Yiyang Fang (Sunny) PhD ’25

What brought you to occupational therapy?
I always knew I wanted to become a healthcare provider when I was young. When I was exploring career options with my high school academic advisor, she mentioned occupational therapy. I had never heard of the profession at the time, but as soon as I started researching it online, I was immediately drawn to it. I later had the opportunity to come to the US and shadow an OT in an inpatient hospital department in Cincinnati. That experience really made me committed to pursuing OT, and I eventually applied to undergraduate OT programs in the US.

Why did you decide to pursue your PhD in Occupational Science?
Thanks to the opportunities I had to volunteer and work as a student worker in research labs during my undergraduate and graduate programs, I was able to participate in many research projects. These experiences helped me realize that I didn’t just want to work in the clinic. I also wanted to contribute to creating knowledge that could impact the entire discipline and help us better understand the mechanisms behind how occupational engagement impact health and well-being. That’s what ultimately led me to pursue a PhD in Occupational Science.

What was the most rewarding part of being in the PhD program?
The most rewarding part of being in the PhD program was the experience of breaking through my academic and intellectual limits. The core OS classes gave me the chance to dive into the literature, critically appraise it with my classmates, and practice writing my own scholarly work. The elective courses allowed me to build skills outside of OT and OS, including behavioral health methods, statistics, and computer programming. I also found interdisciplinary research incredibly meaningful, as it taught me how to navigate collaborations with engineers and advocate for OSOT in spaces where our discipline is not always well represented.

What are you are doing now (or next)?
I will be returning to Shanghai, China, where I’ll be pursuing a post-doctoral position!

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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 doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) 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 master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is in Accreditation–Inactive 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.

Professional program graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the 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.