Occupational Therapy students must gain scientific knowledge, observation and assessment experience, problem-solving skills, interpersonal and interprofessional communication skills as well as compassion, patience, and flexibility in order to provide
intervention to a variety of client populations. Students learn to apply their "therapeutic use of self" to engage and motivate their future clients.
The goal of the UTMB Department of Occupational Therapy is for our students to gain knowledge and experience to become confident, evidence-based, and professional entry-level occupational therapists
Marketable and transferable skills learned by our students include but are not limited to:
- Undertaking client assessments of physical, communication, interaction, psychosocial, and cognitive skills
- Planning and providing appropriate treatment and activities
- Providing documentation of services provided that are accurate, timely, complete and legible
- Giving advice and arranging support for family members, caregivers and clients
- Completing general administrative tasks, for example writing reports, making telephone calls, maintaining records and case notes
- Liaising with healthcare teams, family members, caregivers and other professionals and keeping them updated
- Planning further treatment and reviewing progress
- Assessing treatment success at multi-professional case conferences/meetings