Personal statement

When I was a student in PolyU HKCC, one of our lecturers encouraged us to join voluntary activities. My classmates and I participated voluntary work at Elderly Resources Centre under Hong Kong Housing Society. This centre is operated by occupational therapists and social workers. It provides body function tests like blood pressure, body mass index, hearing, vision, and stretching ability for old people. Other than above physical examinations, elderly’s cognitive functions like memory and attention are also assessed. Because of this voluntary work, I connected with some occupational therapists and realized the working nature of occupational therapy under elderly service. I understood that old people have to deal with progressive mental deterioration like dementia besides physical health. This will be one of the main tasks of occupational therapists due to the ageing population in Hong Kong.

Although I finished my bachelor degree in nursing, I chose not to be a registered nurse. The main reason is that I have the problem of hand tremor under medication influence. Meticulous hand movement is needed for a nurse but I cannot meet this requirement. I decide to study occupational therapy because my enthusiasm of healthcare towards elderly and people in need has not diminished. I developed the characteristic of patience during nursing placement and it is essential for an occupational therapist in providing care. Moreover, I learnt the general knowledge of different kinds of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and mental illness in nursing program. Fall risk assessment is also covered in my previous learning.

Before working as a temporary occupational therapist assistant, I completed an occupational therapy assistant training course organized by Hong Kong Association of Gerontology. One of the most useful skills learnt is lifting and transfer. This ensures the safety of patient and practitioner both. Now, I am working as a customer service executive in a university bookstore. My interpersonal skill, communication skill and time management ability are enhanced under working experience. I learn how to organize my work in a systematic way. I believe these experiences are useful for my future career as an occupational therapist.