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- Nov 9, 2016
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Hey guys, I wanted to share with you an honest opinion and some really helpful information on UScience's Occupational Therapy program that came from a student who I graduated with and just finished her first two semesters of the program. It's pretty lengthy, but it really helped me get a better idea of what the program is like and if it would be a good fit for me. Here it is:
I chose USciences b/c I like the city living and that it is a community-based school so they are all about giving back to others and doing service. I also like that it is small and you can make more personal connections with professors and students. I also love that it offers a lot of fieldwork and hands-on experience in your first fall semester and throughout your entire 2 1/2 years.
Some Pros: fieldwork begins in your first full semester and hands on right away, for certain labs we got to observe children and babies and get hands on experience with that and apply what we are learning to what we observe, the classes are interesting and you learn a lot in your first semester, most professors genuinely want to help you succeed and pass everything, many opportunities for community volunteer experience, some classes are discussion based vs just power point lectures, the exams are fair and straight forward usually
Some Cons: there are a few professors I don't care for and who made the learning experience very negative (but one is not coming back next semester so that's a pro lol) some classes are unorganized and if there are two professors who teach one class, sometimes it is difficult to know what to go off of for exams, some unnecessary projects in certain classes that just don't really teach you much and take too much time for little credit, some professors can be really vague with assignments and offer little help if you're confused. Some labs are pointless and some are VERY helpful because it's hands on.
Overall i love the program and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. We are accredited for 10+ years which is hard to come by for most schools. Our curriculum is spiral so things are always coming back in each class which helps to reinforce the info from another class. Some of our exercise sciences and psychology classes we took in undergrad really helped me to do well in some classes at USciences. The first summer is intense and really tests your ability to manage time and work under pressure. You take neuroscience first and it's interesting but fast paced and it's very doable you just have to work through it. You also take an intro course which is pointless and stupid but it's required so just gotta get through it.
we do get good field placements but because there are a few OT schools in the area, we compete with them for some spots. But our fieldwork coordinators handle all that for us. The last two field works which are 3 mo. each, you can choose any state or location you want to go to as long as it is outside a 45 mi. radius from the university. So you can stay local or go somewhere else. (So, for example, I'm going to Texas for the first 3 mo. and living at home for the last 3 mo.) they make you decide that in your first semester. But the first semester clients come to USciences.
In march or feb before i applied, I had a meeting with Aimee Viggiani and asked her a ton of questions about the curriculum as well as took a tour. From then, i really loved the school and the atmosphere, i also went to open house which didn't help that much but i felt excited about this school the most. I also knew a few people in the OT program and reached out to them. Other schools didn't have the community feel as much as usciences and the location was big for me. Other schools like Thomas Jefferson are way too stuck on academics and being the best and I didn't like that. USciences is a great location and it's a little closer to home for me, but I did get an apartment in Philly. USciences is also big on being diverse in terms of culture and what not. Side note is at the end of your 2 1/2 years they pay for people who have an affiliation with NBCOT to come out and prep you for your exam. The school pays for it and it's 8 hours sat and sun I believe. They basically give you tips and tricks to help you study/pass the exam. Which I really appreciate.
But as far as fieldwork the two 3 mo. ones are your level 2 fieldwork. So if you are going to live in philly for fieldwork or if you live close to Philly like I do then you are put into a lottery. So basically anyone who is within a 45 mi radius from campus is put into it, they give you a list of fieldwork sites and you rank 1-8. Out of those 8 you will be placed at one of them. If you go outside 45 mi from campus then you can choose your site from the places that our school has a contract with but let's say our school doesn't have a contract with a place you are interested in, then you can put up to 2 places and they will try and start a new contract with them. For level 1 in the P1 year, the first one i had in the fall and clients came to campus 3 times. For this spring i get a week at a placement site the week after spring break and for that you can be anywhere as well. I chose to stay home but if you vacation somewhere then you could stay an extra week for field. In the summer you get a partner and get assigned to go to someone's home in Philly and assess their home layout, etc. I know fall and spring of P2 year level 1 field involves community service learning for 10 Tuesdays in a row.
UPDATE!!!!!
Below, is some really great info about the program and the school in general, which I got from a chatroom that we did on Thursday for students who were accepted to the program. I also got to speak with the admissions counselor and Department head in person and they were extremely personable and helpful with answering all of my questions about the program. I personally, was impressed with the updated buildings, classrooms, and technology they provide for OT students. There are two buildings in which we have classes that are right next to each other, so we don't have to walk all over the place. Everything is close together and there is even a Starbucks on campus! The gym is also really nice; plenty of equipment and new basketball court. It is a safe area and there are plenty of security guards around. There are also plenty of transportation means to get around the city, including the trolly. All of the students that I met in the MOT and DrOT program said they are happy they chose USciences!
I chose USciences b/c I like the city living and that it is a community-based school so they are all about giving back to others and doing service. I also like that it is small and you can make more personal connections with professors and students. I also love that it offers a lot of fieldwork and hands-on experience in your first fall semester and throughout your entire 2 1/2 years.
Some Pros: fieldwork begins in your first full semester and hands on right away, for certain labs we got to observe children and babies and get hands on experience with that and apply what we are learning to what we observe, the classes are interesting and you learn a lot in your first semester, most professors genuinely want to help you succeed and pass everything, many opportunities for community volunteer experience, some classes are discussion based vs just power point lectures, the exams are fair and straight forward usually
Some Cons: there are a few professors I don't care for and who made the learning experience very negative (but one is not coming back next semester so that's a pro lol) some classes are unorganized and if there are two professors who teach one class, sometimes it is difficult to know what to go off of for exams, some unnecessary projects in certain classes that just don't really teach you much and take too much time for little credit, some professors can be really vague with assignments and offer little help if you're confused. Some labs are pointless and some are VERY helpful because it's hands on.
Overall i love the program and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. We are accredited for 10+ years which is hard to come by for most schools. Our curriculum is spiral so things are always coming back in each class which helps to reinforce the info from another class. Some of our exercise sciences and psychology classes we took in undergrad really helped me to do well in some classes at USciences. The first summer is intense and really tests your ability to manage time and work under pressure. You take neuroscience first and it's interesting but fast paced and it's very doable you just have to work through it. You also take an intro course which is pointless and stupid but it's required so just gotta get through it.
we do get good field placements but because there are a few OT schools in the area, we compete with them for some spots. But our fieldwork coordinators handle all that for us. The last two field works which are 3 mo. each, you can choose any state or location you want to go to as long as it is outside a 45 mi. radius from the university. So you can stay local or go somewhere else. (So, for example, I'm going to Texas for the first 3 mo. and living at home for the last 3 mo.) they make you decide that in your first semester. But the first semester clients come to USciences.
In march or feb before i applied, I had a meeting with Aimee Viggiani and asked her a ton of questions about the curriculum as well as took a tour. From then, i really loved the school and the atmosphere, i also went to open house which didn't help that much but i felt excited about this school the most. I also knew a few people in the OT program and reached out to them. Other schools didn't have the community feel as much as usciences and the location was big for me. Other schools like Thomas Jefferson are way too stuck on academics and being the best and I didn't like that. USciences is a great location and it's a little closer to home for me, but I did get an apartment in Philly. USciences is also big on being diverse in terms of culture and what not. Side note is at the end of your 2 1/2 years they pay for people who have an affiliation with NBCOT to come out and prep you for your exam. The school pays for it and it's 8 hours sat and sun I believe. They basically give you tips and tricks to help you study/pass the exam. Which I really appreciate.
But as far as fieldwork the two 3 mo. ones are your level 2 fieldwork. So if you are going to live in philly for fieldwork or if you live close to Philly like I do then you are put into a lottery. So basically anyone who is within a 45 mi radius from campus is put into it, they give you a list of fieldwork sites and you rank 1-8. Out of those 8 you will be placed at one of them. If you go outside 45 mi from campus then you can choose your site from the places that our school has a contract with but let's say our school doesn't have a contract with a place you are interested in, then you can put up to 2 places and they will try and start a new contract with them. For level 1 in the P1 year, the first one i had in the fall and clients came to campus 3 times. For this spring i get a week at a placement site the week after spring break and for that you can be anywhere as well. I chose to stay home but if you vacation somewhere then you could stay an extra week for field. In the summer you get a partner and get assigned to go to someone's home in Philly and assess their home layout, etc. I know fall and spring of P2 year level 1 field involves community service learning for 10 Tuesdays in a row.
UPDATE!!!!!
Below, is some really great info about the program and the school in general, which I got from a chatroom that we did on Thursday for students who were accepted to the program. I also got to speak with the admissions counselor and Department head in person and they were extremely personable and helpful with answering all of my questions about the program. I personally, was impressed with the updated buildings, classrooms, and technology they provide for OT students. There are two buildings in which we have classes that are right next to each other, so we don't have to walk all over the place. Everything is close together and there is even a Starbucks on campus! The gym is also really nice; plenty of equipment and new basketball court. It is a safe area and there are plenty of security guards around. There are also plenty of transportation means to get around the city, including the trolly. All of the students that I met in the MOT and DrOT program said they are happy they chose USciences!
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