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Elizabeth Goodman MA ’21

What brought me to Occupational Therapy?
As an undergraduate at USC, I stumbled upon an essay I wrote in the sixth grade about my future aspirations. I was surprised to see I wrote that I wanted to be an Occupational Therapist when I grew up because I always thought I wanted to go into sports medicine. After freshman year, I decided to explore other health-related fields and enrolled in Dr. Kim Morris-Eggleston’s two-unit class, “Lifestyle Redesign: Introduction to Occupational Therapy.” The class captivated me. I strongly resonated with the concept of occupation as a key determinant for health and wellness. I knew after this class that looking at the individual holistically and learning a person’s narratives in order to help them reach their goals was what I wanted to do with my life. My sixth grade self was spot on!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am interested in pediatrics whether that is in the NICU, early intervention, or with elementary school-aged children. I am especially interested in sensory integration and feeding. It is my dream to one day open an outpatient pediatric clinic in my hometown.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I play for the USC women’s club soccer team and love any other form of exercise whether that is running, playing paddle tennis at Venice Beach, or going to the driving range. I love to watch, read about, and discuss both college football and the NFL. When I have free time, I enjoy reading memoirs/autobiographies and spending time with friends and family.

If your childhood had a smell, what would it be?
Banana Boat Spray Sunscreen. I couldn’t go outside without it!

What are small things that make your day better?
The first sip of coffee in the morning, when the perfect song for your mood comes on the radio, passing by a cute dog, and getting a spontaneous phone call from a friend.

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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.