For occupational therapy student Briana Ryan, studying at Monash runs in the family. From a young age, Briana’s father inspired her with stories about his experiences as an engineering student and the opportunities on offer at Monash. Combining her creative thinking and problem-solving skills with an interest in healthcare led Briana to studying occupational therapy.

“I have always considered myself an innovative individual who likes to tackle challenges requiring creative solutions; and with my heart set on a career in healthcare, I stumbled across occupational therapy. After speaking with Monash staff who coordinated the course, I remember being in awe of their passion. “A physiotherapist will teach you how to walk,” one of the staff members said to me. “However, an occupational therapist will teach you to dance.”

While I didn’t fully grasp how that was possible, I was instantly intrigued. A career in healthcare where I had to be creative? Sign me up!”

Briana’s understanding and appreciation for occupational therapy has grown through her studies, allowing intrigue to become a deep-seated passion.

“I love that occupational therapy involves recognising the patient as a case unlike any other, therefore we have to be creative and flexible in our thinking to help this person. Some people may want to dance, others may want to play basketball, learn at school or drive a car, and it is up to the occupational therapist to find ways to help this person achieve what they need or want to do.

Throughout my course, I have been involved in lots of case scenarios where I worked by myself or within a team to come up with solutions to simulated patients’ concerns. Some of these scenarios have involved writing social stories for children on the autism spectrum, creating splints for burns victims, designing an ergonomic workspace for office workers, and implementing visual cues to help people with memory difficulties complete their day-to-day tasks.”

By undertaking her placements in different areas, Briana was able to put what she had learned in the classroom into practice.

“Placements bring a whole new level of learning; I was now administering the assessment tools and therapy interventions I had learnt about during my theory classes and learning how to professionally interact with patients.

I had to be flexible and patient in the hospital setting as patients can be unpredictable and their conditions often fluctuate. My role in the hospital involved administering cognitive testing to determine the severity of delirium in the patient, creating visual cues to aid with reorientation, leading bathroom and meal preparation retraining sessions, and completing one-on-one upper limb stroke rehabilitation exercises.”

Finally, Briana has some important advice for any students looking to pursue occupational therapy at Monash.

“I would highly recommend visiting the Monash Open Day at the Peninsula campus and joining the Discover Monash webinars.

Monash also has a wonderful club specific to occupational therapists. They host free food sessions, mentoring, joint parties with the other health clubs, and the amazing Occupational Therapy Ball. You will meet so many like-minded people and Monash sets you up with the tools, experience, and knowledge to pursue a meaningful career in occupational therapy.”

Find out more about the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) degree