Lifelong learning

We were asked the question, "What does it mean to be a lifelong learner?". For one, being almost 23 and have been in school my whole life counts for something right? A lifelong learner means to me that you never give up on expanding your mind on the endless knowledge that this life has to offer. However, once we have become health professionals and are thrown out into the world as newly practicing occupational therapists, we will be required to be a life long learner through continuing education. I feel proud to be a part of a profession that strives to hold their professionals to a higher standard and requires them to never stop learning and growing. Once we are finished with school, our learning becomes more self-directed and we have the opportunity to go out and learn the things that excites us and sparks our interest. Since I decided I was going to be an OT, I've had the desire to work with trauma patients that have sustained a life altering injury. When watching a video in class one day I learned about an OT that earned a CBIS certification which is a certified brain injury specialist, and I thought to myself, YES! This is an opportunity I would have as a professional to expand my knowledge and abilities to better the lives of the clients I work with. I always encourage people to never stop learning, exploring, and growing.