Jim Dennis
Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR)
Multiple Companies
Stockton, CA USA
“Possible naysayers, who barely know you and who have no idea what flame is inside of you, deserve little attention.”
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I had to move away from home to go to the university that had the degree I was seeking.
I was married and then had a child during my college years.
I had to "work for free" for 6 months, during my internship, and then had to work at night and the weekends to pay for living expenses.
I injured my knee in college and had to search for a non-invasive way to heal it.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Westmoor High School
Westmoor High School
Career
Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR)
Home Health Care: improving independence for adults who are recovering from various illnesses and diseases.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Science
Education
Helping People
Day to Day
I see my first of 5-6 patient's at 9:00am. I spend between 30-60 minutes with them in their place of residence. I will then provide specific Occupational Therapy principles to help them to achieve the mutually agreed upon goals, in hopes of maximizing their independence at home. An example would be to help a person suffering from the effects of a stroke, to learn to perform their daily activities in adaptive ways, as well as working with functional use of the impaired arm.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
I believe that in order to apply for an Occupational Therapy program, you have to observe someone in an Occupational Therapy setting for 40 hours. This will help you to see the reality of what it might be like to actually work with clients and what skills are needed to complete the job competently. You should then check in with yourself and try to picture yourself performing these tasks. Does it "feel" comfortable or are you panicking inside your "mind's eye"?
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Teachers:
"There were a few professors and Occupational Therapy preceptors who felt that I might not be suited for this profession."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
First-Generation College Student
