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

Heidi Lee MA ’21

Describe your background before coming to OT.
During my time at UC San Diego, I was serving as the Diabetes Clinic Coordinator in a pre-health society. Stationed in the foyer in the small clinic of City Heights, an ethnically diverse, low-income area of San Diego, I led members from the organization in offering free blood glucose tests and educating clinic-goers about diabetes prevention and management. Despite language barriers and cultural hurdles, this experience was only but a small glimpse of how an occupational therapist can actively assist members of the community to increase their participation and quality of life.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I have been obsessed with making smoothie bowls lately! I blend frozen strawberries, bananas, and raspberries and top it with coconut flakes, fresh fruit, chia seeds, and goji berries! Yummmm!

How do you plan to use Occupational Therapy in the future?
True story: there was a lunch and learn event called “Learn About Advocacy” and I went in thinking that I would learn tips on advocating for my future clients. By the end of the talk, I quickly became passionate about advocating for clients through policy changes. In the future, I would like to educate my colleagues and OT students on the many forms of advocating for our profession.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Reykjavik, Iceland is definitely on my travel bucket list. From chasing the Northern Lights to basking in Iceland’s incredible scenery — I want to do it all.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Being the water baby that I am, I love it when my mom says, “Flow like water.” It always reminds me to stay levelheaded and to embrace change.

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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 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) is accredited 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.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.