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

Kayla Johari MA ’21

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I was looking for a healthcare profession that aligned with my values of creating strong, collaborative patient relationships and improving quality of life. After shadowing different healthcare professionals, I realized occupational therapy was the perfect fit!

What area of practice are you interested in?
Currently, I am interested in working with pediatric populations in outpatient settings. I am also interested in Lifestyle Redesign and how our habits, routines, and roles can help promote our health and wellness.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
One of my favorite occupations is practicing yoga. I am able to enter a flow state and simultaneously improve my physical and mental well-being. I also love traveling to different countries, baking desserts, and reading good books.

What song can you sing entirely by heart?
breathin by Ariana Grande.

What are some small things that make your day better?
I love being outdoors, whether it is walking around the block or a hiking in Griffith, being in nature always lifts my mood. I also love spending time with friends and listening to upbeat music!

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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.