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

Stephanie Gomez-Rubalcava MA ’21

What brought you to occupational therapy?
As a kid, I used to watch an annual, televised fundraiser for Teletón Children’s Rehabilitation Centers (CRIT) in Mexico. I loved seeing how therapists helped families in need, and since then, I grew interested in pursuing a career in OT. During two summers in college, I visited my family in Aguascalientes, Mexico and volunteered at the Teletón Center there. I created my own crafts projects with the kids, helped an OT make an ankle-foot orthosis for a little girl, and learned more about the value of OT in families’ lives. These great experiences solidified my commitment to pursuing a career in OT!

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am interested in pediatric occupational therapy since from a young age I have loved working with kids. Recently, however, I have also become interested in working with the older adult population in adult rehabilitation.

Describe your background before coming to occupational therapy.
I completed my undergraduate studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I majored in Kinesiology with a concentration in Health Science and minored in Psychology and Spanish. I am also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I love spending time with my friends and family, hiking, going to concerts, and cooking!

Tell us about your favorite memory from the program so far.
I made a twin-size weighted blanket entirely by hand over the summer in the Creativity, Craft and Activity Analysis course. It has been one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, hands-on project I have ever made.

What are some small things that make your day better?
A phone call with my mom, seeing or holding a baby, and an esquite from the corn man in Lincoln Heights!

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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 fully 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) has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®).

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.