Occupational Therapy Students Present on Global Topics
December 7, 2023 – First-year Occupational Therapy (OTD) students gave group presentations on global topics as they relate to occupational therapy (OT). In OT, the term occupation refers to any daily activity that helps bring meaning to a person’s life. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists outlines occupations as “things people want to, need to, and are expected to do in their lives.”
The OTD students’ job was to research a topic that affects people globally and investigate how this issue hinders a person’s occupations. The groups presented their research and fielded questions from professors, deans, second-year students, and the president of the college.
The students examined the following topics:
Impacts of Addiction on Society
The Global Impact of COVID
Global Depression
Domestic Violence
Child Malnutrition and Disabilities
Global Perspective on Childhood Homelessness
Sarah Ridley and Stephanie Joseph (pictured above, left to right) presented the impacts of addiction on society. Stephanie says, “We chose this topic because it’s important to educate OTs on why knowing about addiction is important in our role, so we can help find ways for addicts to find meaning in their lives.”
Sarah says, “This topic is a global concern with the increasing access to drugs, such as opioids.” She has personal experience working alongside people who are recovering from addictions and working to start over. She says, “I have seen their success stories and know these are people and not just statistics.”
The six different presentations looked at social issues and how someone might be affected by them and how an OT might help create a solution and care. Students explained their topics along with the idea of occupational justice and how the lack of access to care, education, and resources further hinders healing and a fulfilling life.
Both Sarah and Stephanie agree this collaborative project was a powerful way to end their first semester. They noted all the presentations had one shared characteristic: When people experience an obstacle, it impacts every occupation in their lives, and the whole person must be considered while treating clients.
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