Students learn practical application and apply active learning in lecture content. Designated as a Community-Engaged Learning class.

Adult Onsite, Adult Telehealth, and Pediatric Telehealth Clinic

The Salt Lake Community College Occupational and Physical Therapy clinics provide students with educational experiences and opportunities focused on developing clinical, professional, and behavioral skills while providing pro-bono therapy services to underserved, underinsured, and uninsured community clients.

Connections

Learning Connection: Observing second-year students demonstrated the importance of adapting classroom knowledge to real-life scenarios. It reinforced the value of thinking critically about interventions for different clients and age groups, which motivated me to engage more actively in class and focus on practical applications of our studies.

Personal Growth: This experience shifted my mindset about learning, inspiring me to prepare thoughtfully and remain flexible in unpredictable situations. It showed me the importance of creativity and having backup plans, which are valuable skills both academically and personally.

Clinical Significance: Watching meaningful, client-centered activities reinforced the importance of tailoring interventions to individual client needs. This aligns with the principle of client-centered care and highlighted how flexibility and preparation can lead to more effective and engaging treatment sessions.

Real-World Application: Experiencing the adjustment of therapy plans due to limited resources taught me how to remain solution-focused and creative. Observing activities like the Nerf gun exercise showed me how to integrate therapy goals into fun, motivating activities that clients find meaningful.

Understanding Client Needs: The pediatric telehealth sessions enhanced my awareness of social cues, boundary setting, and the need to adapt activities based on attention span, mood, and energy levels, skills that are crucial for building rapport and fostering successful therapeutic outcomes.

Reflection

This semester, I got to attend six clinics—two pediatric telehealth, two adult telehealth, and two adult onsite clinics. I thought this was a fantastic experience. Not only did I learn about the patients, but I also had the chance to observe second-year students applying everything they’ve learned in real-life situations. It was inspiring and made me even more excited for next semester. 

Watching the second years completely changed my approach to learning. It helped me focus more on the practical application of what we’re studying and encouraged me to be more engaged in class. Now, as we’re learning, I think about interventions for different age groups rather than just taking notes. 

I was impressed by the second years' ability to adapt to their clients’ needs. I focused most on the pediatric telehealth clinics, which helped my understanding of social cues and boundary setting by both therapists and clients. It can be hard to determine when to push a client to complete a task and when it’s best to move on to something else. Being well-prepared with multiple options is important since the session can change depending on the client’s mood, available supplies, and energy levels. Attention span, especially with children, also influences the types of treatments you can do. Every activity I observed was meaningful to the client, which helped keep them motivated and engaged. 

During one session, the OTA had to adjust her plan completely due to a lack of supplies. She ended up focusing on stretching to address the client’s hypertonicity. I even got to feel what uncoordinated synergy patterns are like, which was eye-opening. Despite the change in plans, she incorporated a meaningful activity involving a Nerf gun and snowballs. This activity allowed us to simulate shooting in various positions and helped the client use both arms to follow the target. 

This experience aligns with the program’s objectives of building clinical reasoning and providing client-centered care. Watching the second years emphasized the importance of creativity and adaptability. You need to be able to come up with thoughtful activities targeting the client's needs and have multiple backup plans. 

This experience has helped me grow by showing me the importance of flexibility and preparation. It also showed the value of meaningful, client-centered activities. On a personal level, it has motivated me to approach learning differently. I now think critically about how interventions can be applied in real life and participate more actively in class. I feel more prepared to apply things that I learned in class to real-world scenarios.