Tyler Hood

Profession: Occupational Therapy student

Hometown: I’m from Ann Arbor, Michigan

What Occupational Therapy Brings to the Team: Occupational therapy (OT) brings a client-centered, function-focused perspective to healthcare teams in all settings (e.g., hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient, schools, military, etc.). We look at the whole person holistically—their goals, environment, routines, values, and roles—to support meaningful engagement in daily life. In an interprofessional setting, we serve as bridges between disciplines, ensuring that care plans are evidence-based and realistic and personalized for the patient. We emphasize collaboration, adaptability, and creative problem-solving, which aligns naturally with the goals of team-based care allowing interprofessional care.

Why I joined HPSLC: I joined HPSLC to grow as a leader, connect with passionate students from other professions, and help build a collaborative team across our disciplines and schools. Also, I enjoy a lot of the members who are on the team and look forward to working with and networking with them.

Your Superpower: My ideal superpower for HPSLC would be seamless communication. This capability would enable me to actively contribute to create a truly welcoming, strengths-based, and inclusive space where every voice is heard and valued. This power would allow me to read others’ thoughts about their communication because I am sometimes not able to fully communicate my thoughts. As an HPSLC member, I would apply this to deeply understand colleagues from all health professions, including their insights, using the connections essential for our interprofessional success and commitment to comprehensive care and advocacy.