Thinking about applying to occupational therapy school? I recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Christine Myers, Director of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program at the University of Florida, to gain insight into what makes a competitive application. Read on for her expert advice and tips for prospective students, shared in a Q&A format below.
General Tips
Q: What makes an applicant a strong candidate for the UF Doctor of Occupational Therapy program?
A: Strong candidates demonstrate a high GPA (most of our admitted students have a junior and senior year GPA above 3.4), with most prerequisite courses completed. A mix of service, leadership or research, and academic experiences will strengthen their application. Examples include work or volunteer experiences with persons with disabilities or in healthcare settings, academic accomplishments, experiences that increase their potential to connect with and support communities that are different from themselves, leadership roles in service or work organizations, and/or participation in research activities. It is also important that they understand what occupational therapy is and can articulate that in their personal statement. They are only required to do 30 hours of shadowing, but they need to shadow in at least two different settings to see the breadth of the profession.
Importance of Leadership Skills
Q: You’ve stated that strong candidates for your program have demonstrated leadership skills. What are some examples of the kinds of leadership experiences that you look for, and why is this skill so important in occupational therapy?
A: Opportunities for leadership can be found in many different areas, including student organizations, student athletics, faith-based clubs and groups, and work settings. Some examples we see from prospective applicants include serving on the executive board of a student organization, working as an assistant manager at a retail or food service job, or acting as the lead counselor for a summer camp. Successfully taking on a leadership role builds many skills, including time management, problem-solving, conflict resolution, decision-making abilities, and effective communication. Most of all, leadership roles help to increase confidence, self-awareness, and collaboration skills which are crucial to occupational therapists working in healthcare teams.
Working with Different People
Q: You’ve also mentioned that it is important for students to show that they’ve spent time with people who are different from them. What is the value in this, and what are some ways that you’ve seen students gain this exposure?
A: Everyone receives healthcare at some point in their lives. When applicants spend time with individuals who are different from them in one or more ways, besides disability status (i.e. age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status), they are more prepared to understand the lives of their patients, and we believe, that they will be better occupational therapists. Applicants may gain this exposure through volunteering with organizations, working in healthcare or educational settings, or engaging in study abroad or mission trips. For Florida residents, there are many ways to engage in opportunities to learn more about others because the regions and sub-regions of our state vary extensively. Here are just a few examples: volunteering with
organizations that support unhoused families, working in a hospital or clinic that serves primarily Spanish-speakers if the applicant is not fluent in Spanish, and working as a paraprofessional for an elementary school in a low socioeconomic status area if this is different from the applicant’s background. Spending time with others who have a different disability status, if the applicant does not have a disability, is covered in the applicant’s shadowing hours, however, having other experiences working or volunteering with persons who have disabilities may also strengthen the application.
Personal Statement Advice
Q: What makes a strong personal statement? What are the things applicants should avoid in their personal statements?
A: A strong personal statement should answer the prompt completely. Within the applicant’s response, they should be able to clearly articulate their understanding of occupational therapy and provide at least one example of what they have observed or experienced related to occupational therapy to support their understanding.
The statement should integrate the following into their experiences: 1) why the applicant is a good fit for the UF OTD program based and 2) what they will bring to the profession of OT. Also, applicants should be very careful about using artificial intelligence to generate their statements. If reviewers suspect that AI was used, they may question the applicant’s integrity, and it could hurt their chances of admission.
Applicants should try to keep their personal statement to two pages, double-spaced, 12-point font. Reviewers are reading many of these and appreciate a concise statement.
Final Thoughts
Q: Is there anything else that you would like potential applicants to the program to know?
A: Applicants should educate themselves about the University of Florida and the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program before they apply. They should learn about the differences between UF’s doctoral program (three-year program) and the master’s programs (two-year programs) in occupational therapy that are offered in other universities. Both degree options will lead to a career in occupational therapy, but some applicants may be better suited for one or the other. We encourage all prospective applicants to attend one of our online information sessions or an in-person open house session. They can register on our website (https://phhp.ufl.edu/academics/phd-and-professional-programs/occupational-therapy-doctorate/).
