OTD 604, Formation for Service IV, is the fourth installment in a series of courses in which Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) students explore pathways to professional development as colleagues, community members, and change-makers.
On day one, we explore interdependence, which is simply a fact of our everyday lives as occupational therapists. Occupational Therapists (OTs) depend on many people and systems to do their work, facilitating access to and participation in meaningful occupations. Our team members, clients, and communities also rely on us.
For this class exercise, groups of second-year students were assigned a role, such as a school-based OT. They were asked to make a mobile using color and/or shapes to depict responsibilities, necessary support systems, people we depend on, and people who depend on us.
By working together to design and build the mobiles, students are developing skills they will need to function effectively in health care teams. The finished product is meant to depict the intricate balance and interdependencies of our roles as occupational therapists.
Here is what some of the students had to say about the exercise:
"By building the mobile, we were able to see how different elements or roles within a system are connected and how the balance can be disrupted if one part fails." – Lillian Albritton, OTD '26
"This task helped us better understand the systems we are a part of, both individually and systemically, encouraging us to reflect and explore more deeply as we become agents of change." – Danielle Dres, OTD '26
"Often, individuals do not stop and think about the people, systems, policies, etc., that enable us to participate in occupations we want, need, and have to do. I believe this activity was meant to show us that we need others, that we cannot be successful alone, and that when we work together, we can create something beautiful." – Josh Lucas, OTD '26
Learn more about the Duke OTD curriculum.