10/09/2026
Happy Thursday, CHS Miners! ⛏ Check out this excerpt about identical twin sisters in the OTD Class of 2029. Full story at link in IG bio and https://tinyurl.com/yadrrbpk
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Cindy and Maite Jabalera, identical twin sisters and first-year students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program, felt an early calling to go into health care. Both attended Bel Air High School’s health professions magnet and entered UTEP as biology majors.
After realizing the field wasn’t really for them, they sought guidance from family and ultimately settled on the field of OT. The sisters switched their major to Rehabilitation Sciences and moved through their undergraduate degrees, graduating in 2024. As part of the OTD application process, they spent time in different clinical settings shadowing OTs, and it was then that they truly felt they had made the right decision.
Now in their first semester in the OTD program, the sisters are noticing big changes. Despite carpooling, studying together, and even taking the same courses, they’ve had opportunities to strike out as individuals, particularly in group settings. They also say that they feel connected to their professors and peers, noting a very strong supportive and caring culture.
“Our professors are so wonderful, and they tell us all the time that we belong here,” said Cindy. “The dynamic is very student focused, so we feel safe asking questions.”
With a bright future ahead of them, the sisters say they have given some consideration for their preferred area of practice: Cindy anticipates working with pediatric clients and Maite is open, with a slight preference for working with the elderly. Both are advocates for OT, noting that the profession is meaningful and joyful.
“If you are looking for a job that doesn’t feel like a job, consider OT. It’s fun, and we have the opportunity to work with other professionals like PTs and SLPs,” said Cindy.
Maite agreed, adding: “We are not only working with a patient’s injury or disability; we are working around their life, getting to know them as a person in order to understand how we can help them best,” she said.
