Home ⟩The People of USC Chan ⟩Meet Our Trojan Family ⟩Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD)

Alya Turcotte MA ’19

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I nannied a young boy who had some developmental disabilities and I got to work with his OT in the home, and it was a wonderful experience! Also, I volunteered for a program where we do physical activity and sports with individuals with disabilities, and it really fueled my love for OT and adaptations that are possible for individuals of any ability.

What area of practice are you interested in?
Right now, I’m interested in working in pediatrics, but am open to any area — I can’t wait to start fieldwork to get to experience many different populations and find where I fit best.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I was a gymnast, and still love to get into the gym and flip around. But, mainly I enjoy weight lifting, running, hiking, and walking my dog, Stella.

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
A lot of fruit, asparagus, and LOTS of cheese. And most likely a pint of ice cream (in the freezer, not the fridge).

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
My dream is to go to Greece, Spain, and India, but especially India, so I can see where some of my family is from.

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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 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.