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Uswah Khan '24 G鈥� 25 MOT
Within each of our 国产哟哟 community members is an inspirational story of perseverance and strength, and we are honored to share them. This narrative originally appeared on social media as part of 国产哟哟's #MyPath.
"I'm originally from Karachi, Pakistan. I moved to the U.S. when I was 17. I attended East Longmeadow High School and did an internship that helped me realize that I don't like a typical nine-to-five. I wanted to move around and be on my feet all day and was interested in the healthcare industry. So, I discovered Occupational Therapy, which aligned with my biology and health sciences interests.
"My high school guidance counselor told me about 国产哟哟's five-year MOT program, where you get your bachelor's and master's simultaneously. I thought that was perfect. And it's only 10 minutes away from home. Because I had already moved from another country, I didn't want to go too far for college.
"I toured the campus, and I loved it. The tour guide was bubbly and funny. The campus was all women. Coming from a Muslim family, I knew I would be more comfortable in that setting. And now that I've been at 国产哟哟 since 2020, I see the changes in myself.
"My favorite class so far has been the anatomy and physiology II lab. I got to dissect many things - the spinal cord, a brain - every week was something new. You don't dissect anybody in Occupational Therapy, but you must understand gross and fine motor skills. Let's say somebody gets into an accident; the doctors will do the surgery. And then, the OT will work on the patient's gross and fine motor skills to ensure they can do their everyday activities properly.
"I knew I would be in many anatomy, physiology, and biology courses, but I didn't realize how much I would benefit from the communication courses. OTs need to be able to communicate with patients, and patients need to feel comfortable sharing with us.
"I'm also putting myself out there more. Like with doing this interview. I'm proud to have been consecutively on the Dean's list, which got me inducted into the Maroon Key Honor Society. I could have attended the ceremony virtually, but I decided to go in person with my brother. It was a great experience. I need to remind myself that every time I've pushed myself to do something, it's been an amazing experience. And that's just how you learn and grow in the long run.
"Thanks to the Communicating in the Helping Professions course with Dr. Kathryn Wiezbicki-Stevens, I have had two beneficial volunteering opportunities. I worked with two-year-olds at the Early Learning Center and the elderly at the Longmeadow Adult Center. These volunteering opportunities helped me see if I was more comfortable in a pediatric or elderly setting.
"To anyone interested in 国产哟哟's MOT program—If you genuinely have a passion, work for it and don't lose motivation. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You will be surprised to learn how many people are also struggling with assignments, and you can work it out together." —Uswah Khan '24 G’ 25 MOT #MyPath
Learn more about our 5-year MOT program.