Kara Travanti, Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at Pitt.
After receiving my undergraduate degree in Rehabilitation and Health Services from Penn State, I came to the University of Pittsburgh to pursue a Doctor in Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree through the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS).
Choosing Pitt OTD
While I initially applied to five other schools, once I discovered that occupational therapy was the career path for me, Pitt OTD was my top choice. First, the program’s high ranking of third in the nation and first in Pennsylvania made it very intriguing for me. I wanted to attend this program and learn from its passionate, devoted, and skilled faculty members. In addition, I had a friend from my undergraduate degree that was in the OTD program and spoke very highly of the courses, faculty, and various hands-on experiences. Being a hands-on learner, I appreciate the variety of simulations and fieldwork experiences built into the Pitt OTD curriculum. Aside from all the innovative and exceptional learning opportunities Pitt OTD offers, growing up in a town north of Pittsburgh also played a role in helping me choose this program. I believe this city has so much to offer and allows me to grow both professionally and personally, for which I am forever grateful. In addition, once I was accepted into the program, I got the opportunity to talk with a faculty member via Zoom to learn more about the program, which was a nice transition into the OTD program.
Travanti (right) and her fieldwork educator, Devon Figgins (left), at her level II fieldwork experience at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Sarasota, Florida.
Experience in the Pitt OTD Program
My two 12-week level II fieldwork experiences were my favorite hands-on aspects of the OTD program. I did my first 12 weeks at The Watson Institute- Education Center in Sewickley, PA, and my second 12 weeks at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Sarasota, FL. I learned so much throughout these 24 weeks and feel grateful for these experiences as they truly prepare you for the career ahead.
Aside from our fieldwork courses, where we get experience working in a supervised clinical setting, the course called “Activity / Context Theory and Practice” was one of my favorite courses. I took this in my second semester and feel that this was one of the first hands-on courses in the program where I got the opportunity to learn about the concepts and skills required to fulfill the role of an occupational therapist, as well as the analysis and adaptation of human occupational performance. In addition, there were weekly labs that helped prepare us with skills such as transfers and mobility, and mobility and positioning. Overall, I really enjoyed this class because I got to learn material and techniques that prepared me for not only my fieldwork experiences, but also for my future career.
During my time at Pitt, I have built meaningful connections with faculty members and colleagues in my program. There are faculty, like Professor Pamela Toto, Professor Denise Chisholm, Assistant Professor Cara Lekovitch, Assistant Professor Kelsey Voltz-Poremba and Assistant Professor Jennifer White, who I can turn to for help, for a listening ear about school or non-related topics or for advice about my future, and I truly appreciate that. In addition, I have met some of the most amazing people in this program that I will be friends with forever.
Beyond Graduation
Travanti (right) at her white coat ceremony with Professor Denise Chisholm (left), Travanti’s academic advisor and faculty mentor.
After I graduate this spring, my plan is to move to New York and work with children with disabilities or in a pediatric inpatient rehabilitation facility. I am also very interested in working with older adults with cognitive impairments, so I am also thinking about applying for an on-call position with older adults in a dementia care facility.
I truly appreciate the hands-on experience that we get across the duration of Pitt’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, including fieldwork rotations, simulations, volunteer experiences, projects within the curriculum and labs that prepare us for our future career. I also really love getting to meet so many new people along the way, including my peers, the faculty, mentors, educators, and patients.
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Written by: Kara Travanti (OTD ‘24)
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