Beth Eberly, an Elizabethtown College graduate, continues her involvement with the College as she teaches the Pathology I course in the occupational therapy department this semester.
Eberly, who is a full-time occupational therapist and the manager of the physical and
occupational therapy department at Health South Rehab Hospital of York, was contacted by the College and asked to serve as an adjunct professor about four years ago. Since then, Eberly has taught a graduate level OT course and Pathology II.
This past summer, Eberly was contacted again and asked to teach Pathology I. Having been a previous member of the OT class, she was more than happy to fill the role and share her experience with students. She has thoroughly enjoyed teaching over the past several years and is happy to continue.
Eberly feels that she can bring her students the personal experience she is able to share. “All of the things we study in Pathology were the diagnoses we see at the rehab hospital,” she said, “so I think it’s been beneficial for me to be able to come in as a teacher because I work with those diagnoses every day.” Eberly recalled one particular experience involving a man who had a severe spinal cord injury. He was completely paralyzed from the neck down and had to use a wheelchair to move. “He had the most positive attitude and was very motivated to do as much as he could,” Eberly stated, “even knowing that he’d never move more than his neck and head.” With help from Eberly and the staff, the man was able to return home to his family.
While Eberly and the staff at the rehab hospital are able to help people very often, there are still a few difficulties that arise. Many patients have insurance regulations or limited health coverage. “We want to give the patients the best care and keep them moving in a positive direction, but sometimes our hands are tied by insurance limitations,” Eberly said. She finds it to be a frustrating process. But it is real-life situations like these that Eberly can share with students to better prepare them for the future.
Eberly enjoys working for the OT department at the College because she believes it prepares students for what they need to know in order to obtain a job in occupational therapy. “One of the biggest benefits that I have seen is that Etown is very much geared toward the physical disabilities as well as the psychosocial aspects of patient care,” Eberly said, “and a lot of colleges seem to be getting away from the psychosocial component of occupational therapy.” She stresses that the physical and psychosocial elements are not exclusive of each other and that it is important to study both sides.
Eberly also feels that the Etown OT department starts students off on the right foot by focusing them on the program beginning with the first semester. She appreciates the guidance that students have all the way through to the fifth and final year.
Many more students are going into college with an OT major and are looking for jobs right out of school. “I think it’s a growing field, but it also depends on where the need is. There are a lot of schools in this geographic area and if students want to stay in this area it can be very competitive,” Eberly stated. Despite this, the rehab hospital where Eberly works has never struggled to find candidates for the department, which demonstrates the popularity and competitiveness of the field. Eberly believes that as long as a student looks for something that will encourage their growth in the profession, such as a mentor that works in the field, they will succeed in finding a good job.
Beth Eberly graduated from the class of 1985 and received a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Etown and has pursued the field ever since. She is in her 27th year of working for the rehab hospital in York and now has taught three different courses at Etown. “Being able to get somebody back to the life they were living before their injury or illness has really intrigued me. I decided because of this that I would pursue occupational therapy.” Eberly consistently demonstrates this passion for OT in her work as an adjunct professor and in how highly she speaks of the profession.