Student Life
During your time as a student in the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University, you will be in classes with some of the very best students in the country, and the world.
This creates a rich community where you will learn from each other as well as your instructors and mentor. We hope you participate in activities provided by the School of Medicine and beyond to enhance your time in St. Louis.
WUSOTA
The essence of WUSOTA (Washington University Student Occupational Therapy Association) is to promote the field of occupational therapy through service. Each month, the organization explores various areas of occupational therapy practice and provides volunteer services to many parts of the community. Not only does WUSOTA provide an extra-curricular outlet for students aside from schoolwork, it also facilitates the development of friendships among the members and allows the students in occupational therapy to explore and participate in the St. Louis community.
COTAD Chapter
The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) empowers occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that increase diversity, equity and inclusion for a more transformative occupational therapy profession. Formed in 2014 through a collaboration between members of the AOTA Emerging Leaders Development Program, COTAD operates as group of individuals from across the United States all working towards a common goal of promoting diversity and inclusion within the occupational therapy workforce and increase the ability to occupational therapy practitioners to serve an increasingly diverse population.
Arts Commission
The Arts Commission is a student group dedicated to promoting the arts in the Washington University medical school community. They organize the Coffeehouse Concert Series three times a year, featuring a variety of talented students including soloists, poets, a capella groups like the Histones, and even clowns! The Arts Commission also publishes Hippocrene, the School of Medicine’s literary and visual arts magazine, and organizes an art show each year.
Medical School Musical
For the past 15 years, students at Washington University School of Medicine have produced and performed fully staged, choreographed and orchestrated Broadway musicals. The Medical School Musical is student-produced, with students performing onstage, conducting and playing in the pit orchestra, building sets, sewing costumes, directing, and running lights and sound. Past productions include hits like Guys and Dolls, Young Frankenstein, Legally Blonde, Beauty and the Beast, The Addams Family and Shrek: The Musical! Over the years, OT students have shared their talents by being a part of these productions.
Other Activities
Though their accomplishments in healthcare often take center stage, our students are also talented artists, singers, athletes and philanthropists who thrive on fulfilling their desire to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Dozens of campus groups and activities—many of them student initiated and run—allow School of Medicine students to develop these passions in areas including community service, civic activism and artistic expression.
Living in St. Louis
St. Louis is a great city for graduate students, with a lower than average cost of living, wonderful neighborhoods, and plenty of things to do. St. Louis offers all the cultural opportunities of a large city with the trademark friendliness of the Midwest.
Consistently ranked among the nation's most affordable and best places to live and raise families, the St. Louis region offers many opportunities to watch or participate in a wide range of sports, recreational activities and cultural events. Not far from St. Louis' urban core are the beautiful rolling hills of the Ozark Mountain region as well as outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing and spelunking in some of Missouri's more than 6,000 caves.
The School of Medicine is located in the Central West End, which is home to an exciting array of restaurants, shops and apartments. Most students choose to live in one of the affordable neighborhoods near the program, and with the Metrolink's Central West End stop in the heart of the Medical School campus, many find they don't even need a car to get around. Forest Park is just blocks from campus with attractions like the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, the St. Louis Art Museum and The Muny outdoor theater, which can all be enjoyed free of charge. At 1,293 acres, it is larger than Central Park. There are also trails for running, biking or walking, lakes to paddle and places to enjoy tennis, soccer, softball, cricket and rugby.
Washington University provides several resources to help students find housing, settle into St. Louis and WashU, and engage in our in diverse community.
Apartment Referral Services
Apartment Referral Services of Washington University in St. Louis can help you locate housing, find a roommate or assist with subleasing your space. ARS can also direct you to helpful information on everything from understanding your tenant rights to answering questions about roommates and contracts.The Dis-Orientation Guide
Written by first-year medical students for the next incoming class, the Dis-Orientation Guide is the definitive source for how to happily survive and thrive at Washington University School of Medicine.