A Dual Perspective: A Career Pathway from Occupational Therapy Assistant to Occupational Therapist (Episode 54)

Jill Gebhard, MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist (OT) who currently practices at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI, where she holds the position of Senior Occupational Therapist. Jill's primary areas of concentration in her practice as an OT have been inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation focused on the neurological population. She also has a special interest in stroke, concussion, dementia, Parkinson's, Functional Neurological Disorder and visual deficits. Jill has completed advanced training and holds a specialty certification in low vision through ACVREP, LSVT BIG for Parkinson's, and in the use of the Interactive Metronome. In addition, she has assisted in the development of driving, low vision and cognitive programs and currently serves as an adjunct professor for Mount Mary University.Jill has a bit of an unusual career path in that she began in the field of occupational therapy as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and later went back to school to earn a Master's degree in occupational therapy, after which she worked as an occupational therapist. On this episode, she shares about that journey including how her experience and training in OTA versus OT school compared, and we talk about what "the secret sauce" of a successful OT/OTA partnership is. Resources from this episode can be found at http://www.ontheair.us