Ben Freeland...
...of Mayville chose SVSU because he received the Presidential Scholarship, and because he wanted to explore Computer Science and Graphic Design, but soon switched to Occupational Therapy and is now working on a long-term research project studying stroke rehabilitation under the direction of a professor.
“Ultimately I chose to explore the field of OT because my uncle, who is a physical therapist, recommended it. I was able to do field work at Lighthouse, a neurological rehabilitation center in Caro, where my uncle works.”
“Applying to the program was very easy. I met with Dr. Nagayda, and she got to know each of us during the whole process. The teaching staff is great because they care about students. I haven’t yet taken a class that I didn’t like.”
“I’m at an exciting point in the program, because I have taken all of the introductory classes, which give you background on all of the disorders and conditions that occupational therapists deal with, and I am now starting the classes on specific treatment strategies.”
“But the most exciting thing at this point is the research project I’m working on that studies stroke rehabilitation. We will be looking at the effect of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) on patients suffering from limited use of an upper extremity.”
“For a two-week period we will work with patients for a six-hour stretch, five days a week, with therapy that forces the patient to use only the affected limb. We are going to examine the gains in motor function compared to those of therapies that allow patients to use both the affected and unaffected limb.”
“It is exciting because we are just beginning the process of preparing the overall research proposal that must be approved by the Institutional Review Board. I’m doing compiling a review of published research on the topic and designing the consent form for volunteers.”
“Our next step, once the proposal is approved will be to go out into the community to gather volunteers. From then, we will randomly select our sample and then begin the actual therapy.”