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University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Julian Prado MA ’19

Julian Prado MA ’19

Hometown: West Covina, CA
Program: Entry-Level Master’s, Class of 2019

What brought you to occupational therapy?
Like most people I wanted a career where I could help other people but I also wanted to challenge myself creatively while still being involved in health care. At first I felt like I wouldn’t be able to find a path where I could do all of that. While talking to a friend she suggested I look into OT. I volunteered at a local hospital and worked with some of the occupational therapists. I felt like OT was a practice that perfectly married everything I was looking for in a career and I knew it would be for me.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
Before coming to occupational therapy I worked with special needs children in a classroom setting. More recently I have become a substitute teacher at the elementary school level.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
My favorite occupations are going to concerts and festivals, cooking soup, hiking, baking chocolate chip cookies, tending to my cactus children, and eating donuts.

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
If you opened my fridge you would find left over Thai food, vanilla almond milk yogurt, various types of jams and jellies, probiotics, leftover soup, depending on how deep in thought I’ll accidentally leave my phone in there sometimes, and probably an orange because I really like cold oranges.

What do you think is the greatest invention of mankind?
That pasta that’s made out of chickpeas and lentils because now I can eat all the pasta I want and not feel bad for eating so much pasta.