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An Exploration Of Experiences That Influence Occupational Therapy Students' Motivations To Pursue Occupational Therapy As A Career, Kayla-Marie Bartolome Gigante, Alyssa Cantrell, Michelle Nguyen, Garrett Teagarden

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Occupational therapy (OT) is a client-centered healthcare profession that uses therapeutic activities to increase an individual’s, group’s, or population's participation in meaningful activities, otherwise known as occupations. The general underlying factors that motivate one’s decision to choose this career path is well established within the existing literature. However, research into the experiences of students working alongside an occupational therapist (OT) prior currently faces a significant gap. The aim of this study is to identify and understand what first-hand experiences of OT brought OT students to pursue a career in occupational therapy. Through the lens of narrative inquiry, participants were given …