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Ian Murray MA ’16

What brought you to occupational therapy?
As a life long martial artist it was always my ambition to pursue a career inspiring others to take control of their health and well being. I was exposed to occupational therapy through my Judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu students who included a man with athetoid cerebral palsy, and children with developmental and learning disabilities. When I did the research into what occupational therapy was, it’s theory and practices really spoke to me.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
After undergrad I spent time traveling and competing as a sponsored mixed martial artist and worked as an instructor in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tell us about your favorite memory from the program so far.
During my Level II fieldwork at a skilled nursing facility I watched a patient who was recovering from Guillain-Barré walk to his son’s car after 9 months of recovery.

What is your spirit animal and why would this animal represent you?
A two-toed sloth, because they have maximum efficiency with minimal effort. And two toed because they are cuter than three-toed sloths.

How do you want to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as someone kind and strong, compassionate and daring, a seeker of truth who found peace in reality.

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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.