As I sat in my freshman dorm room last spring, I was eager to learn more about my future profession of occupational therapy. I immediately applied to be a volunteer in the rehab department at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, but I wanted more.
Then I remembered a conversation Sue Ludwig and I had at a Halloween campout. There was a possibility that NANT would hire their first summer intern soon. Being a slightly reserved person and 2 years from even starting real OT school, I did not want to bother Sue. But excitement kept welling up inside of me just thinking about all the new knowledge I could absorb about therapy and the NICU by interning for NANT. So I reached out to Sue, made it through the interview process, and here I am today!
The 6 year program I am in at the University of Indianapolis allows me to acquire a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in three years and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree (OTD) three years later. This means I have two more years before I can learn anything more specific about OT. I could not wait that long! This internship, along with volunteering, has provided me with instrumental knowledge that no OT textbook could ever teach.
Every time I read a new article about neonatal therapy or listen to Sue’s stories I am reassured in my decision to become an occupational therapist. While I may not be a neonatal therapist right after graduation, I now know I am intrigued with neonatal therapy.
Since the day I could walk and talk I have had a love for babies. And the detailed anatomy and physiology of a human being regaining or preserving daily function through therapy has triggered a desire within me to be an OT. Why not blend these two passions by working as a neonatal occupational therapist? While I may have five more years of schooling and field work, this internship makes me yearn to be a therapist within the walls of the NICU, helping tender neonates thrive.
Assisting and working with THE president and founder of such an influential association made going into my first day as NANT’s summer intern a bit nerve-wracking. Being an intern and having a percentage of my workplace online was all new. However, once learning what my daily tasks and projects would be, as well as the business side of sharing documents and communication, being part of NANT’s team wasn’t so nerve-wracking. Every completed task and errand and every lesson learned about neonatal therapy brought purpose and joy to my days as an intern with NANT.
The Top 7 things I’ve learned from being a NANT Summer Intern
1. Caregivers must refuel: In order to be the best professional I can be, it is vital to step back from work and daily life to be inspired by others. I experienced this first-hand when we attended TEDx Cincinnati.
2. Learning about something you love feels more like fun than learning: I can’t put my laptop down when reading articles about neonatal therapy. Researching for NANT’s social media accounts has been one of the most prominent ways I have learned about neonatal therapy.
3. Professional terminology comes to life in the real world: I learned the real meaning of words like neonate, kangaroo care, neurodevelopment, developmental care, brachial plexus, infant driven feeding, positioning, splinting, sensory environment, SIDS, etc. Researching articles and participating in Special Topic Calls made them more than just words.
4. Business is strategic: The crucial ins and outs of running a successful national organization include strategy as well as the dedication and accountability necessary to succeed in an online workplace.
5. There are different ways to be a leader: As a leader it is important to stand up and speak, but just as important to sit down and listen.
6. I see myself as a neonatal therapist: Neonatal therapy is a growing field I yearn to be a part of.
7. Evidence Matters: When I become an OT I need to constantly ask myself, “What is the evidence for this practice?”
Without being welcomed into the NANT team this summer I would not have learned the above 7 things and more. In a few short weeks I will be back on campus with greater motivation and eagerness to take on five more years of learning!
