Anyone studying Occupational Therapy? What’s placement like?

Hi Jasmine,
I've just finished my undergaduate degree in occupational therapy, in London, and i had a real mix of placements, from acute inpatient to charities. The best advice I can give, if you're anxious about the travel, is to do some practice runs before you actually start the placement, both by driving and public transport to see what works better for you. Once you know where you're going and how to get there, you can start to make a plan and will (hopefully) start to feel a bit more confident (the unknown can be scary). I know its tough and sounds cliche, but try and remember that the placements are just temporary; 7 weeks at a time, so take each one day by day. Having a group chat with the rest of your cohort will also help, and you can support each other through it. It's nice to have other people understand what you're going through at the other end of a whatsapp message.
Also, each hospital has lots of departments - each with their own OT: older people services, neuro, orthopaedic and trauma, paediatrics, community rehab, mental health, post-surgery, ED admission avoidance etc... so it's possible that a lot of your cohort can be accommodated at the same local site (a lot of my cohort spent time at the same hospitals). Add that to the fact that OT can also be found in charities, schools, prisons etc... So if you talk to your tutors and let them know about your anxiety, hopefully they can try and arrange a range of different local placements for you (I do know that placements are like gold-dust though, so this may not always be possible but worth a shot).
Honestly, I think you've made the right decision to step out of your comfort zone by applying for an OT degree. Personally, it's the best decision I ever made and I found that placement was one of the best aspects of the course. Good luck with it all, I'm sure you will smash it. Let me know if you have any questions about OT courses in general. 🙂

Thank you, MatureOT for your insight and reply to my post. I love how you have gone into so much detail, it’s really appreciated. Congratulations on finishing your degree, that’s a massive achievement.
I have my interview for the course next week. It’s only a 15 minute teams individual interview which I feel relieved about as I’ve seen others have a full day with both group and individual interviews. Did you have an interview? What kind of questions were you asked? I feel somewhat prepared but just doubting myself lol
Thanks again 🙏🙏

I am hopefully doing a masters degree in OT next year (January) and will have four placements over the two years in different sectors which are 7 weeks each time.
Both unis I applied to said placements could be as far as an hour away from the university and I’ll be honest it kind of made me anxious. I am only just about to get my driving license you see and not exactly a confident driver as of yet. For context I live in Nottingham and have been told I could be in Birmingham, Yorkshire, or towards Northampton.
I have suffered with anxiety for the past 5 years due to issues in my home life and finally made the step to do the masters and now I am doubting myself hugely.
How do you cope with this?

Yes, I had an individual teams interview as well. They're nothing to worry about, they just want to make sure that you understand what an OT does and see whether you will be able to handle the course. Make sure that you consider the 6 C's of the NHS in some of your answers. Also remember that OT is a holistic and person-centred profession, so when giving your answers remember to consider how you will work together with the patient (and their family/carers/support network - this is important) and the larger healthcare team. They will also be looking for your motivation that led you to OT and postgrad study (so will probably ask about your undergrad degree). Best advice I can give is to be yourself, no-one knows your reasons and application better than you. Be genuine, honest and enthusiastic and you cant go far wrong. Also think of a couple of questions that you can ask them at the end (whether this is placement/university/course related - this will help to show your enthusiasm for the course/uni). If they ask you any scenario related questions, take a look at the STAR approach to answering questions (uni's love this lol). Good luck with it. You're going to smash it!

Hi @JasmineAcademic ,
I hope you're well 🙂 Just like the above rep mentioned, going on practice driving runs would really help! Of course going on Placement does get tiring with the travel and can take a toll but do ensure you have sufficient time to yourself and are actively using strategies to have a work/home life balance.
Honestly, driving as a newbie can be tough! Everyone goes through it at some point and the best advice I would give is to get out onto the road and practice. In the beginning maybe go locally or to the supermarkets etc, and gradually increase the distance you drive. Eventually, attempt to drive without a second person in the passenger seat so you become comfortable alone and with time you'll definitely get there. It takes time and you can't expect yourself to be perfect so be patient and you will soon see the fruits of your labour!! 😁
Enrolling on the OT degree is a fantastic step and one you will hopefully thank yourself for later in the future. It takes so much courage to do that despite struggles, and shows your desire to make a difference. Ensure you're getting the necessary support from peers/friends or your close circle and don't go through the tough times alone. You will do really well going forward!! Best of luck with the MSc and if you have any questions at all OT related don't hesitate to ask 🙂
~Zaynab
University of Bradford

Hi Zaynab,
Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it 🙂
I got accepted to the course yesterday and have confirmed my place. My placement will be next June so I have a year now to get my driving better and feel more confident. I just need to keep trying like you have said. I cannot wait to start the course, I have been wanting this for soo long.
Can I ask what the fitness to practice meeting was about? I think it’s a meeting. It said on my confirmation email I would need a DBS and fitness to practice. I’ve been reading online and worried myself, with me having anxiety this might negatively impact me lol!!
Thanks for your help again, I appreciate it!