From student to Occupational Therapist: Navigating the transition into practice

Being a student is tough, but after all the years of hard work and striving toward one goal, it’s finally over. Part of me was sad knowing I’d now have significantly less holidays, but the other part of me was beyond excited to have reached such a huge milestone. This means the countless hours of placements, exams and assignments are over. And best of all, you’ll never be referred to as ‘the student’ again.

But now, suddenly, you are the OT, you have your own caseload, you’re managing clients independently, and you are learning on the spot about the area of practice you’ve chosen. It’s stressful, but it’s also an exciting transition that you have been working towards for years.

As a new graduate, it’s very common to feel like you don’t know anything and that university hasn’t adequately prepared you. One piece of advice I was given is that ‘you aren’t supposed to know what you haven’t been taught’. That’s something I now remind myself of daily.

That is why good support and supervision is so vital in your new grad year. It’s something that my university emphasised time and time again when it comes to choosing your first job. But you don’t realise how significant it is until you actually start working. Good supervision and a supportive team can absolutely determine whether you love or hate your job. It can make you feel confident that you’ve chosen the right career path, or make you question whether OT is for you at all.

Not to be biased but I think that I chose the best workplace. Having constant access to knowledgeable OT’s who are open to answering questions and take the time to clearly explain things has made the start of my new graduate year an incredibly positive experience. As part of TRC’s new grad program, I receive weekly supervision, which means I always have the opportunity to seek guidance when I need it. I’m also in a workplace where I am able to ask questions throughout the week, so I feel consistently supported.

Transitioning to full-time work is challenging, but there are definitely some major perks that come along with it. The most obvious being that you now get paid. Life changing. Going from a student that would be working full-time hours, unpaid, to earning a salary makes it a lot easier. I remember counting down the weeks as a student until placement was over, thinking that if this was what full‑time work felt like, then you could count me out. But I have found it easier coming to work everyday when there is something to look forward to… pay day. There’s nothing better than sitting at home on a public holiday knowing you’re getting paid for doing absolutely nothing.

Although getting paid is great, there’s also so much that is rewarding about the work itself. Whether that is getting a sweet treat on your break, running a great session with a client, finishing a long report, or reaching Friday afternoon knowing the whole weekend is ahead of you. Celebrate the small wins. Take every win you get and use it as a reminder that you’re doing a good job. When a client engages in therapy, makes progress, or tells you that you’ve made a difference in any way. Take it! Your clients’ wins are your wins too.

Being a new grad isn’t easy, but I’ve been told that one day I’ll blink and suddenly I’ll have been an OT for ten years. I’ve been blinking a lot so far, but it hasn’t happened… I’m still waiting.

Remember, everyone has to start somewhere. Your supervisor who you feel like knows everything, or your manager who you think is just a never-ending bank of information, were also once new grads.

I haven’t been a qualified OT for very long, but I try and remind myself that I am trying my best, to take all feedback on (good or bad), and that first-year OT student Ava would be proud of where I am now.