OTD

I am in my third semester of my OTD (Occupational Therapy Doctorate) program and it is starting to get real. Each semester has been so time pertinent to the changes that were occurring within my work program. It has worked well considering that the program is a clinical doctorate program so all my practical work is done within my workplace environment on workplace topics and events.

These past few weeks I have been starting to delve into the realm of IRB (institutional review board) procedures and my long term doctoral project. It was a whirlwind of a week, but now I am finally coming back down to earth, my pulse and stress level are back to normal, and I am starting to feel like I can very soon become a real researcher. In many ways I still feel like I need a bit of "hand-holding" in all of this, but then I read an re-read and re-read processes and realize that I can do this. Never did I consider that I would ever move into the realm of actual research and being one of those "names" known in the MN OT realm. However, it is getting real. I am in the process of establishing a pilot project at work. An undertaking I would not have thought to attempt in years past, but confidence in doing curriculum writing at work the past 2 years and 2 1/2 OTD course under my belt have turned me into a different person. Hopefully this isn't the beginning to a career of insanity doing and writing up research, but maybe that can just be a full time gig and I can forget about all the paperwork in my current role ;).

Anyway, it amazes me that a year ago I was just starting to think about the potential to apply to this program. I was nearing the end of my pregnancy, crazy busy at work, and delving into potentially starting a doctoral program with a newborn in tow. How things have changed in a year! I'm actually doing it and with flying colors thus far. A year from now I will be preparing to submit my doctoral proposal for acceptance and 2 years from now if all goes well, you can all start calling me doctor ;).