MA Alumni SpOTlight: Meet Tal Arnon

What was your background in occupational therapy before coming to NYU?

I have a bachelor's in Occupational Therapy from the Hebrew University.

What inspired you to pursue your MA in Occupational Therapy at NYU?

I had always wanted to study at NYU and live in New York at some point in my life, and having just finished my bachelor's in OT, I wanted to continue my education in the field. I looked into the program at NYU, which seemed to be exactly what I had in mind, and I was lucky enough to get in...

What are your research interests? What kinds of research projects were you involved in as an NYU student?

Mostly cognitive and geriatrics, but I'm also interested in anything related to physical disabilities in adults.

During the program, I was involved in Dr. Voelbel's study of cognitive changes in patients with atrial fibrillation as part of my master's project. The following year I was involved as a research assistant in two separate studies: Dr. Chippendale's study looking at the effects of a writing workshop with an intergenerational component on seniors and Dr. Goverover's study on developing a new evaluation tool for MS patients. 

What did you enjoy most about your experience at NYU? 

Everything! I enjoyed the classes I took, the research I got to take part in, my classmates (who are now my friends), the professors and faculty (who were far better than I could have ever imagined) I got to know both professionally and personally, and just generally, the life of an NYU student.

Where are you currently working?

 I work in the Geriatric Rehabilitation Ward of Tel Aviv Medical Center's Ichilov Hospital. My job involves treating patients over the age of 65 presenting with mostly neurological and/or orthopedic conditions.