The Austin Hays Scholarship

On November 11th, 2020, I sustained second and third degree burns on 35% of my body from a house fire that started from a candle. I was in the intensive care unit for four weeks, before being moved to the burn floor for an additional 3 weeks. During my time at the hospital, I often felt the nurses were negligent. There was a time when an IV was left in my leg leaving me with cysts. It was ignored and only noticed when my mother brought it to the staff’s attention. I experienced several other instances of negligence with the nursing staff. It made it hard for me to feel safe at the hospital. I found comfort with my occupational therapist and physical therapists. The OT and PT team helped me regain the strength and functioning of my body. As my skin grafts healed, my occupational therapist helped me relearn everyday activities through various stretches and interventions. She took an interest in my life beyond my accident and made me feel normal. The trauma and the changes in my physical appearance were extremely hard to handle. I felt immense grief and hopelessness. My OT helped me navigate the complex feelings and encouraged me as I completed my undergraduate degree throughout my recovery. This experience sparked an interest for occupational therapy. I decided I wanted to work to provide a safe space for survivors of traumatic events. I want to provide survivors with a safe space to regain their strength. I want to become a practitioner that changes lives. My dream in life is to build and run a rehabilitation center for women who have survived traumatic injuries such as burns, car accidents, and other life altering injuries. My dream also includes making an impact on many individuals and educating more people on burn injuries. Prior to my injury, I was looking to pursue a career in maternal health. I have always wanted to pursue a career in the healthcare field. I still have plans to become a birthing doula to assist women during labor. I was not very familiar with occupational therapy before getting one of my own. I I know that God put me through these hardships for me to turn my pain into purpose. Seeing aspects of my OTs job sparked an interest, but it was her ability to empathize and address aspects of my mental well-being that really made me consider a career in occupational therapy. The first part of my plan is to become a licensed occupational therapist. I have already been accepted into George Washington University's Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program, which begins in the Fall of 2022. Despite the challenges I face during my hospital stay, I have the utmost respect for healthcare workers after witnessing the hard work of these frontline workers during a pandemic. This solidified my desire to be a healthcare hero. During my continual rehabilitation, I was so grateful to have my occupational therapist and a team of surgeons advocate on my behalf and provide the opportunity to try several different interventions. I want to be able to provide access to resources for disadvantaged people and assist them in actualizing their potential, to feel like functioning members of society. I aspire to become a practitioner who reaches different types of people all over the world. I will do this by staying focused and diligent with my studies for the next three years. I plan to utilize the field work opportunities , as well as part time positions in the field of rehab to gain expertise and professionalism. I write down yearly goals and a 5 year plan to stay on track. I will rely on the support of my family and friends to help me actualize my potential. After completing my doctorate degree, I will pass the board exams and become a licensed OT. Throughout my academic career, I have committed to learning and understanding public health and the healthcare system. My background in Family Science and Community Health focused on social determinants of health and other individualistic and societal factors that affect patients. I will be able to use my background to encourage health promotion and prevention on a large scale. I will continue to look for training, certifications, and other educational opportunities to become the best healthcare professional I can be. After passing my board exams I plan to work in the field for several years, making connections and networking with other professionals. I will work in a variety of settings to gain as much experience as possible. I hope to take business courses in the future while establishing a plan for my facility. I have already connected with a mentor, who has built a family medicine practice of her own. I will use my education and experience to empower people in the United States and abroad. I want to use my sensitivity, experience, and compassion to change lives. I hope to be able to improve the quality of life of many people while promoting health and wellness. I also plan to take my knowledge to my country to provide resources to those in need in Sierra Leone. I will do my best to save money and apply for grants so that I can develop the facility of my dreams. I will hire the best therapists in the field and do my best to provide the best care to all my clients. I will also continue to speak about my experiences, advocate for survivors, and volunteer to help the disadvantaged. Through continuous hard work, compassion, and utilization of resources, I will achieve all of these goals.