A Q&A with MSc Occupational Therapy grad Kailee Garfield.
What’s the most exciting thing about graduating?
Being able to take everything I've learned and apply it with clients. Being set free into the professional world.
What will you miss the most about Dal?
Dal has a pretty good support system. It has a pretty good community and a system of supports if you need it. And that sense of community is something you can't find anywhere. Being able to go chat with your professor or chat with a classmate and feel that like you are not being judged and feel that people are being open is something that you don't get everywhere.”
Do you remember any “lightbulb” moments during your time here?
The guest speakers that would come in and share their experiences and shed some light on why our profession is important and why health care is important as a whole. It shed some light on the people you will be interacting with and why it is you're doing what you're doing. Listening to peoples' firsthand experiences. What disabilities, barriers, hardships or difficulties they faced and how occupational therapy helped them overcome those things.
Who or what influenced you the most during your studies?
I was fortunate to have a good set of preceptors. Through our clinical experience we get that one person who is to help guide you and figure out the profession. I was really fortunate to have a diverse group of preceptors who were very informative and very helpful. Each one of them influenced me in a positive way. They got me excited for my career and excited for what's to come.
What’s next for you?
I am currently working as an OT in the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Right now, I am focusing on getting as much experience as I can in a rural area. My end goal is to become a certified hand therapist. Hands and hand therapy require specific thinking. As an abstract thinker, I find it challenges me a lot. It's an area in which you can always learn from and develop your skills.