As with most new graduates, when Michele, an Occupational Therapist (OT) with Easterseals Massachusetts (ESMA), graduated from her OT program, she was interested in many different areas of clinical practice and did not know exactly what she wanted to specialize in. Because of the variety of ESMA’s community partnerships, Michele is able to work across the lifespan and in a variety of settings.
“Over the past few years with ESMA, I have had the opportunity to work in schools, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), day habilitation programs, and most recently, teletherapy and in-home settings. While I have the most experience in the school setting, adding in a sprinkling of these other settings to my schedule throughout the year provides me with new challenges and opportunities for growth. I like the variety that having multiple settings provides.”
There are always opportunities for new experiences and growth while working at ESMA, whether that is a new setting, contract site, or working with another department. When Michele first started working at ESMA, she had not previously had an adult fieldwork setting, so working in a new setting and population like SNFs was definitely daunting for her. “When I started in the SNFs, I was able to orient at our nursing homes by shadowing other ESMA OT’s and received one-on-one guidance from the Rehab Manager. Also, my OT Clinical Supervisor is always a great resource, as well as my colleagues across the Rehab Services department.”
The multi-disciplinary approach to therapy that is oftentimes seen at ESMA helps both Michele as a clinician and her clients. “I regularly collaborate with other ESMA Physical Therapists that are providing services at the same contracts as me. Sometimes we are seeing the same client and are able to bounce ideas off of each other. This, in turn, benefits our clients as they get a more holistic approach to therapy so they can continue to live, learn, work, and play.”
According to Michele, “working at ESMA is my way of giving back to a larger community. It’s not just one local school that I am at, but I get to work with individuals and families across much of Greater Boston and surrounding towns, and work with people of all ages. If a therapist is looking for variety, is comfortable with change, and wants to work across the lifespan, I feel like they would excel working here.” Working at ESMA is an excellent opportunity for both new graduates and experienced therapists alike who are looking for meaningful work. ESMA is truly a mission-driven organization that adheres to its core values of Respect, Commitment, Integrity, and Collaboration.
