Getting off the A Train: A Case for why Well-Rounded Practitioners Don’t Need Perfect Grades

Joy Springer, Midwestern University

I was hustled onto the A Train the moment I entered school. When I was in third grade, I became so afraid of failing out of school that I would redo any homework from scratch if there were any errors. This fear of not attaining perfection created an excellent student, but a very lonely little girl. Continuing to ride the A Train is partially a product of the institutions I've attended and a representation of my own anxieties. No institution I have attended has made the outright claim that As are important—in fact, many tout the ideal that we should not focus on grades. But we get a different message when:

• Those with As are required to join honor societies
• Better grades equal better options
• Better ACT, SAT, and GRE scores equal better options

I remember how liberating it felt when I became a teacher and started equating performance with improvement. No one was handing out As and no one cared that I graduated with honors. They cared about three things:

• Possessing an entry-level skill set for teaching
• Maintaining a professional development plan
• Demonstrating steady progress in identified areas of growth

Unfortunately, when I went back to OT grad school I stepped right back onto the A Train. And while I'm not in the position to judge other passengers, I know that the A Train isn't driving me to my core values:

• Devoting time each day to maintaining my family and time each week to maintaining my friendships
• Maintaining my own mental health condition and advocating for mental health reform
• Becoming a well-rounded therapist through meaningful engagement in the occupational therapy profession

While I've devoted energy to maintaining balance in my personal relationships and mental health, I've failed to address my sense of professional balance. Staying on the A Train requires so much time and energy that I haven't read an edition of OT Practice in months, I no longer pursue areas of interest unrelated to school work, and I feel pressured to limit my time at community seminars. Which begs the question:

Is my desire for perfection impeding my progress toward becoming a well-rounded therapist?

My personal vision (this will be different for everyone) for being a well-rounded therapist includes:

• Possessing an entry-level skill set for occupational therapy
• Connecting with other OTs to discuss issues related to occupational therapy practice
• Reading books, magazines, and other publications that inspire me to be an OT
• Attending community seminars, to hear the perspectives of those affected by health conditions
• Advocating for the profession and the right for everyone to engage in meaningful occupations

It's time for me to switch trains. If taking the B Train means that I can live my core values, then I'm on board.

This article was originally featured in the OT in Motion blog.

Joy is a second year student in the Masters of Occupational Therapy program at Midwestern University - Glendale where she serves as the ASD Representative and acts as Student Council Class Liaison for the Occupational Therapy Class of 2016. She is currently interested in hand therapy and acute care as future practice areas. When she is not blogging for OT in Motion or studying, she likes to hike the Arizona trails with her husband and two dogs.