What did you study? When did you graduate?
I studied a Bachelor of Applied Science (OT) at the University of Sydney and graduated In September 2020.
How did you choose your field of study?
I was always Interested In the health industry and have worked around people with disabilities since a young age as my mum was also In the Industry. I like the idea of how creative and unique OT Is, and how there are so many different areas you can go Into.
What was your interview process like?
I found the Interview process at N360 very smooth and felt Informed throughout the whole process. It was easy to ask questions and get a good understanding of what the role was going to look like.
What were your first impressions of the graduate program?
My first impression was that it was going to be a great, slow introduction into the role. It gave a great opportunity for learning and development whilst slowly increasing your clinical activity. I also liked how you were able to start learning about so many different areas of OT right from the start.
What are your areas of responsibility?
I have worked In a super wide range of areas within OT - I have been Involved In mental health, housing, neurological conditions, assistive technology, home modifications, paediatrics and aged care.
What do you love the most about your job?
I love that every day is so different and the wide variety of clients we get to see means that I never get bored. I am always learning something new because every client is different and it's been great to get exposure to so many different areas of OT and so many different disabilities.
What is the best thing about your team?
My team is so supportive from a work perspective but also a social perspective. I can go to any team member with clinical questions or even just to brainstorm. I love that we are an MDT so I can also discuss things and get a physio or speech perspective. It was also great to feel so connected to my team especially during lockdown - everything was so friendly and supportive! We got closer as a team and were able to have social events such as trivia and also did a murder mystery.
What have you found difficult to adjust to?
I think that at the start the hardest thing was trying to adjust to the NDIS expectations, timeframes and policies. It has definitely got easier over time and there are great resources within the company to help you learn this.
How have our mentoring sessions helped you?
Mentoring sessions have been great! They encourage you to think about things that you may not have thought of - for example, sometimes I will go to mentoring with what I think is a straightforward case/question, but by the end, you realise there are so many little areas to address. I think mentoring really encourages you to push yourself as a clinician and get the best holistic care for your clients.
How would you describe our clinical support?
Clinical support has been awesome! There Is a resource for everything on Sharepoint which has been very helpful considering the diverse nature of our clients. If you want to brush up on some skills there is always a video or link you can access. There's also a great PD opportunity, whether it's provided internally or externally, the company is very supportive of you accessing that.
How would you describe our supervision structure?
I think that the supervision structure at N360 works really well. You are able to have 1:1 time with your supervisor, but you also get to go to group supervision where you can learn about other people's cases. I have found so often that I will get a new client and will be able to apply what another OT has discussed In supervision.
What are the career prospects with your job?
I think It’s a very exciting space to be In. Within National 360 there are great opportunities to progress Into supervisor roles, whether Is supervising new graduates or Incoming students. N360 provides training for upcoming supervisors to help you feel ready to take on that role and progress your career.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to your past self when you were in University?