Personal Statement: A Career As A Career For Accupational Therapy

I remember when my father sat me up on a table to wrap my sprained ankle after a bad fall in gymnastics. He lectured me while handing me crutches and pulled me back onto my feet. “You have to take it easy until it heals,” he said, as he continued to teach me how to properly apply my own bandages, ice my ankle and safely walk. This experience was not something new to me. As a family physician, my father’s job was to educate people on how to improve their health and the steps they could take to recover and return to their original lifestyles. I grew up working alongside him in his clinic, where he taught me how to practice both preventative and rehabilitative care. My father’s tenacious work ethic inspired me to provide the best care possible throughout all my experiences and cultivated my desire to become an occupational therapist.
However, when my father suffered a serious stroke that landed him in a rundown Mexican hospital, I truly began

Being an assistant teacher at the Chinese Information and Service Center, as well as conducting mock interviews for naturalization, really challenged me to teach through language barriers and understand the needs of my students. I enjoyed watching them grow through learning and being able to implement various teaching methods that promoted individual improvement. Furthermore, volunteering at the University of Washington and Evergreen Medical Center taught me effective communication when dealing with patients and families under tremendous stress and pain. It additionally exposed me to the fast-paced world of healthcare and the importance of remaining calm to efficiently solve problems at a moment 's notice. My volunteer experiences have not only enhanced my teaching skills, but improved how I manage high stress situations and inspired me to stay connected to my