JARDINE BURSARY: Oyen-area student pursuing career in occupational therapy

By Diana Walker

Paige Siegel is in her third year of education, working toward her bachelor of health sciences at Thompson Rivers University through online learning. She recently graduated from Medicine Hat College with an occupational and physical therapist assistant diploma and is currently working as a therapy assistant at the Oyen Continuing Care facility.

Paige is the daughter of Jarvis and Michelle Siegel. She grew up on a farm near Oyen.

“I plan to stay close to home and work as I continue my studies online,” Paige said. “After two years of online school, I will apply for my master’s to become a certified occupational therapist, completing a total of six to seven years of school.”

She said completing this goal will allow her to make a difference in people’s daily lives by helping them complete activities that are important to them.

“This side of health care is of deep interest to me,” Paige said, “because it focuses on the unique aspects of an individual’s life that truly help them live with joy and purpose.”

Occupational therapy is a broad discipline encompassing many areas, such as helping children succeed in a classroom or helping seniors live independently.

“I plan to return to rural living after I have completed my schooling,” Paige said. “Often, rural settings are neglected due to a lack of rehabilitation professionals, and people have long commutes to receive care. I hope to enhance rural living by acknowledging where rehabilitation services are needed.”

“Throughout my schooling, I have completed more than 15 weeks of full-time, unpaid clinical placements. Dedication and commitment are necessary to maintain a high GPA,” she said.

During high school, Paige volunteered at school, with FCSS, at local summer camps, and at a preschool day camp in Provost. “This winter, I plan to continue volunteering with the Oyen Skating Club and coaching skaters,” she said.

Update:
When asked how her online classes were progressing, Paige said she enjoys the variety of topics, ranging from anatomy and social sciences to statistics.

“This will help prepare me for further studies,” she said. “I am enjoying my work at Continuing Care. It has allowed me to gain more experience in a health-care setting, and I am applying the knowledge and skills from completing my diploma last spring.”

She said a semester of full-time practicum experiences allowed her to learn valuable skills in different settings and explore various areas of rehabilitation.

“Transitioning to working while doing school online has been good. I really enjoy working and gaining real-life experience,” she said. “Following completion of my degree, I plan to take my master’s in occupational therapy and become an occupational therapist.”