Here is my daily schedule from the conference:
Day 1 – Thursday
8:15-9:15 Student Session: Creating Yoga and Martial Arts Programs that Improve Participation for Children with Disabilities
9:30-10:30 Student Session: Interviewing and Hiring Millenials: What You Need to Know and Do To Get Hired!
Cafe du Monde break!
1:00-2:00 Student Session: Strategies for Passing the NBCOT Exam: Tales from the Frontlines
4:00-5:30 Welcome Ceremony & Keynote
- Dr. Grace Dammann and former partner
Day 2: Friday
9:30-10:30 Student Session: New Practitioner Panel: Successfully Making the Transition
Expo Hall time
3:00-3:45 Student Session: Addressing Sexual Activity and Intimate Social Participation with OT Clients
Cafe du Monde break
5:30-6:45 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture: Asserting Our Competence and Affirming the Value of Occupation and Confidence
- Ellen S. Cohn OTR, ScD, FAOTA
Insta OT Meetup!
Day 3: Saturday
8:00-9:00 Student Session: Creating an Excitement to Work in Geriatrics: Fun and Functional Interventions for the Older Adult
9:30-10:30 Student Session: Jazz Up Fieldwork II: Keep the Rhythm and Flow During Your Fieldwork Experience
11:45-12:30 Inaugural Presidential Address
- Wendy Hildenbrand PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Free time around New Orleans!
Wow, conference was AMAZING!
I’m not gonna lie, the first day was very overwhelming. Even though I had my schedule all planned out I didn’t quite know how the flow of everything was going to go, and I sure as heck did not know how big the convention center was going to be!
Despite being overwhelmed at first, I learned so much and met so many amazing people! I chose to attend mostly student sessions because I felt like I had more to learn from them- especially those that focused on fieldwork and studying for the NBCOT! I was afraid that if I attended normal sessions (for practitioners) that I wouldn’t get much out of it since I’m still in the foundational portion of OT school.
Beyond the lectures, I got to meet so many people and had the chance to connect more with my professors (2 hours convos with professors are actually really great!). I also got to meetup with some fellow insta OTs! It was so great to finally meet them all and connect the insta handles to the faces and lovely personalities!
I had such a rewarding experience at the conference in New Orleans, and I can’t tell you how amazing and motivating it was to be surrounded by thousands and thousands of fellow OT students and future OT colleagues! If you ever have the chance to attend a conference (next year it’s in Boston) I would highly suggest going!
Here are some of the highlights of my time in New Orleans!
OT Caroline 