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Kayla Chism MA ’21

What brought you to occupational therapy?
When I was in high school my mom introduced me to occupational therapy because she thought it would be a great fit for me, it turns out that she was right!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am currently interested in working in acute care but I was originally drawn to the profession through pediatric practice, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I love listening to music and I’ve recently taken up cycling, but my most favorite occupation is cooking!

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
If I could travel anywhere, I would like to travel to Jamaica. My grandpa grew up there and told me stories of his home when I was little and I’ve always wanted to see the island with my own eyes.

You have your own late-night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest?
Okay, so this is something I think about a lot because talking is one of my most frequented occupations. First, the name of my late-night talk show would be called “Chats with Chizzy” and it would be highlighting excellence in the Black community. I think my first guest would be Issa Rae because I’ve watched her shows and listened to her podcasts for years and it would be amazing to sit down and pick her brain!

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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.