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Hello! I’m a current OTD student, realizing too late that the ceiling on the field of OT is too closely tied to the outlook on Medicare/Medicaid, attitudes from others on the profession (ie, a growing belief that PT/SLP can replicate almost anything that OT does), and that the pay ceiling hits hard and fast, which worries me about not only the long-term outlook for my career but for the field as a whole. I am still greatly interested in healthcare, and during a recent conversation with my PCP, learned that she was an OT before going back for medicine. I would likely look to do sports medicine/ortho as a specialty in med school if I went this route because I still love the rehab field, but am also interested in ME, or being a doctor in a primary care setting as I know that specialties (especially the ones I’m interested in) are extremely competitive to get into.
In undergrad, I earned a BA in Psychology, with a 3.3 cGPA, and currently have earned a 3.5 in my OTD program with a little over a year remaining.
I have roughly 50 hours of volunteer service treating in a student-operated clinic alongside other rehab sci students, 100+ hours of experience with fieldwork in a variety of healthcare settings as part of my OT curriculum, even more time volunteering through local organizations such as soup kitchens, disabilities services orgs, etc. (200+ hours), time working in multiple veterinary clinics and settings (including a zoo) when I was trying to figure out what I was interested in during undergrad (1k+ hours)
Currently work as a registered behavior technician in the ABA field, and am CPR/first aid certified, as well as hold a few certifications for administering OT assessments that I’ve earned during my time in school. I also am currently studying for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam while in graduate school, and plan to sit for the exam next summer sometime.
I plan on practicing as an OT for at least 5-10 years since I already took out these loans, and would be applying to medical school around the time I am 30-35 years old.
I haven’t taken the MCAT yet, not sure when I should take it if I would be applying in a few years. I don’t usually do great on standardized tests, and do better in the classroom (got a 300 on the GRE, 150 quant/150 qual when I took it without studying in 2022). Also unsure if I can use only my graduate school transcripts instead of undergraduate, or if schools would look at both combined or just undergrad?
My hope is to stay local for med school above anything if possible, so I’d be looking at a mix of MD and DO programs if this is smart? I’m from the Philly area so I’d hope to find a place with schools like either of the Rowan U programs, Jefferson, PCOM, Temple, etc.
I know I’m in the very beginning steps, so any advice (whether academic advice to boost chances or otherwise) would be appreciated greatly!!
In undergrad, I earned a BA in Psychology, with a 3.3 cGPA, and currently have earned a 3.5 in my OTD program with a little over a year remaining.
I have roughly 50 hours of volunteer service treating in a student-operated clinic alongside other rehab sci students, 100+ hours of experience with fieldwork in a variety of healthcare settings as part of my OT curriculum, even more time volunteering through local organizations such as soup kitchens, disabilities services orgs, etc. (200+ hours), time working in multiple veterinary clinics and settings (including a zoo) when I was trying to figure out what I was interested in during undergrad (1k+ hours)
Currently work as a registered behavior technician in the ABA field, and am CPR/first aid certified, as well as hold a few certifications for administering OT assessments that I’ve earned during my time in school. I also am currently studying for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam while in graduate school, and plan to sit for the exam next summer sometime.
I plan on practicing as an OT for at least 5-10 years since I already took out these loans, and would be applying to medical school around the time I am 30-35 years old.
I haven’t taken the MCAT yet, not sure when I should take it if I would be applying in a few years. I don’t usually do great on standardized tests, and do better in the classroom (got a 300 on the GRE, 150 quant/150 qual when I took it without studying in 2022). Also unsure if I can use only my graduate school transcripts instead of undergraduate, or if schools would look at both combined or just undergrad?
My hope is to stay local for med school above anything if possible, so I’d be looking at a mix of MD and DO programs if this is smart? I’m from the Philly area so I’d hope to find a place with schools like either of the Rowan U programs, Jefferson, PCOM, Temple, etc.
I know I’m in the very beginning steps, so any advice (whether academic advice to boost chances or otherwise) would be appreciated greatly!!
