A First-Class Milestone

As Madilyn Guerard completed her undergraduate degree at East Tennessee State University in 2022, she knew she wanted to go into occupational therapy. 

When Guerard was 12, she broke both of her elbows at the same time, enduring surgery on each elbow and weeks in casts and splints to allow healing. That experience opened her eyes to the field of rehabilitative health sciences.

“I knew I wanted to help others the way I was helped, and I loved how occupational therapists treated their clients holistically, addressing all their needs and occupations,” said Guerard, who wanted to remain in East Tennessee after completing her undergrad degree.

Fortunately, ETSU’s College of Health Sciences had just announced the establishment of a new Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, which would be housed in a newly renovated wing of Building 2 on the James H. Quillen VA Campus.

Guerard and 15 others were part of the program’s inaugural class, which began in May 2022.

Officially sending off its first class capped off a milestone academic year for the program, which received its accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) earlier this year.

I loved how occupational therapists treated their clients holistically, addressing all their needs.
-Madilyn Guerard, Occupational Therapy '22

ETSU’s OTD program places an emphasis on hands-on, real-world education, which includes clinical rotations in a variety of health care settings, as well as several community-engaged learning opportunities in schools and restaurants, so students gain experience in a multitude of settings across a diverse client population.

Taylor Willis, another member of the Class of 2025, said those learning opportunities helped give her the confidence needed to succeed upon graduation.

“I believe it is critical for programs to provide hands-on education opportunities, and I am confident that ETSU provided the experiences I needed to succeed, giving me perspective on how to work with a variety of individuals,” said Willis.

Taylor Friedman echoed her classmate, calling it “crucial” to have those educational opportunities. Friedman, originally from Ohio and a graduate of The Ohio State University, was drawn to ETSU because of its emphasis on interprofessional education.

“Being away from my support system in Ohio was tough, but I was able to make lifelong friends throughout this program,” said Friedman. “I also created amazing relationships with my faculty, and I hope to continue to be mentored by them in the future.

“I truly feel that being the first cohort brought us closer together because we were all learning how to navigate the program together.”

By Jonathan Roberts   |   Photo Contributed