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

Melody Choi MA ’22

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I first was introduced to occupational therapy during my time abroad. In 2017, I studied abroad in South Korea at Yonsei University and noticed the stigma that those with disabilities had at the time. My friend had noticed my passion for helping and advocating for others and she introduced to me the world of occupational therapy. Upon arriving back to the States, I volunteered at many different organizations to see the diversity of OT. I loved the many different ways in which OT could help a person and how client-centered it was.

What area of practice are you interested in?
Geriatrics or pediatrics!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I enjoy cooking, travelling, and spending time with my loved ones.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Currently, I would love to go back and visit my family members in South Korea.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Use adversity as an opportunity.”

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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.