Introducing the fifteenth guest of my column,a senior and a friend who is a passionate professional carrying the glitter to be the change.
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| Dr Pooja Jethani |
Dr Pooja Jethani.M.O.Th ; OTR/L, OTD '21 candidate.
She did her B.O.Th
and M.O.Th in Neurosciences from Seth GSMC and KEMh. She practiced as an Occupational therapist in adult and pediatric
population in India. Currently enrolled in a post professional Occupational therapy Doctorate Program to enhance clinical and research skills.
She has been
working on projects for cognition and Parkinson disorder. Her vision
is to improve cognitive health in neurological disorders by devising
strategies and innovative treatment methods to Occupational therapy use.
Lets read her views further
1) What is your area of interest in the field of Occupational therapy?
As
I began my internship after my bachelor's in OT, I developed a keen
interest in neurological rehabilitation. It fascinated me to to provide
rehabilitation
and influence life of patients with stroke or GBS or Parkinson's
disease and watch them get better each day. When I practiced
more in the field, I got inclined towards cognitive performance in
everyday life of people experiencing neurological disorders.
This included
cognitive training and strategy development for people who have
issues with their memory, executive functions, problem solving and help
them get back to their lives at home and in their jobs.
2) Has your profession been instrumental in building you as a person?If yes how?
I
was introduced to OT in 2008, being associated with occupational
therapy has shaped my life in the past 11 years.The best part about
being an OT is you get
to bring a change in an individual's life even with your slightest
effort, thinking from his perspective, enthusiastic for his recovery so
that it makes his life less cumbersome. It gave me a feeling of being
capable of creating a difference, being important
to the healthcare system. It developed in me dynamism and determination
for every aspect of my personal and professional life. I have been
influenced by personalities who are at the forefront of OT and hope that
I can help the profession grow with the same
passion as these people.
3)What is your opinion on the difference in research and rehabilitation practice in India and US?
In
order to work with Indian population and have better
practices, it's essential that we have research and literature to work
with our clients. Our books and resources do not always come from an
Indian source, failing to explain OT with respect to the culture in our
country. Although the teachings are the
same, there is a lot of difference in the practices of an OT in India
and US. The OT care and rehabilitation is as strong in India as in the US. Work
done by Indian healthcare systems is impressive. One big difference is Documentation. It is imperative how documentation
helps any field progress by maintaining data and records. Another
difference that I noticed was the assessment procedure. Investing time
and money in the right assessment scales and standardized measures is
utmost important. While in India assessment process
is always obligatory, it's not consistent at each phase of client
recovery. The focus should slowly be driven to evidence based practices
with stronger research and data management so that we have great future
OT's!
4) What is one change in the practice of occupational therapy that you would like to see in future?
A
collaborative approach towards healthcare and OT, joining hands with
other OT's and professionals will help us bridge the gap in our
practice. It's time we
had a broader perspective. Another factor is Innovation and use of
technology. With the world slowly becoming high on tech, we should take
our step forward to improve healthcare and OT using accessible apps,
technological devices for patient assistance and
online guidelines. This will ultimately help advocating OT and making a
global impact.
5)You have seen professionals in India and abroad,what are the similarities or differences that you have observed?
The
core purpose of healthcare throughout the world remains unchanged. You
are a healthcare professional because you want to serve humanity. And
you strive your
best to do it. The differences are more so cultural. India has a family
oriented environment, where help and support often comes from your
closed ones. Whereas, in many other parts of the world, independence is
emphasized. You may not have a positive outlook
about your relatives helping you out with everything. This plays a
major role in an OT's approach to them. Besides that, certain times
when we want to help our clients, we tend to give the most to people and
in the process may not realize the ethical limits
of our profession. We need to understand the actual meaning of OT and
how wonderfully we can impact a person staying within the scope of OT.
Your highlights:
My Professional Strength: Observational skills and creativity
My Inspirational Moment: Reading research on cognition which piqued my interests in cognitive aspects of OT
I am known for: Patience and perseverance, good communication skills as an OT
I dislike most:Disrespect towards any profession
P.S: I extend my gratitude to her for her valuable time.See you all next Saturday with another guest.
-SSW
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