The Best OT Student Resources (2024)

OT school is hard work—and life outside of school doesn’t exactly stop.

To thrive in OT school, you definitely need to keep your nose to the grindstone.

Luckily, there are plenty of awesome occupational therapy resources for students to help you stay organized, refine your skills, and set you up for success beyond graduation.

It has been over ten years since I (Sarah Lyon, OTR/L) was in OT school, and I still remember my academic years as the busiest time of my life.

In retrospect, I spent my entire student career in survival mode—and I did not invest in figuring out how to simplify and streamline processes. Then, when I graduated and got my first OT job—and wanted to reference my student materials—I simply couldn’t find them.

That’s what inspired me to write this article. It contains my own advice—along with tips from recent OT students Emily Lieberman, MA, OTS; Andy Nielsen, OT; and Alana Woolley, OTD, OTR/L—to help occupational therapy students thrive. In it, we attempt to curate the best resources for OT and COTA students in one place.

Topics we’ll cover include:

• Stay organized
• Get involved in associations and forums
• Build your support system
• Thrive during your fieldwork
• Prepare for the NBCOT exam
• Manage your finances
• Start your resume and planning ahead for job searching
• Look to the future

1.) Stay organized

Please, don’t be like me.

I paid for my disorganization in school for years after graduation.

I found myself hauling boxes of scattered papers and notebooks each time we moved, because I wasn’t sure what was important.

And forget about finding something to reference when I actually needed it!

Here are some practical organizational strategies I have collected is over the years:

If you’re more oriented to print resources and the “paper and pencil” style of organization:

• Buy a daily planner. Keep your school life in order, and break down larger assignments into smaller daily tasks. 
• Buy a folder for each class. You can keep returned assignments, tests, and other important documents in that folder; this makes them easy to reference when needed.
• Buy lots of notecards and highlighters. You truly can never have enough!
• Buy three-inch binders for each course. You can use these to organize all of your papers, handouts, PowerPoints, etc.
• Consider digitizing your materials. If you’re the type who loses physical paperwork, create a Dropbox or Google Drive folder where you can scan and store all your old course materials. Be sure to share your accounts to a non-school email so you don’t lose access after graduation. 
• Explore Rocketbook. It helps preserve the kinesthetic learning aspects of taking notes, while also allowing you to store and access everything in a digital format.
• Tab out your PowerPoints. You can use those dividers that have reinforced holes and erasable tabs. (This can be done the night before the class so you can hit the ground running.)

If you’re more oriented to digital resources and the “paperless” style of organization:

• Explore apps for organizing notes, tasks, and projects. Notion and Evernote are currently two of the most popular apps for organizing your notes, managing tasks, and collaborating on projects. If you want something more minimalistic, Workflowy and Google Keep are both good, lightweight choices for storing notes and to-do lists.
  
  At the other end of the spectrum, apps like Trello and Asana offer more robust project management features that can help you break down large projects, track progress, and coordinate with a team. As of the most recent update to this article, all of the above have free plans for personal use.
  
  Many people also love using apps like these to organize their personal lives, and if you have entrepreneurial aspirations, this type of tech literacy will serve you very well going forward!

• Use a citation manager: You’ll likely do a lot of scholarly research throughout graduate school, particularly if you are going the OTD or PhD route. Yes, it is important to understand how to create citations by hand. But when it comes to organizing and citing dozens of research papers, citation managers like Zotero are indispensable for keeping your citations accessible—and they can literally save you HOURS of time formatting papers and creating bibliographies over the course of your program.
  
  Citation managers can often be linked to Word or Google docs to create in-text citations as you go. Zotero even has a web extension that allows you to add citations to your library directly from a journal webpage with a single click! If you start using a citation manager right off the bat, you’ll never lose track of your most important or insightful articles, even after OT school. 

Organization tips for everyone:

• Use a digital calendar. Google Calendar is my calendar tool of choice. It is simple to use, syncs well with most phones, and is free. The ability to set notifications to occur at specific intervals leading up to important events like exams or major deadlines is very helpful. You can also categorize items by color, which helps you distinguish between upcoming assignments, events, or tests. Even better: You can create a shared digital calendar with classmates to track assignment due dates, group project meet-ups, and social events.
  
• Get ready for lots of digital files. Even if you’re a paper-and-pencil diehard, you’re going to have digital files to organize.
  
  • First, there are the files you’ll create as you write papers, build presentations, etc.
  • Second, with universities progressively moving to Learning Management Systems like Canvas and Blackboard, you’ll likely download syllabi, lecture slides, and other materials from an online course page (even if your class is fully in person).
  • Third, if your OT school assigns Google accounts to students, your instructors may share files back and forth with you in Google Drive.
  • Finally, your classmates will likely want to collaborate by sharing documents and slides in the cloud.
    
• Use a consistent system for naming and organizing your digital files. Generally speaking, there are three methods people use for naming and organizing their digital files:
• Here are some guidelines for a middle-ground approach to naming and organizing your files:
  
  • No untitled files! Always give a file a name, even if it’s not the best name.
  • No files with nonsense names (especially with downloads that you might have to re-name).
  • No more than 3 levels of folders.
  • Within folders, use names that are at least sort of descriptive. A good strategy is to put the category in capital letters and the details in lowercase letters (e.g., “COURSENAME notes” or “PRESENTATION specific topic”).
    
• Plan ahead for future access to your digital files. If you have a Google account throughout school, you’ll likely share files in Google Drive with other students, instructors, etc. So, it may make sense to keep all school-related files stored under your school account.
  
  Think ahead, though, because most schools will deactivate your Google account at some point after graduation, and you don’t want to lose everything!
  
  Fortunately, there is a process to transfer Google Drive files from a school account to a personal account. To learn more, go to Google Help and search “copy content from your school account to another account.”
  
  If you’re not already forwarding your school email into your personal email, you can also use this process to transfer messages into your personal account.
  
• Make sure you own your most important digital files. Keep in mind that if you don’t own a digital file in Google Drive—in other words, if it is only shared with you—then your access to that file is at the mercy of the owner and could disappear at any time without notice.
  
  This might happen if the owner deletes the file, removes your sharing rights, or discontinues use of their Google account.
  
  Get into the habit of making copies of important files for yourself, assuming you have permission to do so. Here are some examples of different types of files and how you might want to handle them:
  
  • A guest lecturer shares a PDF file of a patient education handout they created and gives permission to save it → make a copy right away. You can add any pertinent info in the file title or document details (e.g., the name of the original creator and what permissions you have to modify or share it).
    
  • Your advisor shares a Google Docs file of a blank template for you to track your personal goals and accomplishments in the program, which you are supposed to update every semester → make a copy for yourself after significant updates. Be sure to name your own version something like, “MY COPY personal development plan_Semester 3” so you don’t get confused and update the wrong version.
    
  • A classmate shares a Google Slides file that your group will be working on for the next 8 weeks → make a copy as soon as the project is complete.

2.) Get involved in associations and forums

The OT network you establish in school will become one of your top resources as you head into practice. 

My former classmates are often still the first people I call if I need to talk through something.

• Strive to create value for fellow students whenever possible. Sometimes, we hide behind social media and lose out on forming deeper relationships. Invite a few people in your class over for dinner or an activity of some kind. Friendship with classmates will often organically transform into a situation where you can turn to each other for support on various challenges you face during school. 
• Use a group chat. Group chat programs like GroupMe are becoming a popular way for students to connect outside of class—not only to chat about school, but also to make social plans or just have fun. Sometimes the Student Occupational Therapy Association or graduate assistant for the OT department will facilitate setting this up for an incoming cohort, but if not, consider taking the initiative yourself!

No matter where you are in your OT schooling or career, there is enormous value to be found in OT communities of practice. For a list of pre-established OT communities you can plug into, check out our post: OT Forums and Communities.

• Keep your AOTA membership active. This helps you stay in tune with the latest developments in OT. You’ll also hear about changes in healthcare as a whole. Joining your state-level OT association is also an excellent way to stay up-to-date on local issues. State-level associations offer conferences and webinars, lobbying days and other advocacy efforts, and opportunities to network. Both the AOTA and many state associations offer discounted rates for students. 
• Join (or start) a student organization. Student associations are a great way to start building your OT network while you’re still in school. These groups can also offer access to exclusive scholarships and professional development opportunities. You can join student chapters of groups like student OT associations (SOTA), Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD), and DiverseOT. If your program doesn’t have a chapter established, team up with your classmates to start one yourself!

3.) Build your support system

After my first year of OT school, I was ready to quit.

I was frustrated, and I couldn’t really seem to find a good outlet beyond talking to my parents. If you are dealing with frustrations, talk to fellow students and professors. And again, don’t underestimate the value of looking for online support.

No matter the root source of your frustration, there is probably an online conversation happening around the topic.  

• Seek support early. Don’t wait to reach out to professors, peers, mentors, other school resources, and even outside resources for the support you need. Sometimes, students avoid asking for help in a timely manner because they feel a sense of embarrassment or don’t want people to know they are struggling. Waiting to reach out for support will lead to increased stress and, often, decreased academic performance.
• Understand school resources. Many OT schools offer helpful resources such as mental health support at no additional cost to students. Some students also utilize learning specialists to help them identify effective study strategies to learn complicated course content. Each school is a little different, so pay close attention to the resources mentioned when you attend orientation.
• Use the OT Directory to find therapists doing the type of work you aspire to. There are so many avenues your career can take—and there may not be someone at your school that aligns with your particular interests. So, I encourage you to broader your lens, and start following and connecting with professionals you do align with.

Services go by different names on different campuses, but many of the most relevant student support functions reside in a division called something like “Student Life,” “Student Affairs,” or “Student Services.”

There may also be relevant services under a division with a name like “Academic Affairs,” the graduate school as a whole, the specific college or division in which OT is located (e.g., Health Sciences), and/or the OT department itself.When in doubt, any of the following people should be able to help you get oriented: your academic advisor, the program director or chair of the OT department, the Dean of Students, the Student Ombuds, or staff in Counseling and Psychological Services.

If the first person you contact doesn’t respond or get you connected properly, don’t hesitate to reach out to someone else or visit offices in person until you have what you need.

4.) Thrive during your fieldwork

After helping supervise students, I have a newfound appreciation for the challenge of quickly learning the ropes in a new facility—not to mention the nuances involved with navigating supervisory relationships.

Lean on your aforementioned support networks for help; chances are, others are dealing with similar scenarios. Here are some additional fieldwork resources to help you along the way:

• Fieldwork Resources – AOTA
  
• 10 Tips for Navigating a Non-Traditional Fieldwork – Gotta Be OT
  
• Keep reading blogs like OT Potential: In addition to helping you gain new knowledge on specific topics like fieldwork, the OT Potential blog also spotlights useful outside resources to help aspiring OTs succeed in school and beyond.
  
• Listen to OT podcasts: The OT Potential Podcast is a great place to start. But, also search for other OT podcasts that have episodes on fieldwork or cover topics specific to your fieldwork setting.
• Look for time-saving resources. I purchased tools that were specific to the fieldwork settings in which I worked. I used materials from Pink Oatmeal and Tools to Grow OT so I had more ideas for treatment sessions during my first pediatric fieldwork experience. You can find time-saving resources for fieldwork in the OT Potential Club Clinical Resource Hub.
• Build professional relationships. The relationships you build with your CI and other professionals in your fieldwork setting might extend long into your professional career. You obviously want to make a good impression and demonstrate your competence as a student, but don’t let that keep you from asking for advice or workshopping your clinical questions the way you would with any other colleague! After all, your CI is there to help you learn and grow as an OT. It is not uncommon for students to later get hired into their fieldwork settings, so really think about these experiences as more than just a short-term objective.
  
  Free Facebook groups and Reddit forums are also great sources of support to fieldwork students. There are so many terrific resources out there; don’t limit yourself to what you’re provided in OT school!
  
  One thing I’m really passionate about in the OT Potential Club is creating a library of assessments and documentation examples for you to reference.

5.) Prepare for the NBCOT exam

Ultimately, school is preparing you for the NBCOT exam. NBCOT has an awesome suite of resources to assist you when the time comes, including a comprehensive study pack of flashcards, practice exams, and study games.

START STUDYING FOR THE NBCOT EXAM NOW! If you familiarize yourself with the domains covered on the NBCOT exam ahead of time, you’ll be better prepared to recognize which class notes are the most important to access later on. Make flash cards and, as each course is taught, pay attention to HOW particular questions are worded. There’s an app called “NBCOT OTR,” which makes studying quick, convenient, and doable by providing “bite-sized” questions that don’t overwhelm you on a daily basis.

Other paid NBCOT exam prep courses that are worth checking out include Pass the OT and the AOTA OTR and COTA exam prep.

There are also plenty of free NBCOT exam study materials out there to supplement your exam preparation. OT Miri and the OT Dude are both awesome at breaking down complex topics into digestible chunks, and their YouTube channels are ideal for the audio-visual learners out there. For studying on the go, I found the OT Exam Prepper podcast helpful for learning mnemonics for common assessments and interventions.

Ultimately, preparing to sit for the NBCOT exam is when your aforementioned organization will come into play big time. It will be WAY easier to review your course content if it is organized and accessible.

6.) Manage your finances

Occupational therapy school is demanding enough on its own, even without the added stress of managing finances as a student. Managing your debt should technically start before OT/COTA school even begins, and I encourage you to continue thinking about debt management during school.

Gotta Be OT has a good list of steps you can take to secure funding while you are in school. To keep your eye on the big picture, here is my post on occupational therapy and student debt.

But there are smart ways to save money even while you are in OT school—so you can spend less time working and more time focused on your studies. 

• Borrow, rent, and share textbooks. Textbooks are notoriously expensive. While you will cherish some of them (as much as you can cherish a textbook) and want to reference them over and over again as a working professional, most textbooks and required readings are simply not worth buying permanently. 
  
  Your first line of action should be checking to see if you can borrow a copy from your school library or interlibrary loan program. See if your program has an Ebsco subscription for access to free digital textbooks. If you can’t find what you need there, consider renting books from suppliers like Chegg or AbeBooks. You can return what you don’t want to keep at the end of the semester—or choose to purchase your favorites outright. You can also team up with your classmates to share readings or divide and conquer on purchasing required textbooks. 
• Take advantage of your school resource office. They often have many resources to help you manage your debt and save money while in school. 
• Apply for OT student scholarships. The AOTF offers dozens of scholarships of up to $5,000 for OT and OTA students. My OT Spot has also compiled an awesome list of scholarship opportunities for OT students.
• Inquire about funding for professional development opportunities. Some programs offer funding for students to attend conferences, complete trainings, or present research. That way, you can attend events like AOTA Inspire without the added burden of travel costs. 

7.) Plan ahead for job searching

I had my first job lined up before I even headed into my second fieldwork placement!

This is a unique circumstance, but it is honestly never too early to dip your toe into the job market.

Here are some of my favorite job search resources: 

• Find the Best OT Jobs
• Find the Best OTA Jobs
• How to Make Your OT Resume Stand Out
• Your Guide to Non-Traditional OT Jobs
• Nail Your Occupational Therapy Job Interview

The book, “Occupational Therapy Student to Clinician” also comes highly recommended.

A couple more job-finding tips:

• Keep a pulse on jobs in your desired area before you graduate. Conduct periodic searches on Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and other job sites. Even if you’re not ready to apply for jobs, it’s nice to get a sense of what to expect when it’s time to look.

Make your business ownership dreams come true. If you are considering private practice right out of school, check out our article: Resources to Start (and Grow) Your OT Business.

8.) Look to the future

You are going to leave OT school as a generalist, but your student years are the perfect time to start exploring speciality practice areas. If you are interested in specialization, I recommend the following articles: 

• 30+ OT Certifications and Specialties 
• Your Guide to COTA Certifications and Specialties
• The Top Occupational Therapy Continuing Education Courses (2024)
• How to Become a Pelvic Health OT
• Find Your Dream Non-Clinical Job
• Hand Therapy OT
• Early Intervention OT
• Pediatric OT

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Bonus: Discounts for OT students!

Oh, how I miss the days of student discounts! Please enjoy these discounts on my behalf!

MedBridge student discount (You pay $100)

MedBridge is a continuing education resource that many OT practitioners use and love. I wish that I had signed up for continuing education courses when I was still a student, so I could have referenced them during fieldwork and my first year as a new practitioner. (I love MedBridge and am an affiliate.)

Learn about the MedBridge Student Discount here.

General student discounts

Last, but not least, here are some general student discounts you can take advantage of:

• The Ultimate List of Discounts for Students
  
  
• Experiment with tools that aren’t required: I purchased tools like PhysioU to help me better understand certain concepts relevant to OT. They have discounts for students who want to try their platform out. Another tool I would consider purchasing that comes at a discount for students is YouTube premium. YouTube premium is more than just ad-free viewing.
  
  
• Explore unconventional options. It’s helpful to look into whether you can qualify for Medicaid and even use food stamps when you’re in school. Some OT students do qualify for this, but it’s best to check early so you can save the most money if it’s an option for you. Medicaid can also really help with family finances if you are having a baby while you’re in school.
  
  
• Look for big-brand discounts. The Apple store often gives good student discounts. I got a free pair of BEATS headphones when I bought my laptop through Apple as a student! Amazon Prime is also much cheaper for students.

What about you? What resources would you share with fellow OT students? I would love to make this post stronger with your input!

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About the Authors

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