OT Alumna Pursues Passions in Geriatric, Non-Traditional Care

Editor's note: This article was written prior to University of the Sciences' merger with and into Saint Joseph's University and does not reflect the current, combined institution. References to programs, offices, colleges, employees, etc., may be historical information.

When looking to pursue her degree in Occupational Therapy (OT), USciences caught the attention of alumna Christine Repp, OTR/L, HS’00, MOT’00. While other schools offered OT programs, USciences offered an option for a direct path to an advanced degree. This coupled with the small school atmosphere in the middle of Philadelphia made USciences the right school for her.

Repp was part of the first graduating class of students in the accelerated MOT program at USciences, and the connections she made during that time have lasted. “We were a small graduating class and were very tight knit during our years in college,” she shared.

In addition to the friendly campus culture, numerous academic opportunities provided Repp with a solid foundation of skills, both in and out of the classroom, that allowed her to feel confident entering the field.

“One thing that I really appreciated in our program was the great variety of fieldwork and clinical opportunities,” Repp explained. “I was exposed to many different types of settings and felt equipped to enter as an entry level OT in several areas of practice.”

Repp notes specifically that the courses she took in group dynamics gave her knowledge that she continues to apply to her career to help better understand patients and their specific care needs.

“I found all my professors at [USciences] very invested in our success. I knew I could always reach out for extra instruction and tutoring.” Repp explained.

For the majority of her career, Repp has worked for Genesis Rehab Services in geriatric rehabilitation settings. She is driven to continue on this path by her passion for providing not only OT patient care but education. In addition to her long-term career path, Repp continues to learn new skills including becoming a Level II Reiki practitioner, a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, and working with her local school system to provide OT services for school children all in addition to raising her four children.

Moving forward, Repp is dedicated to geriatric treatment and plans to continue working in that practice area while continuing to seek opportunities to apply her skills in non-traditional ways.

“Occupational therapy is hard work and certainly not a glamorous profession day to day,” Repp shared. “But the impact you can have on someone’s life is immeasurable and makes it all worth it.”