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Zoë Saunders MA ’23

What brought you to occupational therapy?
When I was young, I was diagnosed with scoliosis which was an extremely tough experience for me. I had to sleep in a back brace for 2 years to straighten my curve. My doctor did not give me the best experience dealing with this diagnosis so I wanted to be a better representation for patients who need the support. Also being a black woman, I want to increase the representation of black people within the OT field as a whole.

What area of practice are you interested in?
My current interest is primarily in outpatient pediatrics. I have always been able to work well with children and I find them to be a fun and spontaneous population to work with. However, recently I discovered hand therapy during the summer session and have gained interest in women’s health in OT. I am looking forward to seeing how my interests shift over the next 2 years!

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
Some of my favorite occupations are going to the beach, traveling, and cooking.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
If I had the opportunity to travel anywhere, I would definitely go to Spain. I went once in high school and it was beautiful!

You have your own late night talk show, who do you invite as your first guest?
I would definitely invite Michelle Obama. She is an amazing woman and I’d love to hear her perspective on so many things firsthand.

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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.