Joan Surfus OTD, OTR/L, BCP, SWC (she/her/hers)

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

CHP G33C
(323) 442-4446
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Joan Surfus has been practicing in pediatrics for more than 30 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and her master’s and clinical doctorate degrees from Misericordia University. Dr. Surfus is an adjunct assistant professor of clinical occupational therapy in the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, teaching Dysphagia Across the Lifespan: Pediatrics through Geriatrics, as well as the Sensory Integration Clinical Training Program.

Dr. Surfus owns and operates Surfus Pediatric Feeding and Occupational Therapy, providing consultation, assessment and intervention for pediatric clients, specializing in pediatric feeding disorders, autism, sensory integration and development. She also works part-time at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, providing occupational therapy services in the NICU/PICU. Dr. Surfus spent 21 years as a therapist, supervisor and clinical coordinator of occupational therapy and feeding specialist at Pediatric Therapy Network located in Torrance, Calif. Her focus has been in pediatric intervention with emphases in sensory integration, feeding, oral-motor and dysphagia and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Surfus teaches regularly in these areas locally, nationally and internationally. When not working, she spends her free time volunteering abroad providing services for children with special needs and education for their families.

Education

Selected Publications

In Chan News

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is fully 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) has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®).

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.