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

Melissa Yeung MA ’17

What brought you to occupational therapy?
My parents built an orphanage in China and over the past ten years I have spent many summers visiting the children. Since the majority of them have various medical needs, I decided that the best way to help would be to become an Occupational Therapist. My hope is to return and train caregivers all across China to provide much needed support and care for the children in orphanages and foster care homes.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
When I’m not in school, you will most likely find me at the beach. The smell of the ocean is incredibly inviting! If the beach isn’t an option, I will probably be strumming the guitar and the ukulele or playing the one Rachmaninoff song I know. Now if you catch me driving, especially in LA traffic, I will most likely be belting out old Disney tunes.

Tell us about your favorite memory from the program so far.
I really enjoy the camaraderie that we have at USC OT. The students, staff, and professors all really care about each other and are also truly passionate about OT.

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
Blueberries. I’m obsessed with blueberries and antioxidants are good for you! And in the freezer, Tillamook Ice Cream! And in particular . . . Mudslide. Need I say more?

What is your spirit animal and why would this animal represent you?
In my alternate life, I would probably have studied marine mammal science. So I would have to say either a dolphin because of their friendly nature or a beluga whale. I mean who doesn’t love beluga whales?

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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.