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Jasmine Kuo MA ’22

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I didn’t find out about OT until I was in college when a friend suggested I look into it because it could be a good fit for me. At that time, I was considering pursuing medicine but it didn’t seem right for me. After I did some research on OT, I realized it was what I was looking for! I love that it merges science and art into a helping profession that is person-centered and focuses on wellbeing.

What area of practice are you interested in?
My interest in OT began in pediatrics because I love this population and have a lot of experience working with kids. I volunteered at an early intervention clinic and also with a feeding specialist. However, I’ve expanded my interests to health and wellness as well as productive aging!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of my favorite occupations include reading, listening to music, watching feel-good movies, and hanging out with my dog. I also love spending time in nature whether hiking or taking care of my houseplants.

If you could be immortal, what age would you choose to stop aging at and why?
I think I could choose to stop aging at 30. By then, my brain would have developed completely, I’d have graduated and become a licensed OT, and hopefully have my life figured out by then!

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
There are so many places on my bucket list, but mostly I want to visit Iceland, Peru, and Spain. Also it would be amazing to see Antarctica!

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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.