Latest Chan Division News
Academics and Courses

New “Black Identity and Well-Being” section for OT-100 THRIVE course >
September 14, 2021

Academics and Courses Chan in the Media Community and Partners Diversity, Access, Equity Faculty

USC Chan partners with the USC Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs to deliver culturally relevant content to undergraduate students.

A new discussion section of the OT-100 THRIVE: Foundations of Well-Being course focusing on “Black Identity and Well-Being” is being piloted this fall semester. The discussion section is co-taught by USC Chan faculty Dr. Ashley Uyeshiro Simon and USC Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs…

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USC Chan commits $2.5M to post-pandemic response >
April 26, 2021

Academics and Courses Associations and Bodies Community and Partners Diversity, Access, Equity Pandemic Research

Three-year initiative to fast-track projects addressing occupational needs and health of individuals, families and communities.

By Mike McNulty ReSPONs conceptual schematic The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has launched a $2.5 million initiative comprising a variety of projects aimed at the coronavirus, economic and racial pandemics, the combined effects of which are sure to be felt for…

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OTD Alumni Talk About Finding Their First OT Jobs >
January 8, 2021

Academics and Courses Alumni Clinical Pandemic Students

As many of our Master’s students have already applied to the OTD Program and some continue to consider their options for next year, five recent alumni from our OTD Program — Ana Sanchez, Elissa Taylor, Nicole Wright, Ozan Yay, and Patrice Zhao — discuss their experiences searching and applying for jobs under unprecedented circumstances with our OTD Student Ambassador Daniel Padilla Vega.

Where did you complete your OTD Residency? Ana: I completed my residency at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), which is a community college. Elissa: LAC+USC Medical Center’s Adult West Primary Care clinic (supported by the USC LRCC research lab). Nicole Wright OTD, OTR/L, CIMI Nicole: I completed…

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USC applying for 2022 move to accredited entry-level OTD >
December 9, 2020

Academics and Courses Associations and Bodies

USC's post-professional OTD graduates have traditionally worn cardinal colored gowns at Commencement. (Photo by Amber Morgan) The USC Chan Division has formally initiated the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® process to transition its current accredited entry-level…

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BFA students add minors alongside dance training >
September 29, 2020

Academics and Courses Chan in the Media Students

The USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance is a dance conservatory in a university setting. Students in the [Bachelor of Fine Arts] program take a myriad of dance classes along with school-wide general education requirements. This allows BFA students to explore subjects outside of dance, as well as add minors to complement their dance training.

By Brigid Murphy / USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Bella Allen and India Dobbie (BFA ’22) perform "Ancient Chaos" by Bella Allen. (Photo by Mary Mallaney) Bella Allen (BFA ’22) took advantage of the abundant academic offerings at USC and chose to pursue a minor in Occupational Science within…

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Healthier aging through sharing life stories >
September 28, 2020

Academics and Courses Faculty Pandemic Students

September is Healthy Aging Month, a national observance to draw attention to the lifestyle choices and behaviors that can promote healthy aging for older Americans. In her course, “OT 538: Adulthood and Aging,” Associate Professor of Research Stacey Schepens Niemiec assigns students a project using the power of personal stories to highlight occupations that contribute to meaningful older life experiences. To learn more, Student Ambassador Lamoni Lucas MA ’21 asked Schepens Niemiec to explain the inspiration and purpose of the “Life Story” project, and four OT 538 students to reflect on the project and its mementos.

Schepens Niemiec: Life storytelling — sharing one’s personal life experiences and stories with others — is a meaningful, culturally rich, shared occupation that can be powerfully health-promoting. Life storytelling can help people make sense of their lives, become more aware of the scripts…

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Response to COVID-19: PKUHSC Program Transitions to Online Teaching Even Before USC Chan >
September 14, 2020

Academics and Courses China Initiative Pandemic

PKUHSC instructors Hui (Angela) Wang and Liguo Qian quickly shift classes online and adapt to accommodate stay-at-home orders in Beijing

The first time Dr. Hui (Angela) Wang met her students was on January 4th, 2020 — during the last week of the PKUHSC fall semester. Angela, a China Initiative scholar, had completed her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at USC Chan, and just returned to China to continue her Post-Professional…

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When education requires in-person work during a pandemic >
August 26, 2020

Academics and Courses Chan in the Media Faculty Pandemic

By Kate Faye / HSC News With Keck Medicine of USC now accepting all patients for needed health care services and the fall semester in motion, departments throughout have taken steps to make sure that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is minimal. This has resulted in new policies and best practices…

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China Initiative PhD Student Co-Teaches Occupational Science Seminar in the Master’s Program at PKUHSC >
July 28, 2020

Academics and Courses China Initiative Community and Partners International Students

Buwen Yao, a China Initiative scholar and current 3rd year PhD student at USC Chan, joins a PKUHSC instructor in co-teaching the Occupational Science Seminar course in the master’s program.

Buwen Yao Buwen Yao, at the time a medical student in rehabilitation medicine at Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC), was selected as a China Initiative scholar in 2018 to complete a PhD in occupational science (OS) at USC Chan. She will be amongst the first, if not the first person…

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Welcome Ceremony for the 2nd Cohort of USC-PKUHSC Dual-Degree Students >
July 11, 2020

Academics and Courses China Initiative Diversity, Access, Equity International Students

PKUHSC and USC jointly held a virtual Welcome Ceremony for the second cohort of students admitted to the PKUHSC Master’s Program in Rehabilitation Therapy (Occupational Therapy Track).

PKUHSC held an online Welcome Ceremony for the second cohort of students admitted to the PKUHSC Master’s Program in Rehabilitation Therapy (Occupational Therapy Track). The ceremony was attended by both PKUHSC faculty and instructors, as well as USC China Initiative faculty and doctoral residents.…

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