Gwen Morris, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, never settles for being just an occupational therapist. In fact, she lives by the saying “if you’re the smartest person in the room, go find another room.” And, Dr. Morris is consistently doing just that.
Dr. Morris started the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) in 2015 to learn and do more as an occupational therapist (OT). She received her Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) from the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences, which gave her a good foundation in becoming an OT. After practicing for a few years, Dr. Morris decided she wanted to enhance her knowledge of research and evidence-based practice. So, she looked into OT doctorate programs and decided on RMUoHP, where the combination of online and face-to-face instruction fit her life as a military spouse.
Even though the program fit her lifestyle, it didn’t mean it was an easy two years. There is often a struggle to balance a full-time professional career, family life, and going to school. Dr. Morris admits, “To be honest, I hired a cleaning lady and had my groceries delivered.” However, what really made it a successful two years was “being able to set a schedule and stick to it.…I worked at our kitchen table, not at the desk in the bedroom, so I could walk away and be done for the night. The clarity and separation helped.”
For Dr. Morris, the connections she made with her cohort also made a difference. During her first onsite visit, students were asked to bring an ‘artifact’ that represented what inspired them to become an OT. She remarks, “Sitting in the room with all these powerful like-minded people sharing each of our artifacts brought us together. Despite our different backgrounds and specialties, the experience brought the whole classroom together.” Throughout the program, Dr. Morris developed a network of OTs with her fellow classmates and faculty, a network that she still relies upon today.
Dr. Morris graduated in April of 2017, then immediately sat for the hand therapy specialist certification exam in May and passed. Currently she works at Select Medical, one of the biggest providers of OTs/certified hand therapists in the country; however, in the specialization of hand therapy, there are only three OTs in her immediate network. “My education helped advance me toward the top of the pile, and now I’m thinking about what else I can do to help and mentor others.” The Education track of the OTD program gave her the confidence and skills to take on three level-2 students in the last two years (OT students who have finished the didactic part of their education and are now in the field treating patients). “The Education track prepared me to be a better educator, to make learning more fun and engaging, and to recognize different learning styles and help understand how students learn best.”
But Dr. Morris doesn’t stop there. “I’ve tried really hard to push myself to constantly be learning.” Currently, she’s taking a course through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies to become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. “There are very few lymphatic specialists in my immediate area, so people aren’t getting the care they need,” Dr. Morris says. Her certification will fill an immediate need in the OT field in her area.
Dr. Morris, aside from her full-time job as an occupational therapist, volunteers regularly at the CARES Clinic at the Medical University of South Carolina, which provides healthcare to underserved people in the community. She also teaches a workshop for orthosis fabrication to students at Lenoir-Rhyne University who are about to leave for fieldwork rotations.
Last week, Dr. Morris presented a poster on scar management at the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association (SCOTA) conference and, while at the conference, was voted the Vice President-elect of SCOTA. She has also been accepted to be the incoming co-editor for the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) Times for 2020 through 2021. Dr. Morris is making an incredible impact on her community, the OT profession, and the patients for whom she cares.
“The beauty of the OT profession is that you’re constantly in the service of others. I love my job! Going through school was hard work, but it was worth it. It’s all about the first time someone say ‘I put on my shirt’ or ‘I picked up my baby.’ It’s about the first time they come in excited about the progress they have made.”
For Dr. Morris, her education and experience have helped her gain the confidence that comes with the title of “doctor” and have enabled her to make strides in her workplace and in the OT profession as a whole.
For more information about the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, visit our website: https://rm.edu/academics/doctor-of-occupational-therapy/.
Guest blog by Stephanie Bentley, Alumni Relations Manager.
