OT Presentation at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York

For the past few years, Khalid Mohamed and I have corresponded through the OT blog, but have never met until last month. He wrote me even before he started in the OT program at Downstate Medical Center in New York and now he will soon be graduating.

Time flies...

He had an interest in the OT in Egypt blog as his parents are Egyptian and he, as well as his sister, was pursuing a career as an OT. This past month we finally met up as he organized for me to come to the Occupational therapy department at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and speak with the students about my experiences working as an OT in Egypt.

I was happy to do so, as I think it is important that people become aware of how other countries develop OT services and educational programs and to learn about how OT services are similar and different in other cultures. In fact, there are more similarities than differences in most cases!

Great timing, as April was OT Awareness month!

Some OT students and staff were also kind enough to donate some OT textbooks for the OT students in Egypt. Many thanks to those who made these donations!

Many thanks to Khalid for organizing this event, he has a bright future ahead of him as an OT. His future patients will be happy to have him as a therapist!

Laura

OT Available for Work in Egypt

A new OT graduate from Germany is available to work in Egypt in October, 2011, as she graduates in September 2011. Her name is Marlene Lösener and she can be contacted directly for CV and further information at marlene-loesener@web.de. 


Thanks

In Memory of Professor Dr. Ahmed Hassan

I just received the news that Professor Dr. Ahmed Hassan, Chairman of the Egyptian Physical Therapy Syndicate has sadly passed away. Ahmed was also a member of the Committee to Develop Occupational Therapy in Egypt. He appreciated the profession of occupational therapy and contributed greatly by attending and participating in our meetings and advocating for the development of OT educational programs in Egypt.

Below is a picture taken in 2008 of some members of the Committee to Develop Occupational Therapy in Egypt, OT's working in Egypt and visiting WFOT members:

Pictured: (back row) Laura Efinger, Maha Helali, Dorothey Witt, Deepak Andhare, Christiane Menthrup, Madeleine Corstens-Mignot, Pip Dow, Sue Hartshorne, Ahmed El Khaky; (front row) Majdi Bzoor and Ahmed Hassan

On a personal note, I very much liked Ahmed and enjoyed it when he came to the CDOT-E meetings. He added a sense of wit to our meetings! Loved his sense of humor and will miss it and him...

Laura