“Midwestern University provides unique opportunities for all professions on campus to collaborate and foster a team-based mentality to enhance and learn the importance of holistic care in the healthcare field.”
Name:
Martina Golaszewski
Hometown (City, State):
Chicago, Illinois
Undergraduate degree:
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, B.S. Community Health, Rehabilitation & Disability Studies Concentration
Current program(s) of study:
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)
What inspired you to pursue a healthcare career?:
After my grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2014, I got the opportunity to interact with multiple healthcare professionals and watch her rehabilitation journey. I was especially inspired by the unique role of occupational therapy. Her occupational therapist was able to allow my grandma to maintain her engagement in activities that were meaningful to her for as long as possible. I knew that I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives and by pursuing a healthcare career I would be able to do so.
How did your background and history factor into your career choice?:
As a first-generation college student and now a graduate student, I find that having the opportunity to obtain a higher education is a very rewarding and exciting experience. I knew that being the first person in my family to attend college, I wanted to not only become a role model to my siblings but also to make my parents proud. Watching my parents make sacrifices in their lives in order for me to succeed in my own life, has led me to pursuing a career in the healthcare field. I want to be able to better the lives of others, especially those who have grown up in similar situations to my own. Most of all, I want to use the field of occupational therapy to not only help my future patients but also my parents by providing them with the opportunities they deserve to continuously live meaningful lives.
Why did you decide to attend Midwestern University?:
I knew I wanted to attend Midwestern University after my initial interview with the admissions staff and Occupational Therapy Program faculty. The faculty were very welcoming as they made me feel important and listened to from our first interaction. They assured me that I would be provided with the best resources and opportunities possible to make me a well-rounded future occupational therapist. I knew that I would gain valuable leadership and lifelong skills that I would carry on into my future as a clinician.
What about a Midwestern University education do you want to carry forward in your career?:
I want to carry forward the experiences and skills that I have gained through understanding the value of interprofessional collaboration. Midwestern University provides unique opportunities for all professions on campus to collaborate and foster a team-based mentality to enhance and learn the importance of holistic care in the healthcare field.
Anything else you'd like to add?:
I am a dual citizen of Poland and I am also bilingual - I can speak, read and write in Polish. I am also the president of the Student Occupational Therapy Association.
