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

Lisa Dorrington MA ’17

What brought you to occupational therapy?
After changing my major four times during my freshman and sophomore years in college, I realized that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life! Interested in both art and science, I had explored everything from linguistics and sculpture to astronomy and physical therapy. However, nothing quite fit. During one of my volunteer experiences at a children’s hospital (while working towards a degree in physical therapy), I was assigned to accompany a few occupational therapists on their rounds. Only after I witnessed them working firsthand with their clients did I recognize the importance of meaningful occupation and the real difference these health professionals were making in the lives of those they worked with.

What area of practice are you interested in?
Hand therapy is a facet of occupational therapy that has appealed to me from the moment I was introduced to the field. I love hands-on, physical work and enjoy the idea of developing assistive devices and braces to enable others to engage in the activities that they love.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I am currently on a women’s ice hockey team that travels throughout the Orange and Los Angeles County areas to play other adult women’s teams. I also enjoy horseback riding in North Hollywood and both camping and fishing further north in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
Lots of eggs, both scrambled and hard-boiled. Also a ton of ketchup bottles because I will put it on literally everything!

What is your spirit animal and why would this animal represent you?
My spirit animal is the okapi. This is an endangered mammal that, while exhibiting stripes similar to those of a zebra, is closely related to the giraffe. At six feet tall myself, I have always admired the giraffe for being tall yet graceful. I am also passionate about protecting nature’s wildlife and feel the need to stand against the harmful logging practices that continue to threaten the livelihood of these majestic animals.

⋯

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.