AOTA 2019 Conference

As the largest gathering of occupational therapy professionals in the world, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) held its annual conference April 4 through 7 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The 2019 conference featured over 1,400 educational and poster sessions, exceptional speakers, and an Expo Hall filled with the latest products and opportunities for networking.

Since April is OT month, as part of the celebration, the University’s Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) officers also attended AOTA. At the student delegates meeting on April 3, SOTA representatives from each OT school across the country learned more about advocacy for the profession, leadership, and the importance of interprofessional collaboration.

During the conference, the students attended short courses on topics that relate to OT such as promoting workplace wellness, concussions across the lifespan, and using yoga for individuals with neurological insults – acquired brain injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. The conference also gave the officers a chance to network with various companies and interact with new technologies in the profession, like the adaptive Xbox controller – which is designed to meet the needs of gamers with limited mobility. 

In mid-April, SOTA will hold a larger meeting with their class to discuss the conference and talk about the various sessions they attended and how they can best utilize the information gathered Toward the end of the month, they will hold a tabling event in support of MuckFest - the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society run to raise money to achieve a multiple sclerosis-free world. While tabling, the students will sell baked goods, give out MS fact sheets, and ask for donations to the Salus Salamander MuckFest team.