Navigating UIC as a

Pre - OT Student
Pre-OT Club at UIC
General Body Meeting #2
October 11, 2016

Agenda

Announcements
HOT CHOCOLATE RUN

Membership Forms and Dues

Sunday, October 30th!

Sign up link at http://preotclubuic.weebly.com/upcomingevents.html
Due November 1st (3rd GBM!) at 5pm
Turn in today after the meeting or at the next meeting

Third GBM

OT Panel on Tuesday, November 1st from 5-5:50pm

Agenda

Todays Meeting
Presentation by eboard
Feel free to ask questions at any point!
Break out into small groups
Ice breakers
Questions, comments, or suggestions to other
members that were not covered
Club discussion

Agenda
Volunteering

Shadowing

Succeeding in
Prerequisites

Joining UIC
Student
Organizations

Urban Health
Program

Research

Honors
College

Mapping out
OT schools

Disclaimer
This presentation was developed by the 2016-2017 PreOT Eboard
Designed to provide members resources, information, and
recommendations in order to become a stronger applicant
for OT school
Does not necessarily reflect the views of UIC or any UICaffiliated department
This PowerPoint will be emailed to you this week!

2016-2017 Eboard
Ricardo
President
Mariana
Vice
President

Sophia
Secretary
&
Treasurer

Christina
Akorede
Event
Public Relations
Coordinator

Kaylah
Event Coordinator

Volunteering

Photo booth picture from the Volunteer Appreciation Event

Left to Right: Kinga Mateja (Volunteer Services Manager at UI Health),
Daelyn Steed (UI Health Volunteer), Kaylah Bryant (UI Health
Volunteer)

Volunteering
Volunteering is important to not only give back to your
community but also to advance your skills and knowledge
of the field of work you choose to pursue a career in.
You want to make sure you get a variety of different
settings
Hospital
Therapy Facility for Adults and Children
Nursing Homes

Volunteering
Recording your hours is really important
Excel Tables
Some places record your hours for you and then give
you a copy at the end

Volunteering
UI Health (UIC
Hospital) has a
website where you
schedule hours and
then it keeps track
of how many hours
you have
completed.

Volunteering Opportunities
Little Brothers Friends
of the Elderly
(355 N. Ashland, Chicago)
Fill out form and attend an orientation:
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
from 12 to 2pm and 5:30 to
7:30pm
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
from 5:30 to 7:30pm
To register for an orientation, please call
us at 312-455-1000 or visit their website.

Access Living
Contact: Charmion Cobb, Accounting
Clerk/Volunteer Coordinator
Voicemail: 312-640-2130
Email: ccobb@accessliving.org

Contact: Ramonita Mata

Email: rmata@accessliving.org
Direct: 312.640.2182 T

Volunteering Opportunities
SPARK at UIC

Feed Chicagos homeless

No commitment or application
required
Explore beautiful Chicago
Meet new students
No entry fees
Give back to your community
Add us on Facebook or text
636-465-4365 if you have
questions
https://youtu.be/4Dhxokom8A4

MDA Summer Camp

Christina: Hardest but most

rewarding week of my life.
Long, tedious application but
worth it

https://vimeo.com/171013594

Volunteering Opportunities
Gigis Playhouse

chicago@gigisplayhouse.org
Down Syndrome Achieve
Centers

3948 N. Lincoln
Chicago, IL 60613
773.583.PLAY (7529)

Julie Michael Tracy

Family Foundation
Urban autism solutions
http://jmtf.org
info@jmtf.org

See Healthcare
Volunteering
Opportunities handout
for more
recommendations!

Shadowing

Shadowing
2-3 settings (inpatient, outpatient, pediatrics, geriatrics,
etc)
Amount required by schools varies
Usual minimum: 20-30 hours
Usual maximum: 70-80 hours
Done to learn more about OT!
Dress professionally

Shadowing
1. UIC OT directory search or Google search
2. Do research on the OT/facility you want to shadow at
(area of expertise, community involvement, interests, past
and current projects)
3. Email the OT/facility explaining that you would like to
observe/shadow them if at all possible after explaining
why you are interested in them or the facility.

Shadowing: Potential Contacts

Anna Blazevic
OT, Certified Health and
Wellness Coach
ablaze2@uic.edu
312-413-0883

Thomas Daguinsin
OT Specialist
Adult Physical Disabilities Team at UIC
tdaguin@uic.edu
312-996-3700

Vanessa Barbosa
Early Intervention Program
Research Assistant Professor at
UIC
OT in Brazil for 5 years at Public
Maternity Hospital
vbarbo1@uic.edu
312-996-4217

Kavitha Krishnan
Specialist OT in Pediatrics at University of
Illinois Medical Center
kavithak@uic.edu
312-355-4394

Shadowing: Potential Contacts

Athletico Physical
Therapy
ATI
North Shore Pediatric
Therapy
Local hospitals in the
suburbs

Shadowing: Tracking Hours

Create a log to keep track of shadowing hours!

Shadowing: Observation Journal

Shadowing: Email Template

Hello!

My name is <name> and I am currently a <grade level> at UIC on a preoccupational therapy track. I was wondering if there was an opportunity for me to
shadow an occupational therapist at <facility name> in the near future.
I've done observations before at <list of past facilities shadowed> but I am
currently seeking additional observation hours. If this may be a possibility, it would
be greatly appreciated if I would be able to get more information. Attached is my
resume and CV.
Thanks so much!
Regards,
<Email signature>

Shadowing: Helpful Articles

https://gottabeot.wordpress.com
/2015/05/19/how-to-getoccupational-therapyobservation-hours/

https://gottabeot.wordpress.com
/2015/05/25/how-to-get-otobservation-hours-6-things-toknow-before-you-shadow-an-ot/

Succeeding in
Prerequisites

What are the prereqs? (UIC OT)

Introduction to anthropology, sociology, or social psychology

Child psychology or child development, and abnormal psychology
Statistics
Human anatomy with 30 hours of human cadaver lab study required
Human physiology with lab, covering all structures and functions of the
body
Recommended medical terminology course

See Pre-OT prerequisite handout!

Studying and/or Struggling with the

Material
Professors Office hours:
Be transparent when the material is not easy for you. If
the professor is too intimidating for you then go to one of
the resources below or TA office hours.
Study Groups:
Get to know your classmates in order to understand and
enhance your knowledge in the subject. Teach it to know
it is very true (especially for KN251/252).
Resources, resources, resources!
They are a great place to go to help you with these
courses.

KN 251/252 Recommendations
Take the class with a manageable workload from other classes
Attend discussion!
Spend as much time in lab as you can and attend as many lab review sessions
as you can.
Organize yourself by week!
Complete lectures for the week before the week begins (Week 4 lectures done
during Week 3).
Go to ASAP to review with peers and to test yourself using past exams.
Once you understand concepts, use various resources to enhance your
knowledge so you are able apply it (ex: Atlases, textbook, online atlases,
videos, etc.)
Go to professors office hours! They are very friendly and knowledgeable.
Use your UPMs. Theyve been through the material before so it is easier to
communicate with them.
DONT STRESS but do take the class seriously.

UIC Resources
LARES
Latin American Recruitment and
Educational Services Program
Suite 2640, Student Services
Building
AAAN
Student Services Building
1200 W Harrison Street, Suite
2800 (M/C 237)
Chicago, IL 60607-7164
Honors College Tutoring
M-F: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
BH 220

Writing Center
105 Grant Hall
ASAP
Academic Support and Advising
Program
Room 356, PEB
901 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Science Learning Center
SLC, Room 201 in the Science and
Engineering South Building

Joining UIC Student

Organizations

Student Orgs at UIC

Did you know there are tons of orgs at UIC? Here is a categorical
grouping of the registered orgs at UIC. You are bound to find at least one
youre into.

Academic (60)
Athletics (8)
Business (4)
Cultural (49)
Faith-Based (33)
Greek (9)
Honorary (11)
Leadership (9)
Media (5)
Other (10)

Performance Arts (13)

Political/Social Issues (21)
Professional (87)
Programming Board (2)
Recreation/Leisure (6)
Residence Halls (1)
Service (38)
Special Interest (11)
Sport Club (18)
Student Governance (8)
University (36)

Why YOU should get involved with

orgs at UIC
Informative
Pre-professional organizations
Make friends
Connections
Student to student
President of an organization can serve as a
reference
Student to faculty
Building relationships with faculty is important

Why YOU should get involved with

orgs at UIC
Honors College Activities
Being in a leadership position
Service trips
Practice
Team work
Leadership skill build up
Logistical skill development
Impact your community
SPARK
Exposure to problems in the Chicagoland area

Urban Health
Program
(UHP)

What is UHP?
UHP seeks to expand educational, career and
research opportunities for these populations at all
academic levels in order to develop
underrepresented racial/ethnic minority health
care professionals, faculty, and researchers with
the goal of eliminating health disparities and
advance health equity.

UHP & AHS Commitment

UHP will work directly with students to advocate
student issues.
Help students develop personal statements for
admissions and scholarships.
UHP will provide one on one career counseling
regarding career aspirations.

UHP Services to AHS

Test preparation (GRE)

Academic advising
College major and career exploration
Professional development workshops
Graduate and professional school information
Referrals to campus resources

UHP AHS Contact Information

Kenneth Morgan
1919 W Taylor Street (AHSB)
Office Number: Rm 726
Phone: (312) 355-3011
kmorgan@uic.edu
http://uhealth.uic.edu/

Research at
UIC

Photo credit: https://news.uic.edu/campus-falls-into-november

Research at UIC
Undergraduate research can supplement your
coursework and connect you to other professors
Doesnt necessarily have to be in OT
Can be in PSCH, KN, DHD, etc

Research at UIC
Volunteer, paid, or academic credit
Summer programs at UIC
UIC Summer Research Opportunities Program
UIC Summer Undergraduate Research
Program on Health Disparities

Research at UIC

https://ure.uic.edu/for_students.php

UIC Honors
College

Photo credit: https://www.honors.uic.edu/tutoring/

UIC Honors College Benefits

Small, tight-knit community

Honors advising
Scholarship opportunities
Honors Signature Programs exposure to
popular culture and history
Matching with a Faculty Fellow based on your
interests and major
Transfer information:
https://www.honors.uic.edu/transfer-applicationprocess/

Mapping out
OT Schools

Mapping out OT Schools

Start visiting OT schools websites for admission
information
Deadlines
Recommendation Letters
Prerequisites
GPA
Observation Hours
GRE
Etc
Know ahead of time!

OT School Excel Sheet

Breakout Sessions
Divide into 4 groups

Christina and Akorede

Kaylah
Sophia
Ricardo

Short icebreakers
Name and fun fact!
Brief discussion on the presentation
Is there anything we missed that you think should be
included?
Where have you volunteered? Shadowed?
Have you started looking at OT schools?

Club Debrief
Questions for OTs for November 1st panel
What was talked about in the breakout sessions?

Contact us!
Feel free to always email
us at our UIC emails or
preotclubuic@gmail.com
Set up a one-on-one
meeting
Feel free to give us
feedback on the meeting
Dues will be collected in
the hallway due to
incoming class at 6pm

Ricardo

Mariana

rdramir2@uic.edu

mreyes40@uic.edu

Sophia

Kaylah

scadet2@uic.edu

kbryan6@uic.edu

Christina

Akorede

chovat2@uic.edu

aoladi2@uic.edu