FOXcast OT: Life As An OT In The Big Apple

This is FOXcast OT. A podcast for clinicians made by clinicians. It’s brought to you by FOX Rehabilitation. Find out more at FOXRehab.org.

Jimmy McKay, PT, DPT: Ariel welcome to the show.

Ariel Cipoletta, MS, OTR/L: Thank you.

Jimmy: Multiple choice question craft cause or community? Which one drives you the most?

Ariel: At FOX community.

Jimmy: Why?

Ariel: We have a great community of our teams and our clients.

Jimmy: What’s that give you in terms of a feeling to go to work?

Ariel: Belonging to something bigger I guess. It’s just like living your daily life. So now you going to visit your family every day are your friends.

Jimmy: How long have you been with the practice.

Ariel: A year and a half. It was great to start. I started in The Mentor Program. .

Jimmy: How long is that six.

Ariel: Six months.

Jimmy: What was that experience like. How would you do. How do you describe it to people who are just starting the mentor program and what your experience mentor programs like.

Ariel: You know coming out of grad school. It’s terrifying. The first time you know you’re not you’re not flying without a net flying without a net. The thought of it can be pretty overwhelming because it is very independent. But at the same time. I had an amazing mentor who I talk to you every day pretty much for the first six months.

Jimmy: You want to say hi and thank you yeah.

Ariel: Thank you Kate she’s amazing. She helped with everything. The things. That I was nervous about. You don’t there’s you didn’t have to feel weird about asking any questions. She came to my sessions the first couple weeks checks all your notes which is the important thing. Yeah. What you’re really worried about as a new clinician and it didn’t feel like I was on my own even though it is pretty out I can be autonomous by nature.

Jimmy: What are your favorite parts of working in New York City you work on the Upper East Side.

Ariel: Really the city you’re in the city your in the community. I have a break for lunch I can go eat lunch in Washington Square Park or go to Central Park during the day take my clients out in the community.

Jimmy: It’s a pretty good office.

Ariel: It’s an amazing office and it also has its perks too you know no traffic. You take the subway you walk. You don’t have to have a gym membership you walk so much.

Jimmy: New York City is a gym in and of itself is yes great.

Ariel: You can stop and have it be the best pizza piece a bagel on in the world.

Jimmy: Let’s just be clear about that subject if this is objective New York City pizza is the best in the world.

Ariel: Absolutely the best in the world. And come on. What other jobs can you just go grab a slice of pizza in between clients and that’s your lunch. Yeah eat it in the park.

Jimmy: What are some like epically New York places that you’ve treated clients.

Ariel: Gramercy Park. I’ve been very lucky some my clients have keys to Gramercy Park and that was one of their goals I want to get back outside. I haven’t been able to use this park in five years.

Jimmy: Describe what Gramercy Park is like as you mentioned keys. It’s not. It’s not a typical park.

Ariel: No it’s the most exclusive Park in New York City. You need a key to get in. You can only get a key if you have a residence in one of those buildings directly surrounding the park. So the people who live there really live there forever. Great to be able to get them back in the park that they haven’t been able to use.

Jimmy: And it’s a gigantic goal because clearly they live there for a reason. Yeah and if they haven’t. As you mentioned be able to access that park. Oh that’s a great goal.

Ariel: Absolutely and it’s is a challenging one. It’s all gravel. It’s not like getting them back there it’s beautiful and it’s almost like being outside in New York.

Jimmy: How many OTs do you think have actually ever been able to use Gramercy Park as where they treat?

Ariel: You know just I don’t know any all my friends are jealous when I tell them it’s like almost not like working.

Jimmy: What are the things you get to do in New York that like anybody working outside of New York City. It’s just not normal to them. But as New Yorkers it’s kind of regular every day.

Ariel Cipoletta, MS, OTR/L Teaching people to get around the community getting out of taxi is like walking to the grocery store carrying your groceries home. That’s something that not many people have to do. So as an OT it’s so rewarding and you get to work on so many more things you wouldn’t think. So many of my co-workers don’t.

Jimmy: The New York City subway system is pretty ancient it’s legendary but some of the staircases to get in and out of subway systems which is lifeblood if you live in New York they’re steep.

Ariel Cipoletta, MS, OTR/L Extremely steep hill to lie is extremely steep. A lot of education and a lot of training not only that they’re long and really accessing transportation is something that I think is very unique to New York.

Jimmy: And also as you mentioned carrying groceries home. You know we don’t drive to to shop. So people ask me all the time who are not new yorkers, Well how do you get groceries? I’m like what you buy for like a day and a half and you walk there and you walk home when you carry your stuff. You really you really buying with your with your arms you’re buying with what you think you can carry. So what’s one thing you’d want someone to know about why they should treat with FOX in New York City?

Ariel Cipoletta, MS, OTR/L There’s so many thing as I have been so impressed with our community our teams. Especially my team in Manhattan is amazing. I love that but also I completely unique experience. You’re never gonna get anywhere else. I never have to drive I never. You know you’re helping people directly in the community. You’re in the best city in the world.

Jimmy: You’re FOXtale. Why do you decide to work with older adults?

Ariel Cipoletta, MS, OTR/L We’re really stemmed from my own grandparents and they had a lot of physical disabilities that I saw OTs were able to help them with and that was really the discipline that helped them get back to their life. Doing the things that they’re still able to do today because of physical and occupational therapists that they weren’t able to do for a long time because of accidents. I can transfer that I now all my clients that are kind of like my grandparents now.

Thanks for listening to FOXcast OT a clinically excellent podcast. It’s brought to you by FOX Rehabilitation. FOX clinicians work hard love their work and get the respect they deserve. Sound good? Then you’ll love the autonomy to work in your own style and the support you get to achieve excellence. Plus freedom and flexibility to have a personal life whether it’s your first day or you’ve been around for a while. Your contribution is acknowledged and rewarded. That’s what makes FOX a success. Happy well-trained clinicians make great health care.

Are you a fit for FOX. Find out now at FOXrehab.org.