OTD News Volume 5, Issue 2

AOTA Student Delegate 2015 Page 4 OTDNews, January 2015 . Volume V, Issue 2 By: Kristin S. McMillen, OTD-S (Class of 2015) Last month, I represent- ed NSU OTD-Tampa’s pro- gram as the student delegate at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA’s) Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. As delegate, I joined students from occupational therapy programs around the country for a full day’s worth of meet- ings with leaders from AOTA and within the profession of occupational therapy. Upon coming back to campus, I had the opportunity to share what I learned at the conference with students and faculty dur- ing my student delegate ad- dress. Topics included:  Student opportunities and re- sources on the AOTA website  Preparing for the national board exam  The importance of advocacy and political action  Highlights of the debate regarding a profession-wide transition to the entry-level OTD degree  The importance of monitoring your social media accounts and projecting a professional image  Defining the distinct value of occupational therapy