150 students do flash mob dance in U of A Quad to promote occupational therapy

About 150 occupational therapy students from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine led a flash mob dance in Quad on Wednesday, October 6th at 12:50 PM. (A flash mob dance is when a large group of people assemble suddenly in a public place and perform an unusual or unique dance for a brief time, then disperse).
What was the occasion? October is National Occupational Therapy (OT) Month and the U of A's MSc OT students are organizing, for the second time, a national competition called gOT Spirit? to promote OT and build awareness about OT.

Brianna Boyle, second year MSc OT student, choreographed the dance. "Dance and movement is a universal language and I love that it brings people together."

Alongside members of iDance, a program for individuals with or without disabilities that explores a variety of traditional dance forms in an inclusive environment, the students handed out postcards to educate people on what occupational therapy is and what an occupational therapist does.

So what is OT? Occupational therapy enables people to participate in activities and occupations that are meaningful to them. Working in schools, hospitals and clinics, occupational therapists help people of all ages and backgrounds: children with mental or physical disabilities, adult mental health, long term care and geriatrics, military rehabilitation and more. From the mom who wants to be able to use her hands to make lunch for her son, to the joint replacement patient who needs a wheelchair, OTs help clients pursue their best and live life to the fullest.

About the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
As the only free standing faculty of rehabilitation in Canada, the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine balances its activities among learning, discovery and citizenship (including clinical practice). A research leader in musculoskeletal health, spinal cord injuries and common spinal disorders (back pain), the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine aims to improve the quality of life of citizens in our community. The three departments, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Pathology and Audiology (SPA) offer professional entry programs. The Faculty offers thesis-based MSc and PhD programs in Rehabilitation Science, attracting students from a variety of disciplines including OT, PT, SLP, psychology, physical education, medicine and engineering.