Hello Irene: No offense is taken by your comments. I hope there's more interaction about the profession and what's wrong/right with it.
Ron ~~~~~~ On Tuesday, April 9, 2002, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: IP> Ron, IP> Let me start with my disclaimer...you, Ron, may be offended by what I am about to say. IP> What's wrong with OT is "people like you." Since your creation of this list you have done nothing but whine about OT. You need to ask yourself the question, what is it about OT that bothers you IP> so much? Perhaps, OT is not your calling and you should consider a career change. IP> I believe that we should continue to debate how we practice, and how we can keep pace with the trends in this global economy. There are many OTs out in the practice arena who like what they do IP> and do it well. If there is a disparity between theory and practice, and if you are as good an educator as you think that you are, it is your responsibility to bridge theory and practice by IP> integrating such into the curriculum of your OT program. Education is designed to teach students how to think--it cannot make them into an OT. Practice makes one into an OT. IP> Your email is a "disparity" piece itself. Reread what Reilly said..."Our failure to appreciate what we do for patients will be the cause of our disappearance." Ron, your failure to appreciate IP> the profession of OT and whatever role you think you have in it will contribute to our disappearance. IP> We live in a capitalistic and competitive society. This will not change. The issue is for OT to keep pace in this kind of an environment. Therefore, unless you can constructively contribute to IP> this dialogue, instead of whining and bashing people the majority of the time, I suggest that you move on and out of our way. If you have created the OT list for it to be your "personal forum to IP> vent your frustration," perhaps this list has out-lived its meaning and usefulness. IP> Challenging feedback does not offend me. What offends me are assumptions not based upon substantive research. IP> Irene Phillips, ABD, MPA, MA OTR/L IP> Assistant Professor IP> Winston-Salem State University IP> ----- Original Message ----- IP> From: Ron Carson IP> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 8:11 AM IP> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] IP> Subject: What's wrong with OT IP> Hello: IP> OK, I need to start with a disclaimer... I'm probably getting ready to say IP> some things that may offend some readers and things that are much more IP> personal opinion rather than any sort of fact. I need to vent some IP> frustration and OTnow seems like a perfect forum! So, here goes! IP> I don't think it will come as a big surprise to most that there's something IP> "wrong" with the profession of OT. To me the biggest symptom of this IP> "wrongness" is the fact that we've been in existence for almost 100 years IP> and people still don't know who we are. Obviously, there are reasons for IP> this lack of identity but what are they? I'll be the first to say that I IP> neither know exactly what nor why our profession has identity issues, but I IP> sometimes feel like I have insight into some possibilities. IP> To me, I think the biggest single problem with OT having poor identity is IP> that we have little continuity between what our profession say's it does and IP> what practitioners and educators are doing. IF, this is an accurate IP> assumption (granted, it's a big if), then the consequences are potentially IP> grave. IP> If practitioners are not practicing in a manner consistent with our IP> theoretical foundations then they have little theoretical support for what IP> they are doing. Likewise, if the profession's theoretical base is not being IP> practiced then there's little likelihood that that base will be validated or IP> continue to expand and grow. Either of these situations is bad enough, but IP> taken together, they yield a profession that is floundering in its own IP> 'ignorance'. (Sorry,I know that will offend some). Gosh, though, we MUST IP> do something about our profession's identity problem. Otherwise, I IP> sincerely believe that OT will cease to exist. In fact there's a great IP> quote by Mary Reilly [unknown source or date] that says this same thing: IP> "We won't be put out of business by any budget change or any malice IP> from any other group or any kind of neglect on the part of society. IP> It will be because we who are out practicing in the field fail to IP> realize the enormous nature of the work that we do. Our failure to IP> appreciate what we do for patients will be the cause of our IP> disappearance". IP> I think Ms. Reilly is 100% accurate and additionally, General Patton has IP> words of wisdom for us: "We have met the enemy and he is us". Well, IF IP> (another big if)we are our worst enemy then there is no reason why can't IP> become our own best ally. Along those lines, I would like to challenge IP> readers to engage in dialogue within themselves, among their peers, among IP> students, with other colleagues and providers, and with AOTA to discuss the IP> issue of disparity between theory and practice. And to discuss and other IP> issues of disparity about our profession. IP> Thanks, IP> Ron IP> ~~~~~ IP> www.OTnow.com IP> *********��*********** IP> Unsubscribe? Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] IP> In the message's *body*, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist IP> ** List messages are archived at: IP> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] IP> *********��*********** *********��*********** Unsubscribe? Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's *body*, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist ** List messages are archived at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] *********��***********
