Occupational therapy (OT) wasn’t Bat-El Aronov’s first career choice. She assumed she would go to law or medical school after college until her sister encouraged her to look into OT—and Bat-El fell in love with the field. “My sister was in Touro’s OT program in Bayshore. I was curious to learn more about what OT is and decided to volunteer at a special needs school for children with disabilities as well at an assisted living facility. Observing OT in both settings opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in the profession. I really enjoyed the creativity the OTs had in their interventions and the individualized approach that was tailored to each client. Knowing that I could be the person to make a difference in someone’s life like that was invaluable, motivating me to pursue OT,” she explains.
After a positive experience as an undergraduate student at Touro, where she received a full scholarship, Bat-El chose to stay within the Touro system for grad school. “I chose Touro because I wanted to connect with Jewish students. My values as an Orthodox Jew meant that I would not attend school during the Jewish holidays or the Sabbath. I did not want to sacrifice my religious beliefs in order to succeed in my coursework. Touro is the best of both worlds,” she says.
At the School of Health Sciences, Bat-El continues to enjoy the small class sizes and personalized attention from faculty and staff she has come to expect from Touro. Touro’s OT program also has the additional benefit of allowing Bat-El to earn her degree faster than many other programs. “The professors are stellar because they are brilliant, passionate about OT, bring real-life clinical experiences into their lectures, and most importantly, they want to see their students succeed! The professors know me on a first-name basis for which I’m grateful. Although the coursework is challenging, I’ve learned so much and that will help me be the best clinician that I know I can be,” she says of her Touro experience.
After graduating, Bat-Al plans to specialize in hand therapy and become a certified hand therapist. “Our hands are vital for everyday function. Having the opportunity to be a part of someone’s recovery after an injury or chronic condition is so fulfilling,” she says. “My main goal is to be an entrepreneur by either creating a product or owning a private practice. One day, I also want to become an advocate for the OT profession and make a difference on a much larger scale!”
To learn more about Touro’s OT program RSVP for our November 9th virtual open house at shs.touro.edu/otopenhouse
