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Valeria Rios OTD ’25

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I was a math major my first few years of being at community college. One beautiful summer day I was sitting in a Pre-Cal class dreading for the class to be over. This was the day I decided I was not meant to be a math major. I decided to be a PT but a few years went by and I was still unsure of my career. While sitting at orientation for CSULA the staff informed us of the different career paths Kin majors could take and that’s where it all began.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
Before coming to Occupational Therapy, I was enlisted in the California Army National Guard as a mechanic for 8 years while attending school.

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am currently interested in pediatrics and Neuro Rehab.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice I was given was, “If you don’t do nothing, ya get nothing” — Mr. Martin 6th grade Stevenson Middle School. The second best advice is, “Everything happens for a reason.”

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
If I could travel anywhere I would travel to Machu Picchu, Peru.

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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.