Occupational Therapy Shadowing

Hi, I'm wondering how other OT applicants have gone about getting opportunities to shadow an occupational therapist? It seems to be proving very difficult to get anywhere. Does anybody have any advice?

I'm sorry if I've missed this already posted somewhere (I did search but found very little).

Reply 1

NishaaaR

19

Not for OT, but I'm sure you could use the same method as I did.

I went onto https://www.yell.com/ and called up every physiotherapist in the area. If they said no, I'd ask them if they were able to recommend someone who may offer it. I went through 50-60 calls and managed to get 4 work placements in private practices/hospitals.

Another thing I did was e-mail them a professional letter. I can give you my template through PM, if you'd like? With this method, I managed to get 2 work placements in NHS hospitals.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Reply 2

chuchip

OP

6

Original post by NishaaaR

Not for OT, but I'm sure you could use the same method as I did.

I went onto https://www.yell.com/ and called up every physiotherapist in the area. If they said no, I'd ask them if they were able to recommend someone who may offer it. I went through 50-60 calls and managed to get 4 work placements in private practices/hospitals.

Another thing I did was e-mail them a professional letter. I can give you my template through PM, if you'd like? With this method, I managed to get 2 work placements in NHS hospitals.

Hope this helps and good luck!

That's really helpful advice and yes please, I would love the template to take a look at. Thanks, Nishaaa!

Reply 3

NishaaaR

19

Original post by chuchip

That's really helpful advice and yes please, I would love the template to take a look at. Thanks, Nishaaa!

No worries! Check your inbox, please. :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

evantej

19

Original post by chuchip

Hi, I'm wondering how other OT applicants have gone about getting opportunities to shadow an occupational therapist? It seems to be proving very difficult to get anywhere. Does anybody have any advice?

I'm sorry if I've missed this already posted somewhere (I did search but found very little).

Work experience is difficult to gain for most of the allied health professions for obvious reasons (I am a SLT student). Given that you gain work experience in order to get onto a university course one option would be to contact your local university and see if you can have a tour around their facilities. In addition, they might also be able to tell you which OTs offer placements in your area. These are the ones who are most likely to let you shadow them as they see value in clinical education. Contacting individual people or departments is very hit and miss. Some might be quite happy to take you on but it might be against trust policy.

I would also ask anyone in your extended network if they know an OT or whether they have had any treatment themselves. The course leader of the OT programme at the university in my region actually lives in my village. Her son worked with my girlfriend. The world is usually much smaller than you think!

Reply 5

chuchip

OP

6

Original post by evantej

Work experience is difficult to gain for most of the allied health professions for obvious reasons (I am a SLT student). Given that you gain work experience in order to get onto a university course one option would be to contact your local university and see if you can have a tour around their facilities. In addition, they might also be able to tell you which OTs offer placements in your area. These are the ones who are most likely to let you shadow them as they see value in clinical education. Contacting individual people or departments is very hit and miss. Some might be quite happy to take you on but it might be against trust policy.

I would also ask anyone in your extended network if they know an OT or whether they have had any treatment themselves. The course leader of the OT programme at the university in my region actually lives in my village. Her son worked with my girlfriend. The world is usually much smaller than you think!

Thanks for your reply and excellent advice, evantej. I will add these approaches to my plan of attack. Much appreciated! I know somebody who works in a hospital who might be able to help, although they don't work in OT it's definitely worth asking. Thank you.

Reply 6

chloetiv

I'm a first year OT student- found gaining shadowing very difficult, particularly as I live in rural Wales with very little around. I literally emailed/rang every social services department and hospital within an hour and a halfs distance. I then messaged less conventional places and ended up getting a day in a driving assessment centre as well as social services.

Any questions about applying feel free to pm :smile:

Reply 7

chuchip

OP

6

Original post by chloetiv

I'm a first year OT student- found gaining shadowing very difficult, particularly as I live in rural Wales with very little around. I literally emailed/rang every social services department and hospital within an hour and a halfs distance. I then messaged less conventional places and ended up getting a day in a driving assessment centre as well as social services.

Any questions about applying feel free to pm :smile:

Thanks chloetiv, I will hold you to your questions by PM offer! :smile:

I have a few.

I'm getting the impression that the best approach is to try every angle and as much as possible, which makes sense.

Reply 8

chloetiv

Original post by chuchip

Thanks chloetiv, I will hold you to your questions by PM offer! :smile:

I have a few.

I'm getting the impression that the best approach is to try every angle and as much as possible, which makes sense.

That's fine I was exactly the same last year when I was in your position :smile:

Definitely! just keep trying no matter how many people say no- someone will eventually give you a chance!

Reply 9

Marie OT

1

Hi there,

I am applying to do OT starting in 2016. I found that emailing OTs got me nowhere but calling up OT departments in hospitals/community services really helped, and since have managed to do shadowing with OTs in a variety of settings.

Hope this helps!

Marie

Reply 10

chuchip

OP

6

Original post by Marie OT

Hi there,

I am applying to do OT starting in 2016. I found that emailing OTs got me nowhere but calling up OT departments in hospitals/community services really helped, and since have managed to do shadowing with OTs in a variety of settings.

Hope this helps!

Marie

Thanks, Marie. That definitely helps! In what sort of settings did you get to do your shadowing?

Reply 11

Marie OT

1

Original post by chuchip

Thanks, Marie. That definitely helps! In what sort of settings did you get to do your shadowing?

No worries chuchip! I managed to do a day with community Primary Care and Nuero-rehab team (visiting clients at home), a day with community Paediatrics team at their office (children came to them), a few days in an acute setting, a day in an acute MH setting, a day with a community Learning Disability team (again, visiting clients in their homes and a day at a charity that works with children who have sustained brain injury.

When I first started emailing OT departments, I never expected to get as many shadowing days as I have- speaking directly however, the OTs have all been so kind and happy to help. Try calling your local hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to OT department, and also try your local social services.

Marie

Reply 12

chloehaguee

1

Original post by chuchip

Hi, I'm wondering how other OT applicants have gone about getting opportunities to shadow an occupational therapist? It seems to be proving very difficult to get anywhere. Does anybody have any advice?

I'm sorry if I've missed this already posted somewhere (I did search but found very little).

Hey, I've managed to get myself 3 days organised so far in different settings - a rehab centre for those recovering from brain injury, my local social services OT team and an acute mental health ward within the NHS.

I found that emailing didn't get me very far however calling up directly helped as it got my a straight answer as whether they allow people to shadow or not (a lot of places don't allow it due to confidentiality reasons). Try smaller private organisations too such as care homes, rehab centres and so on - they seem easier to arrange shadowing with in my experience. Also ask around any family and friends to see if they have any connections with someone in OT - it often can help!

How much shadowing is everyone aiming for before applying? I'm struggling to fit it in along with working full time!

Reply 13

RLewis89

Hi all,

I'm considering postgrad OT and would like to do some shadowing, at this stage more to be sure this is what I want. Ultimately, I don't think I would like to work in a hospital OT department (though I fully accept that if I'm lucky enough to get onto a course, I will need to do placements in many different areas and may well change my mind and love hospitals), so I'm particularly interested in shadowing OTs who work elsewhere - in charities, schools, care homes etc but I don't really know where to begin. A couple of people in this thread have mentioned shadowing in more obscure places - how did you go about finding organisations outside of hospitals that have OTs?