A leap out of character: an autoethnography of the influence of international immersion experiences on an occupational therapy student's professional development
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Abstract
As students in professional academic programs are socialized to the profession they refine their professional construct. Using an autoethnographic method, I describe the changes in my professional construct through participation in two international immersion experiences. I analyze how specific experiences contributed to changes in my professional construct. The mechanisms for professional socialization include interacting with professors and professional occupational therapists, personal reflection, interacting with others in a culture different from my own, and experiencing uncertainty and vulnerability. Examining how these experiences shaped my professional construct may inform future initiatives to socialize future occupational therapists to the profession.
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Attribution 4.0 International