USC-PKUHSC Dual-Degree OTD Monthly Seminars: Fall 2023 Semester Recap
December 11, 2023

The China Initiative team hosted the fall series of monthly seminars for the USC-PKUHSC dual-degree cohort 3 students with a unique focus on connecting their learning journey in the United States to their future practice in China. The purpose of these seminars was to support their mixed-track OTD residencies at USC through improving their abilities to relate knowledge and skills across academic, research and clinical settings.

This year, the China Initiative team incorporated Jamboard to create an interactive space for students to systematically reflect upon their residency experiences in relation to the contexts of occupational therapy practice, education and research in China. Students were encouraged to work on personal reflection by answering guiding questions on the Jamboard prior to the seminar, and discussed key takeaways learned from their peers during the seminar. The new Jamboard component was well received by the students and was successful in promoting their personal and professional development.

The first seminar focused on goal setting and reviewing residency guidelines related to expectations, communication, and professionalism. To facilitate their learning and ability to navigate a new environment, students set individualized goals using the SMART format and talked about their reasons and how they are achieving their goals. The second seminar was a workshop to apply academic writing principles and techniques with an introduction to useful resources available at USC and online. The third seminar supported students’ clinical reasoning through an application activity, in which they located information in a patient chart in preparation for an evaluation. The fourth semester engaged students in meaningful reflection on their first semester at USC, and in sharing progress in meeting their goals since the first seminar.

The end of fall semester concluded with a potluck celebration, where everyone showcased their cooking talent by preparing delicious festive dishes from both Chinese and Western cuisines. The celebration signified the strong and supportive China Initiative community that had grown beyond the classroom and across cultures.

Overall, students responded positively to their first series of monthly seminars and recognized its relevance to their future roles as leaders in the field of occupational therapy in China. They most valued the opportunity of community building and offered suggestions on topics and social activities for the upcoming Spring semester. Their constructive feedback serves as a valuable compass to guide the China Initiative team to continue enhancing the content and delivery of monthly seminars to meet their learning needs.

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