Occupational Therapy Spotlight

Meet Angelica Gacek. Angelica is a third-year student in Drake's Occupational Therapy Doctorate program. In the spring 2021 semester, Angelica is completing her Doctoral Capstone Experience at UnityPoint Trinity Health in Rock Island, Illinois before she graduates.

Name: Angelic Gacek

What are your responsibilities at this site location? What does a typical day look like for you? 

Working with a certified hand therapist (CHT) means I get a wide variety of exposure to different injuries and conditions of the upper extremity. A typical day includes anything from activity/exercise, modality use, manual therapy, orthotic fabrication, patient education and more.  

How has Drake prepared you for your future career?

The Drake OTD program provided me with all the fundamental knowledge I needed to be successful in my fieldwork placements. Everything I learned from courses such as Kinesiology and Orthotics, I was able to apply into direct patient care. Drake also provided me with the opportunity to work at clinical sites that were in my area of interest. This allowed me to obtain a well-rounded level of competency that I will use in my future career.