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

Andres Beltran Soto OTD ’26

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of my favorite occupations include working out, playing basketball, and, most importantly, spending time with my loved ones. The social aspects of occupation are as crucial as the anatomical aspects of occupational therapy!

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Recently, my family and I were taken aback by a surprising discovery — our great-grandfather was German! This revelation has sparked a newfound interest in me, and if I were to choose one destination, it would undoubtedly be Germany, a place that holds a significant part of my family’s history.

What area of practice are you interested in?
My passion lies in adult rehabilitation, particularly in working with individuals who have spinal cord injuries, amputations, and TBI. I am deeply committed to making a difference in their lives and helping them regain their independence. After completing the program, I aspire to join the military as an occupational therapist, serving the active members, reservists, and veterans.

You have your own late night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest?
My first guest would be myself from 6 years ago. I want to talk to him and tell him that many challenges will come along the way and that there will be many “I am not sure” moments. However, do the best you can and always have the smile on your face that people most know you for, and everything will be ok. Listen to your “gut”; the path you are following will take you places you never thought about, and you will reach places you never thought you would.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“You never lose; you either win and learn or just learn.” This has been my mantra coming into grad school. You will have significant challenges, and even if you do not get the desired outcome, always take that event as a learning opportunity to be 1% better and grow academically and as a person.

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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®). The USC entry-level OTD degree program (cost of attendance) has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. View our program’s ACOTE standards public data. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-6611, accred@aota.org, acoteonline.org

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.