Meet the New Student Pulse Editor-in-Chief and Senior Editor

AOTA Student Pulse Community,

It is with great pleasure that we write to our readers and contributors in our newly appointed roles as Editor-in-Chief and Senior Editor. We are passionate about this growing platform to support and empower authors like yourselves by sharing your unique voice. As we continue the amazing efforts of our outgoing leaders, Breanna Ciardullo and Emily Olsen, our Student Pulse team works to explore new perspectives, ideas, and methods to connect to our audience. We love learning about your experiences as an occupational therapy student or new practitioner and are committed to showcasing each one in our monthly publication.

To Breanna and Emily, we thank you for the hard work and dedication you have shown to this publication and wish you the best as you move into your new occupational therapy practitioner roles.

Looking forward to our term as Editor-in-Chief and Senior Editor, we have highlighted three key themes to serve as the backbone of the Student Pulse.

Come as you are

There’s a common misconception that we need to feel fully prepared before trying something new. As students or new grads, we often hold ourselves back from opportunities because we don’t feel “ready” yet. We think we need more knowledge or experience before we can take up space. But someone once told me, “show up ugly, early.” In other words, come as you are. Your article doesn’t have to be perfect or sound like a PhD dissertation before you submit it. That’s exactly why we have an incredible team of editors, to help refine your work and bring out its best. Along the way, our hope is that you not only grow as a writer, but also feel proud of what you created, even if it didn’t feel like 100% at the start. And let’s be real: we’d much rather see an authentic piece that just needs some polishing than a flawless article generated by AI.

Community

They say, “sharing is caring,” and that’s exactly what we want the Pulse to be: a space where you can share your experiences, interests, and challenges so others can connect, relate, and learn. It’s good to learn from our own mistakes, but it’s even better to learn from the lessons others have already lived through and add those insights to our own toolbox. Our article archive is full of stories, and we hope that whenever you feel alone, you’ll look back through past pieces and see that someone has walked a similar path. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, write it! You may be the voice that helps someone else feel less alone, gain perspective, and become part of our OT community.

Involvement

The time to get involved in the OT community is now! As students, this is the perfect opportunity to explore different practice settings, discover your interests, and connect with future career paths. Getting involved helps you build professional skills, expand your network, and develop your voice as a future OT. You don’t need to be an expert; your student perspective is valuable right now. By contributing, you not only grow in confidence and experience but also help others learn from your journey. Take the leap today; your involvement will shape your career tomorrow!

As an ever-evolving team and publication, we are always on the lookout for new articles to publish and members to join our incredible editorial staff. You can submit articles for potential publication or apply to join the Pulse Editorial Team.

Sincerely,

Mikenzie and Julamy

Mikenzie Hiler is a graduate of the OTD program at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA. She works as an acute care occupational therapist and has career interests in assistive technology. Mikenzie is excited to expand her role with the Pulse team as the new Editor-in-Chief and continue working to bring your ideas to life.

Julamy Serrano Arocho is a third-year student of the Hybrid MSOT program at Brenau University in GA. She’s currently completing her second Level II Fieldwork at the Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury at Shepherd Center in GA. Her career interests are torn between outpatient pediatrics and inpatient rehabilitation. Julamy is ecstatic to work with the amazing Pulse team as the new Senior Editor.