Our guest this week, Daniel Smilovitch, completed his Master's in Occupational Therapy (OT) at McGill University and is finishing up his first year as a professional in the field. He weaves a compelling narrative, taknig us back to his humble beginnings in a barebones basement rat lab, through the intensive, hands-on program in OT, and finally to a day in the life of a working occupational therapist. So fasten your diapers, cause we're about to make a g'day out of bidet!

Whether you're an undergraduate student curious about research or a career in OT, or a regular listener of the show excited to jump back in after an extended hiatus, or or anything in between, this chat is sure to entertain and to inform. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

THE MENU:

ACADEMIC PATH (0 - 35)
Schmoozing
Psychology Background
The Rat Lab
Semi-Natural Environments
A Turning Point S/O Joe Inhaber (Episode 56)
A Desire for Change
Demographics of OT
The CASPER Test
Career Crossroads: The Bird Problems Problem
The Butterly Effect
Community, Compassion and Communication

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY? (35 - 51)
"How do we get people to do the things that they want to do?"
Branches of OT (1/2)
Autonomy and Independence
PEO: The DSM of OT
Task Breakdown
Interacting Factors
"They've tried to make me go to rehab..."
ADLs and IADLs
Equipment
Branches of OT (2/2)
Internships x4
OT RESEARCH (51 - 1:03)
The Cognitive Stimulation Toolkit
Brain Games and Wii Games
Tailored Research, World Cafes & OT-ception
Context, Parameters & the Validity of Research
ON THE JOB (1:03-1:15)
The OT's Interdisciplinary Team
The PT-OT Bifecta
Imposter Syndrome
Dreams of Expertise
Sensation, Mirror Therapy, Dysphasia
THE CLOSER (1:15 - End)
Your Role with a capital "R"
The Plea

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Cover Art:Youssef Naddam via Unsplash

This is my second solo podcast, and features the full recording from a talk I gave at the "Seeking Success" event organized by the Center for Conscious Awareness. It's packed full of great quotes, as well as some of the main themes and takeaways from my non-linear academic and creative paths!

Quotes
1. If you find a path with no obstacles it probably doesn't lead anywhere. - Frank A. Clarke
2. Success is moving in the right direction, not getting 100% on the first try. - Karen Gazith
3. We should always be asking ourselves: is this something that is or is not in my control. - Epictetus
4. We fail when we stick to something that's not a good fit. - Seth Godin
5. Someone is sitting in the shade today because somebody planted a tree a long time ago. - Warren Buffet
6. The biggest risk of all is not taking one. - Mellody Hobson

Timeline
0:00 - Introduction
1:23 - Quote 1
1:39 - Academic Path
6:37 - Intro to Success
8:28 - Your Success is Not My Success
9:07 - Framing
9:52 - First Steps: Reflection Before Action
10:34 - Quote 2
10:52 - Taking Action
11:22 - Expectations & Their Violation
12:23 - Management & Chunking
15:31 - Note-taking
16:04 - Self-Auditing & Flow
18:59 - Quote 3
19:20 - Control
21:25 - Newton's Law of Motion in the 21st Century
26:21 - Quote 4
26:34 - Failure
28:41 - 4 Things To Do Before Your Quit, #1: Take Your Time
30:46 - #2: Struggle a little
31:37 - #3: Make mistakes
32:31 - #4: Don't blindly follow your dreams
33:19 - After You Quit: Say Yes
34:26 - Slido on Failure
36:15 - Connecting
37:14 - #1: Don't Reinvent the Wheel
38:38 - #2: Keep It Organic
39:07 - #3: Embrace Rejection
40:50 - Quote 5
41:30 - Mindfulness
41:44 - #1: Balance
42:44 - #2: Moderation in Self-Awareness
43:36 - #3: Energy Release & Regeneration
45:27 - Quote 6
45:50 - Takeaways & Closing Remarks

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Episode Cover Photo by Everett Bartels on Unsplash

Éamon Callison, originally from Denver (elevation ~5280 ft), is finishing his PhD in Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Philosophy of Science at Washington University in St. Louis, followed by an MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies at the University of Cambridge. His dissertation work has focused on understanding the form and function of the human chest. He is interested in how humans have evolved to breathe during sustained endurance activities, like running, and how selection has affected how we use our ribs to inhale and exhale. To answer these questions, he has measured thoracic motion in humans, dogs, and goats, examined lots of bones, measured human fossils, and worked in the Peruvian Andes (elevation ~14230 ft). We're extremely lucky to have him on the show -- and trust me when I say: he delivers!

Sneak Peek

Q: What do coyotes, pigeons and humans have in common?
A: They're all massively adaptible and flourish in different environments.

Q: Why am I a biped?
A: UBER Eats didn't exist 7 million years ago.

Q: Are there as of yet unknown biological mechanisms that could confer even greater ventilation ability in humans?
A: *nerding out so hard you need to take a breather* yes and no...

TOPICS & CONCEPTS
Breathing & Ventilation
Gestation & Birth
Evolution of the Thoracic Cage
Environment & Culture
Natural Selection: Heritability, Variation & Competition
The Modern Human Timeline
Last Common Ancestors (LCA) & Chimpanzees
Forest Fragmentation & The Evolution of Bipedality
Energy Expenditure
The Treasured Chest
Paleontology
Funnel vs. Barrel
The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis
Shape vs. Function
The Costovertebral Joint: Curvature = Motion
Goats on Treadmills
Vacuums & Negative Pressure
A Visceral Piston
Sprinters & Weight-LIfters
Pump-Handle vs. Bucket-Handle
High-Altitude Adaptations & The Peruvian Quechua
Highlights of Grad School

/// SOCIALS

/// CLOSING REMARKS

Episode Art Background Photo Credit: Jesse Orrico

Does free will exist? Maybe. Regardless, please share your cherished feedback with me at abstractcast@gmail.com!

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Episode Art by Me and Nino Liverani & Rishi Ragunathan on Unsplash