Student Blog
I Got a Car!!! ⟩
January 18, 2012, by Kimberly
Housing and Transportation Living in LA
Yep, it’s true. And here it is. Little ‘98 Honda Accord. I finally succummed to the pressure of LA and to my class schedule this semester and had to get one. I mean it is possible to use public transit in LA as I have managed for almost 2 years now but there are some places that are a little harder to get to. I will still probably use public transit for close commutes, but for those far-away, spur-of-the-moment happenings, it will be a great asset. So I’m very excited! (And I know that my friends are too, the ones that have been giving me rides . . . thanks guys!) Actually some of them still ask me if I need a lift occasionally. But now I can pick them up instead. So new year, new mode of transit. I’ll keep you posted on all my adventures. Happy Driving!
⋯
My Last Semester ⟩
January 17, 2012, by Floyd
Gosh, I can’t believe that this will be my final semester of graduate school. I feel like it flew by so fast. As I think back, I am happy to say that I do not regret the path I have chosen for myself in becoming an Occupational Therapist. I am glad that I always took the initiative to be part of every opportunity USC has to offer. Such like this position as a Student Ambassador. This position gave me the opportunity to work in the area of recruitment where I get to interact with new and promising faces of OT and talk to them about what I am passionate about — Occupational Therapy.
I can’t believe 2012 just started and I am already thinking about my new adventures after I graduate. I wonder where I will be in 5 to 10 years. Hopefully doing something I am happy and proud of. Since I know it will be in OT, I know confident that my goals and aspirations will follow.
⋯
Terapia Ocupacional ⟩
January 12, 2012, by Chelsea
I have always wondered about the extent of occupational therapy’s impact around the world. If I ever wanted to move to a different country would I be able to find a good job practicing OT? Would there be a great stigma against disability? How would I advocate for my patients?
This year we have many international students from various countries such as India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan studying in our program at USC and their stories have been intriguing. Many of these students have already been practicing occupational therapy in their countries and have come to the United States to obtain their Master’s or Doctorate from USC. A lot of the stories I have heard indicate that many other countries are less accepting of disability than our own. My friend from India told me that Mothers are often deeply ashamed of their children who have disabilities. In fact, one mother had the audacity to ask my friend how to essentially “get rid” of her child. However, I have also heard stories of countries that are much more accessible to people with disabilities than the United States.
Thankfully, the United States has come a long way since the beginning of the 20th century in terms of disability rights and acceptance. The right of people who are disabled have been protected by Government legislation such as the Civil Rights Act, the Social Security Amendments of 1965, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to name a few. I would love to learn more about the rights of people who are disabled in other countries. Someday I hope I can travel around Latin America and practice occupational therapy. I speak Spanish and I am taking an elective this semester titled “Spanish for the Health Professions” so I am not too worried about the language barrier, but if I were to practice OT in another country I would need to know a great deal about the rights of people with disabilities so that I could advocate for my patients as I would in the United States. One beneficial resource is the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, which supports the development, use and practice of occupational therapy worldwide. Spreading occupational therapy practice and ideals to areas of the world that lack adequate rehabilitation services is an alluring, yet daunting task and something that I definitely hope to do someday. The world has quite a ways to go in addressing the rights of people with disabilities, therefore I believe that many countries would benefit from learning about the policies we have in the United States and vice versa.
⋯
Welcome to 2012 ⟩
January 11, 2012, by Alix
Happy New Year! This week marks the beginning of a new semester — the home stretch of the Master’s program for myself and my fellow ambassadors. Winter break was (as always) much too short, but it does feel good to be getting back into the swing of things. I’m taking five classes this spring: two core courses focused on quantitative and qualitative research, a course about Lifestyle Redesign, an elective focused on OT’s role in the primary care setting (kind of like a mini-fieldwork), and a course about motivational interviewing and therapeutic communication.
I’m definitely looking forward to the Lifestyle Redesign course, especially because I’ve decided to stay here at USC for my clinical doctorate, and I’ll be focusing on Lifestyle Redesign. (Yay OTD!) Some other things I’m looking forward to in 2012: Learning how to surf, finding a good gluten-free bread recipe, exploring California even more (Joshua Tree and Yosemite are two goal destinations), and, of course, getting married. I have high hopes for a busy but very fulfilling year. 😎
⋯
Happy Holidays ⟩
December 22, 2011, by Kimberly
We hope you’ve enjoyed all the blogging this semester. The Ambassadors will be signing off until January 9th so we can enjoy a break from school and work. Hope you are finding time to relax as well. Just in case you need a few hints, here are some of our favorite OT strategies to relax and unwind. Whether the holidays allow you to do that or bring more stress on, these should help. So enjoy and we will be back in the New Year!!!
Reduce Your Stress
Breathe (simple, yet essential)
Be thankful
Work out
See an old friend
Write in a journal
Play with a pet
Use this
Get creative in how you do something
Have fun and laugh
Drink green or chamomile tea (it calms you down and is good for you)
⋯
Subscribe | RSS