Faculty / Staff Resources Student Resources
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
X/Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
News and Events
News and Events

Lending a Helping Hand
September 25, 2019

Student Ambassador Kaho interviews Areli Benitez about her decision to pursue the OTD and her residency providing hand therapy at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center (LAC+USC).

Academics and Courses Clinical Students

X/Twitter Facebook LinkedIn email

LAC+USC, or “County” as it is often referred to, is one of the busiest hospitals in the Western United States, providing healthcare services for people in the area who are medically underserved and treating over 28 percent of LA County trauma victims.

Areli Benitez at LAC + USC Medical Center

Areli Benitez at LAC + USC Medical Center

Why did you decide to pursue your OTD?
I decided to pursue the OTD because I wanted to improve my clinical expertise within the specialty of hand therapy. Graduating from the Master’s program at USC made me feel like I had the core foundations of occupational therapy with the clinical reasoning skills needed to be successful and impact our patients within many settings. But I thought the mentorship component of the OTD would help me to further improve the techniques and tools used within hand therapy, such as orthotic fabrication and wound care, under the guidance of experienced hand therapists.

What population does your residency site primarily serve?
LAC + USC Medical Center primarily serves individuals who are uninsured, come from a lower socioeconomic status, are undocumented, and/or are limited in their English proficiency. 

What does your typical day at LAC+USC look like?
My typical days at LAC + USC Medical Center may start off with a one-hour in-service where all of the occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists come together to learn about a certain protocol or project a discipline is working on. I then have about four one-on-one sessions before heading to the orthopedic clinic for the rest of the day. In the ortho clinic, I get to practice educating patients on activity and exercise home programs, and fabricating custom-made orthotics. 

What has been your favorite part about working at LAC+USC?
My favorite part about working at LAC + USC Medical Center is having a supportive community that is receptive and excited about my learning.

What are your plans after getting your OTD?
My plan after the OTD is to continue working within hand therapy and eventually become a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT). I hope to be working with the low-income population of Los Angeles and providing high-quality patient care.