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Olivia Carroll OTD ’17

Leadership concentration: Advanced Clinical Practice.

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I have always had a passion for helping others. Since I was young I have enjoyed volunteering with various groups of people including older adults, children with disabilities and homeless families. When I started college I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to major in so I met with academic advisors from all different disciplines. One day during a meeting I told my advisor that I wanted a career where I could help people do what is important to them. She replied, “You should look into occupational therapy!”. Here I am and couldn’t be happier!

Where are you located for your residency and what services are provided there?
For my residency I am working at Keck Hospital. Keck provides inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy services to a wide range of people including those with cardiopulmonary, neurological and musculoskeletal conditions who may be recovering from surgery or managing chronic illness.

What do you hope to learn from this year?
This year I hope to continue to improve my interpersonal, clinical reasoning and specific clinical skills in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I want to improve my ability to collaborate on a multidisciplinary team and demonstrate the importance and value of occupational therapy. Additionally, I want to learn about the processes involved in program development and strengthen my leadership skills.  Most importantly I hope to gain confidence in myself as a future practitioner.

If you could give any words of advice for incoming Master’s students, what would it be?
Take advantage of all of the opportunities that the Master’s program offers! Some of my favorite memories and most valuable experiences as a Master’s student include getting involved with events and programs like the OT/PT Forum, OT Extravaganza and Inter-Professional Geriatrics Curriculum. Also, remember to take time for yourself and continue to do the things you love in order to maintain a balanced lifestyle.

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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.