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

Crystal Pinney MA ’22

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I became familiar with occupational therapy when my son began receiving services through the regional center. I volunteered at a pediatric clinic to explore the areas of SLP, PT & OT and found my interest in OT.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
Prior to OT, I was working in the veterinary industry for close to a decade caring for companion animals. I then became a stay-at-home-mom for 4 years to my now 5-year-old son & 3-year-old daughter while pursuing my bachelor’s in health science.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of the occupations I love to engage in are swimming, paddle boarding, hiking, playing with my kids, exploring local parks, gardens, beaches, & wineries & spending time with family & friends.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
I would love to travel to Costa Rica to explore all the environmental attractions and wildlife.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given was from my biggest cheerleader, my dad. “You can do anything you put your mind to.”

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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.