I receive this question often. “How can I best prepare for grad school? What can I brush up on beforehand?”
My first instinct is to tell you this… relax. Enjoy the break. Once you hit the ground running that first semester, knee deep in your textbooks, it can get stressful… quick. So I always encourage balance and to truly enjoy your time before graduate school to partake in hobbies you enjoy, slowly organize yourself and gather your books, buy a planner, and create an organization that works for you (because everyone has their own method).
However, I know that I was also one of those who just had to indulge myself in my next exciting journey. I wanted to truly know from others what I could do to best prepare. So here are my top tips (with self-care always being #1 priority before any of these):
#1 The Textbook Hunt
Nothing is worse than starting your semester and not having your textbooks yet when readings are already being assigned even before you step foot in class. So take the time to do some research in finding what textbooks you need. Decide if you would like to rent or buy. Scope out Amazon (OT books linked), Chegg, OT Trader (A Facebook group dedicated to buying/selling OT books), and even publisher websites which may have the books for cheaper.
#2 Establish An Organization Method. Now.
The assignments, group projects, exam dates, etc will start to flood in. Here is a post I wrote on 10 Apps Great For OT School, with one app being Google Calendar to keep track of due dates/assignments if you enjoy using technology. And if you are old fashioned like me, starting with a good planner (honestly I stick to a budget and Marshalls/TJ Maxx has great ones for $12 and under), is a great place to start.
Bonus Tip: Soon as you get all of your syllabi, write down all of your assignments down for at least the first month in your calendar. I like to chunk my assignments either by weeks or months. Some will do it for the whole semester, but I find this can be overwhelming and due dates may change over time, causing more work to change dates late on. Every Sunday, I would review my assignments I have due for the week so I know what I need to accomplish the week ahead. this helped me prioritize larger assignments and knock it smaller ones quicker or days ahead if needed.
Here are my “OT School Essentials” Here.
#3 Dress Code
Figure out the dress code for your program. My program had a casual dress code – just no leggings, anything revealing (think “common sense” ways to dress that aren’t too revealing but not too professional either, such as wearing jeans with a dressy top). Remember, you are representing yourself as a healthcare professional, in front of possible future colleagues (your professors). Dress accordingly.
#4 Anatomy Review
Okay, so I mentioned to relax above all else. But approaching anatomy is the #1 concern I usually see for students entering that first semester and how to be prepared. Your program may require this textbook, but if not, it is without a doubt my favorite anatomy textbook (and I still have it one year later after graduating)! My anatomy holy grail: Trail Guide to the Body. To me, it explains things in a very simple and easy way to follow with great visuals. I remember like it was yesterday, I would lightly review/skim over some areas in this book the summer prior to my first semester. For some reason, it made me feel energized to slowly dive into this material and just feel a little bit more confident overall, knowing what to *somewhat* expect.
#5 Figuring Out Your Studying Method
Honestly, I did not figure out how I studied best until studying anatomy and even more so when studying for the NBCOT. Sad, but true. Although you are just starting on this journey, it is crucial to find what method works for you if you haven’t already. Figure out if you are visual learner, kinesthetic learner, auditory learner, etc. For me, here are the materials I personally needed in order to be successful: whiteboard, tons of whiteboard markers, notebooks, pencils. I am a huge visual learner and the way I learn best is by repetitively writing things down. Again, again, and again. I then would “teach” myself out loud (talk to myself out loud about the material), as well as teach others about it. The way to really test if you understand a concept, is if you can teach it to someone else!
*My program provided us with an iPad and Apple Pencil. I personally did not use this that much, but for those that learn best by doodling and like organization their notes through this method, this is a great (but expensive) option. I do not think an iPad is necessary to be successful (although I know it is tempting when you see all of the Pinterest-worthy note taking doodles).
I hope some of these tips were helpful in preparing for your next exciting adventure! For more tips/tricks/advice head on over to my instagram: @ot.enlightenment!
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