Case Study

I was really excited when I saw that the University of Sunderland was offering a BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy (Accelerated) route, as having already been to university in Ireland, I was keen to qualify as quickly as possible. When I visited Sunderland, I was very impressed with the facilities, and I got the sense that the Occupational Therapy staff were very approachable and close with their students which is key for learning.  

Previously, I completed a science degree at university in Ireland before starting my studies in Occupational Therapy. I didn’t enjoy my first degree and I always knew I wanted to have a career that involved working with patients and that is why occupational therapy is perfect for me. It is such a rewarding career as we get to help so many people from all walks of all and help them to change their lives for the better.  

My favourite part of the course so far has been ward week, where we spent time on the mock ward with patients from the PCPI team. It was a great experience as it gave us an insight into the different roles an occupational therapist has on a ward, allowed us to practice different tasks and received great feedback from the staff and patients which we can take with us on placement. We were able to learn about the different equipment that can be used on a ward or in the home and it was just a great learning experience overall. 

My advice for prospective students would be to consider the accelerated programme over the traditional route.. We are very fortunate to have the accelerated programme at the University of Sunderland as it means we can qualify in 2 years rather than 3 and we can start our careers earlier. The facilities at the university are top class and the staff are very welcoming, friendly and approachable. 

When I graduate, I don’t know yet what area of occupational therapy I will go into but I am looking forward to experiencing different areas of occupational therapy on our practice placements. With this degree, I am able to register as a qualified occupational therapist in countries outside of the UK so my plan is to travel and work abroad before moving back to Ireland and working there.

Studying at the University of Sunderland has been a fantastic experience so far filled with many new learning experiences and new friends and I look forward to the rest of my studies here."

Published 28 October 2024