A Houston Secondary School graduate of 2016 is taking a Bachelor of Arts in Human Kinetics earned at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna to a new level through a first-ever Master’s of Occupational Therapy program being offered at the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George.
“I am proud to be part of this first northern cohort and to represent my hometown as well as the program as I go through school and into my career,” said Carli Wardop of the program which is an expansion of the one offered at UBC in Vancouver.
“I was willing to go to Vancouver, but when the northern program came out I was so excited. It has allowed me to stay closer to family while I study as well as build connections within the occupational therapy community up north where I hope to practice when I’m done.”
Wardrop’s interest in occupational therapy grew out of working for two years doing post-injury exercise therapy as a kinesiologist following her UBC Okanagan degree.
She was first drawn to occupational therapy while volunteering at Kelowna General Hospital during her undergrad years.
“I spoke to many patients who told me what a positive impact their occupational therapy had in their lives and recovery,” Wardrop said.
She describes occupational therapy as helping people adapt and return to work or to their everyday lives. Patients can either recovering from strokes, injuries or other situations affecting mobility and common functions.
“In practice this can look like helping individuals learn to get dressed and mobilize post stroke, prescribing and fitting adaptive equipment such as specialized wheelchairs, adapting individual’s environment to help them drive or get back to work, or working with children with cognitive or physical disabilities to help engage in play with their peers,” Wardrop continued.
“Neurorehabilitation has always been a big interest of mine, with a focus on traumatic brain injury and stroke. For me this stems from playing a lot of sports growing up and being exposed to sport-related brain injuries, as well as having a special interest in neuroanatomy and behavioral neuroscience.”
Occupational therapists are in very high demand and their career paths span the public and private sector in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation clinics, long term care facilities, community care, child development centers, mental health facilities and private clinics.
It’s this demand which resulted in the arrangement between UBC and UNBC to offer the master’s level program in Prince George. The hope is that people trained in the north will then stay in the north.
A key part of the two-year master’s program is five placements in the field and Wardrop is now at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on her second placement where she concentrating on hand therapy.
“I am learning about fabricating splints and therapies for a variety of hand-based conditions such as tendinitis, fractures, arthritis, and a variety of post-surgical repairs,” Wardrop said.
Her first placement was at St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof where she worked with hospital patients, long-term care clients and out in the community.
Wardop’s academic experience ends next July after which she writes a national exam certifying her eligibility to work anywhere in Canada. She does hope to practice in the north when finished.
“I am grateful I grew up in a small close-knit community like Houston and believe it really helped me get to where I am now,” she said.
”I wouldn’t have been able to achieve pursuing my dream career without the support and of my amazing family and mentors.”
.