OT Placement Student Spotlight: Tara Kapoor

Tara Kapoor, a second-year occupational therapy student, is drawn to the holistic nature of OT practice; collaborating with clients to work on their physical, mental and emotional health and overall wellness is important to her. Bringing creativity and problem-solving skills to each unique situation, she enjoys finding innovative solutions for her clients. 

Tell us about your recent placement.
I completed my placement in Camrose, Alberta at Rosehaven, a mental health long-term care centre for older adults experiencing/exhibiting behaviours that require specific living conditions. As a Level 1 student OT, my role was primarily to look, listen, learn and try leading OT initiatives. At Rosehaven, OTs were responsible for cognitive assessments, group and individual programming, dysphagia and mobility aids. 

I had a wonderful experience at Rosehaven! My preceptor and the whole rehabilitation team were so welcoming and willing to teach me. I was able to shadow all the members of the interdisciplinary team, which gave me a much better understanding of how all the roles fit together. I was also able to form strong relationships with the residents on my caseload and create individualized mental health programming for them.

What did you learn and/or what impacted you the most?
I learned so much about building therapeutic relationships and different strategies to engage others in meaningful occupations. I also learned a great deal about the effects of different conditions, which I will carry with me into my interactions with future clients. The experience that impacted me the most was participating in a virtual dementia tour. Plastic spikes were inserted in my shoes, gloves were put on my hands and I wore vision-altering glasses and headphones around my ears. Of the five tasks I was supposed to complete, I can confidently say I completed none! It taught me so much about how overwhelming and disorienting dementia can be, and how some of these factors are also present in mental health conditions like schizophrenia.

How will you apply what you learned to your professional and student life?
I will apply what I have learned to my professional life by interacting with all clients with patience and empathy, even more so than I used to.

Where did you experience the most personal growth through this experience?
Having done a rural placement, I think I experienced the most personal growth in figuring out what a work-life balance can look like after school. It was a vastly different experience to be working a nine-to-five job and living on my own, so I got the chance to develop a routine without the added stressors of homework, assignments and exams.

What will you take with you into the profession?
I had a lot of important conversations with my preceptor about not bringing work home, and having healthy relationships/boundaries with clients. We discussed how work can be an extremely valuable part of who you are without taking over other aspects of your life. I will take her teachings with me into the future by setting my own professional boundaries early and having distinct practices that help me separate work/home.

What do you see in your future as an occupational therapist?
I went into the program thinking that I would definitely work with kids once I graduated, but having the opportunity to participate in placements with different demographics has inspired me to keep an open mind when it comes to my future as an occupational therapist.

Would you recommend that students take part in placements?
I would highly recommend that students take part in placements because that is truly where the learning occurs! There is so much to learn that lectures and even practical labs cannot teach. Being present and active in a real workplace gives you access to meaningful practice that can positively affect others!

What advice would you like to share with future students in this program?
My biggest piece of advice for future students in the program is to go with the flow. Take what you can from the program and put in the work to learn as much as you can, but really take care of yourself. We learn so much about engaging in meaningful occupations and the balance of wellness, however, it can be difficult to apply it to ourselves with the high demands of the program. Remember your health and wellness always comes first, and things have a funny way of working out in the end!