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University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Education
Education

Erin dos Santos MA ’20

Erin dos Santos MA ’20

Hometown: Corona, CA
Program: Entry-Level Master’s, Class of 2020

What brought you to occupational therapy?
Going into my undergraduate program I was expecting to become an X-ray technician like my father. But the career counselor encouraged all the freshmen to take a career test to be sure that we were in the right program. My career test results had Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy as the top two. After doing some research and speaking with OTs I fell in love with the field and changed my major to Health Sciences/Pre-Occupational Therapy. One of the best decisions I have ever made!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am interested in many different areas but I am leaning towards working with adults. I want to learn more about Occupational Therapy with the geriatric population and clients with depression. I am also very interested in learning about Lifestyle Design and Animal Assisted Therapy.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of my favorite occupations are photography, music, reading, Netflix, cooking/baking, and crafting (anything from sewing to coloring).

Tell us about your favorite memory from the program so far.
The Shared Plates fundraiser. It was wonderful to see people from different cultures sharing how to make their favorite foods for a good cause.

If your childhood had a smell, what would it be?
Sun-ripened tomatoes. My mom grows a garden every summer and she always grows tomatoes. Very few things compare to eating a warm tomato picked right off of the vine.

What song can you sing entirely by heart?
All Too Well by Taylor Swift.

If you could visit any time in history, where would you go and why?
The Revolutionary War period. I graduated with a minor in History and this period has always fascinated me with its way of life and how a few colonies were able to win their freedom from an empire to become the country it is today.

What are some small things that make your day better?
Reading a leisure book on the train and going to bed early.