Home ⟩Education at USC Chan ⟩Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD) ⟩Meet the Students

Dejaney Clark MA ’23

What brought you to occupational therapy?
At a very young age, I became interested in working in healthcare because of my own experiences as a kid after being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I wanted to make an impact on others with similar experiences as myself, and had an interest in both physical and mental health. The holistic values that OT holds are what interested me the most and gravitated me towards the career!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I originally came into the program with an interest in pediatrics and working in the NICU, however after my first level 1 experience I also have grown an interest in hand therapy and adult rehabilitation in general. I’m excited to have more hands-on experience and figure out what area of OT is the best fit for me!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of the occupations I love to engage in are hanging out with friends, going to the beach, roller skating, and sleeping.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
I would love to go to Bali to explore and spend some relaxing time on the beach!

You have your own late night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest?
I would invite Ari Lennox because she’s hilarious and one of my favorite R&B singers!

⋯

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.