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Patricia Trejo MA ’19

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I initially became interested in occupational therapy through a health seminar class. To learn more about the profession I decided to volunteer in various rehabilitation settings and was drawn to the holistic nature that drives the field. I knew that I wanted to be part of a workforce that treats individuals and their environments as a whole, a workforce that weighs social factors and unique experiences when providing health care services and occupational therapy offered all of that.

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am particularly interested in the practice fields of rehabilitation and productive aging. However, I am eager and curious to explore how occupational therapy services are delivered in other focus areas. I am also interested in learning how cultural differences can affect the delivery of services and ways that we can ensure occupational therapy is available to any who need it.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I love doing anything outdoors, whether it be running, hiking, or camping. I also recently took up painting as a hobby and love the freedom in creativity that it grants me.

If we opened your fridge, what would we see?
Definitely fruit and cheese! I could very well live off this although I probably shouldn’t.

What do you think is the greatest invention of mankind?
Without a doubt, the internet. It has given us access to various sources of knowledge while expanding our realm of communication through email and social media innovations. I think it has definitely played a role in fostering human relationships and increasing our awareness of societal issues. It’s amazing to think of all the things we are now able to do with the click of a button.

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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.