make a good OT? Do you think that you have to be very outgoing to be successful?

 

[resot]

What do you think are the main personality traits that make a good OT? Do you think that you have to be very outgoing to be successful?

I think that "outgoing" is a good trait for an OT, but more important than being "outgoing" is the ability and confidence to be able to speak out. Several of my professors emphasize the importance of speaking out and advocating for our patients and our profession. We can't let ourselves be steamrolled by other members of the therapy team or by individuals who may be more concerned with profit than our patients. One of my professors explicitly says several times throughout the semester that we can NOT be quite wallflowers.

Our fieldwork coordinator doesn't hide the fact that she worries about the quieter, shyer students within the cohort. She really emphasizes the need to come out of your shell or at least the willingness to try to steadily do so. She has also said that some Fieldwork CI's expressly let her know that they.. prefer not to have quiet, shy fieldwork students.

Sorry, I'm not trying to bag on shyer students. I was and (to a certain point) still am one. I took me about twenty years to get to the point that I am now. I'm just passing on what I have heard my professors say and what I have noticed overall as a student a year into an OT program.

 

[STAYSTOKED]

What do you think are the main personality traits that make a good OT? Do you think that you have to be very outgoing to be successful?

Hmm good point about being outgoing. I also want to add, from what I've observed as an aide and volunteer, that a good OT has the ability to be flexible. At the last interview I went to they emphasized that OT/PTs in the field need to be open minded and really noted flexibility. Its not a cookie cutter field and just like real life obstacles will constantly occur.

 

[OTCareer]

Honestly just be yourself ..Im pretty quiet but Im also at a small school that is more like a commute campus for my MOT..I am in a 2 year program 1 more year to go and never had any personality issues. You need to be yourself and worry for other matters like getting into the program not your personality your professors want the real you not the fake. Im soooo busy in this MOT I dont even have time to think about okay is my personality outgoing today or quiet nobody is gonna really pay attention to any of that your gonna be busy ...I have little life....Im on the thesis or you could call it research paper so lot of library time for journals on top of classes so imagine.Take Care!

 

[OT0900]

I am in a program right now and yes, being outgoing can have its benefits, however, it is definitely not an indicator of how good of an OT you will be. We each have our personality types and it makes us unique. I am frequently labeled as quiet, however, I did better in my fieldwork than other classmates who are thought to be outgoing. You just need passion for what your doing..if you have that passion and drive, it will automatically and naturally show through the way you act, treat, and work. I think flexibility and adaptability are key...you may not be outgoing, but at times, you might have to step out of your comfort zone and run around dancing with kids or you may have to sit quietly and listen to an elderly patient tell you about their life story. Trust me, if you care about what you're doing, it will naturally shine through 🙂. I agree with Resot in terms of advocacy..you need to be able to speak up for your patients, but again, if your passionate about helping your clients...you won't even have to think about it--you will automatically speak up. I just feel like a lot of people in our society put so much emphasize on being outgoing...I think its ok to be an introvert--this lecture I saw is amazing..check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQH2U-kmBdY ..there are so many successful people who are not outgoing 🙂..but it dosent mean they havent succeeded.

 

[klaysan]

Thanks for all your personal responses!! I myself am an introvert, but I work at a hospital where staff and patients find me very approachable, patient, caring and extremely kind. I think that as most of you have noted, OTs have different personalities, are not all are necessarily outgoing. Sometimes though, you need to step out of your comfort zone. I guess this is something I will have to work on, but through my observations I have really fell in love with the occupation. I think my determination and passion to help my patients will outweigh my fear of not being "outgoing" enough. Thanks everyone!

 

[BakerOTAS]

I am currently an OTA/S so I do not have experiances in the field working with patients and other health care practitioners but as a forty year old with experiences in other fields I know that their are all kinds of people in this world with all kinds of different personalities. I am sure that their are outgoing OT practitioners that are not good at their jobs. I think the most important thing is to be professional and respectful to your patients and your coworkers.

 

[andgelyo]

It really depends on the person, however i would say outgoingness is definitely a plus. As a therapist, you must be aware of when is the appropriate time to show the right emotions. Your clients will be very different from each other, as all individuals are different. For example, I consider myself to be a very outgoing guy, however during class i am quiet, and only answer questions when asked.My level 1 fieldwork site, had a 2nd year student who was not "outgoing" and was more reserved. Despite this, she still managed to effectively build rapport with her clients. Personally speaking, i think the best term to describe a good OT would be a "people" person, someone who generally cares about people and likes to be around others. You don't have to be a outgoing to be a people person, you just have to be compassionate.

 

[alansda]

There was a study in 2003 that used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to measure personality types across different health professions. The majority of the health-sciences professionals tested were extroverts (in congruence with the majority of the US population).

The dominant profile for physical and occupational therapy students was ESFJ--meaning they are warm-hearted, talkative, whose main interest is in things that affect people's lives

For the record, I have an INTP profile type

 

[brisa2004]

Hello! I've been an OT since 2009 and yes, am an introvert. I think a better way to phrase it as having good people skills because you need to talk with your patients especially to establish rapport. I think one advantage of being an introvert is that we have a good sense of the opposite situation, knowing when a patient does not want to talk due to psychosocial issues. When you aren't always talking, you're a better listener and patients appreciate that too. I would say just being able to make the patient comfortable is a good skill in addition to being caring, analytical to see what is difficult for them, detail-oriented and flexible to make changes whenever needed to care plans etc.

 

[brisa2004]

Btw, I am an INFP temperament 😛