A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

Beginning in 2019, Rocky Mountain College welcomed their first group of students into their doctorate level Occupational Therapy Program. That group of students will be graduating in 2022. Hopefully, many of them will chose to stay in Montana, or in the region to establish their practice. As a rural or “frontier” region Montana and the surrounding States all struggle with providing access to critical medical services. The aim of the OT program at Rocky is to have positive impact on that challenge. One very important part of the curriculum is the field work experiences each student must complete. The objective is to expose students to a variety of venues where they can pursue their practice. The Adult Resource Alliance provides one option for students to complete their field work while gaining experience with a senior population. Through this option each student spends time with Adult Protective Services, Big Sky Senior Services, and the Adult Resource Alliance to gain an understanding of a variety of programs geared to seniors.

Amanda Bluhm

Hello! My name is Amanda Bluhm and I am a student in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at RMC. This program is fairly new, but I believe it is one of the best in the country! When I was working on my undergraduate degree, I had no idea that occupational therapy existed. I graduated in 2008 from Oregon State University and spent the following 10-ish years working as a caregiver for developmentally disabled adults in southwest Washington. I learned about OT from my sister, who is a social worker, and I knew instantly it was my calling. My future career is limited only by my ability to dream – and I’ve learned how to dream big! I love bridging gaps and using creativity to solve problems.

Ellie Lane

My name is Ellie Lane and I am a student in the Rocky Mountain College OTD program. I grew up in Prosser, Washington and moved to Montana to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences through Carroll College. While attending Carroll, I had the opportunity to care for a number of children and to further my already existing passion for early childhood development. Growing up I had the wonderful opportunity to witness the passion my mom brought to her job as an occupational therapist for children from birth to three years old and to see the wonderfully unique role occupational therapists play in early childhood development. Seeing my mom’s love not only for her job, but the unique, specific love she had for every child she encountered made me want to pursue a career that would help me find fulfillment in the same way while also increasing someone else’s opportunity for fulfillment. Once I’d made this major career decision and decided that I loved Montana, all that was left was to hope and pray that I could find an OT school in Montana. Lo and behold, I found Rocky Mountain College’s OTD program and knew immediately it was the perfect foundation on which to build a fulfilling career.

Nina Leacock Lisa Semansky Kayln Robertshaw

I am Nina Leacock. I was born in Thailand and have lived all over the world. When people ask me where I am from, it’s hard for me to answer! My undergraduate degree is in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. I chose occupational therapy because of its holistic approach to caring for people. I feel that there is a lack of true compassion and care in the world, so I chose a career where I felt I could make a difference and show others that there is hope in this world. I look forward to working with and learning from the Billings community! My name is Lisa Semansky, and I'm proud to be from the Pacific Northwest! I love to hike outside with my family and friends and enjoy how the challenge of climbing mountains positively impacts my abilities and personal growth. My interest in occupational therapy grew from my exposure to adaptive sports and outdoor recreation. Watching people of all abilities enjoy the outdoors led me to believe that every person has the right to engage in occupations that are meaningful to them. Some of my current occupational therapy interests are early intervention, maternal and infant health, and neurorehabilitation. As a future occupational therapist, I hope to use my encouraging and positive personality to motivate my clients to climb their own mountains figuratively and literally. My name is Kayln Robertshaw and I am a graduate student in the Rocky Mountain College Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. I am from the east (Maryland) but fell in love with the west and decided to make the jump out here for graduate school.

Occupational therapy (OT) is a holistic approach to healthcare that addresses all health aspects of a person: physical, emotional, social, spiritual and mental and includes everyday activities that individuals deem valuable and important in their life.

I look forward to furthering my education in the Rocky Mountain College Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program and gaining fieldwork experience in the Billings community.