Student Blog

Unity in the CommunOT ⟩
August 7, 2020, by Calvin

Getting Involved

With everything being fully remote this summer, there was some worry about how the Chan community would stay connected since we’re all so used to seeing each other in person. The new first-year students were also feeling uneasy because of their unexpected introduction through the online platform. There was an apparent need for support within the division, and thus the Chan Community Commission (CCC) came to fruition!

The CCC was designed to support and promote a positive environment for all students, faculty, and staff of the Chan Division to come together. We partnered closely with Global Initiatives Team and the Diversity, Access, and Equity (DAE) Committee in hopes of creating events and spaces that were welcoming for all and that fostered improved health and well-being through greater interaction and social support. Over the course of the summer, the CCC offered events and activities that surrounded four categories: social experiences, advocacy, peer mentorship, and health and well-being.

Having witnessed the Chan community unify and continue to stay connected during these times was such a special experience. I had the pleasure and opportunity of being a part of the phenomenal CCC team and am very excited to recap on some of the things we’ve done these past few months!

1. Social Experiences

OT Trivia Night

Around a month ago, students collaborated for a fun night of OT Trivia to raise money for organizations that support Black lives! There was a huge turnout for this event and we were able to donate over $600 to organizations including Color of Change, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, The Loveland Foundation, and Black Trans Travel Fund. As future occupational therapists, it is our responsibility to stay educated on anti-racism and stand in solidarity with our Black clients, colleagues, and neighbors. Thank you to Master’s students, Jeffrey Palomino, Nora Dixon and Ellie Bendetson, for taking the lead in organizing and hosting this tremendous event!

The Passion Show

The Chan community was invited to create 5 minute PowerPoint presentations on what they’re passionate about and, WOW, did they deliver! Individuals shared their passions ranging from potatoes, photography, Coldplay, trail running, cake, kombucha, sparkling water, fishing, art, conspiracy theories, wine tasting; the list LITERALLY goes on! Thank you to the presenters and audience members for coming through that night! Thank you to Dr. Kelcie Kadowaki, Dr. Kristin Nxumalo, and my boss, Kim Kho, for coming through too; you all rock 😊! Shoutout to Dr. Myka Persson for her unforgettable presentation on ocean swimming and for sharing about her encounter with a shark! Overall, it was such a fun time putting together and hosting this event with Jeffrey Palomino, Shawyon Aminirad, Maggie Goodfellow, Brendan LaScala and John J. Lee!

2. Advocacy

Advocacy Committee Presentations

In the “Let’s Talk About Advocacy” information session, student representatives from AOTA, OTAC, OTSC, OT Speaks, and COTAD united to discuss why advocacy is important in occupational therapy and what students can do to get involved. In the “OT Speaks Discussion Forum”, the Chan Advocacy Committee and OT Speaks collaborated in holding a discussion forum to educate students on legislative bills that will impact the future of OT practice and provide tangible ways to advocate. Thank you to these wonderful student leaders for opening up a dialogue about OT’s role in advocacy and for empowering students to pursue their advocacy interests!

3. Peer Mentorship

Mentorship Circles

This Mentorship Circle program was organized to help incoming first-year students transition to becoming a part of the USC Chan community, facilitate social connections with their peers, and have access to mentors! The circles provided, not only mentorship opportunities but also a space for students to get together and have a good time. This was such a unique opportunity for my co-mentor, Jessie Tien, and I to get to know the first-year students and be there as their support system. Although the CCC is coming to a close, we are happy to announce that Global Initiatives will be housing this program, which will be called “Friendtorship Circles”, and will continue to enhance them by including students from ALL Chan degree programs! Thank you to Master’s students, Kayla Johari and Sarah Morris, for all their hard work and dedication in facilitating and organizing these Mentorship Circles!

4. Health and Well-being

Terrific Tuesdays

Along with being a student, Sydney is also a Certified Functional Strength Coach and we were very excited to have her on board to lead “Terrific Tuesdays” on behalf of CCC health and well-being! Everyone that joined her workouts said that they were amazing and you can actually check out her fitness Instagram @sydbastfitness. Thank you so much to Dr. Ashley Halle for taking the time out of her busy schedule to join in on the exercise fun!

Wellness Wednesdays

We invited doctoral residents from the USC Chan Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice (OTFP) to host “Wellness Wednesdays” workshops in order to inform the Chan community about how we can live optimal lifestyles, especially during this time. Topics were related to managing time and focus strategies while sheltering in place, setting up an ergonomic workstation at home, and managing stress and anxiety (especially in the unknown). We were so grateful to have, soon to be official OTDs, Serena Hobson, Vanessa Miller and Erin Bussell, impart their profound knowledge and expertise! Shoutout to master’s student Adam Strizich for avidly connecting everyone and for bringing these gatherings to life!

If you asked me a few months ago what I anticipated the summer semester was going to look like, I definitely would not have mentioned any of this! Seeing people really come together this summer was very reassuring and reminded me that we can overcome so much as a community. Thank you to Dr. Kristin Nxumalo, Dr. Daniel Park, Dr. Julie McLaughlin Gray and Dr. Samia Rafeedie for their unwavering support and for all the behind-the-scenes work they were involved in! Thank you to the Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC) and Global Initiatives for graciously offering to continue the work of the CCC! Thank you to the CCC for working so hard to bring everybody together and for making this summer one for the books! Finally, CONGRATULATIONS to all who are about to officially wrap up this semester. Whether it be with work, classes, teaching, fieldwork, research or doctoral residencies, WE DID IT!!!!!

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Everything Coming Full Circle This Summer ⟩
August 6, 2020, by Daniel

Fieldwork

This summer began with a lot of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finding out I would be completing my entire summer fieldwork from home was not what I had planned for. Even after starting fieldwork, I still had hope that things would get better during the summer and that I would be able to work in person at the primary care clinic. However, that day never came and as I write this I find myself completing my last fieldwork week, and the last official week of the Master’s program. After 12 weeks of fieldwork, doing 40+ hours on most weeks, and working as an OTD Student Ambassador, I am ready for a break! Yet, I feel grateful that I was able to continue my education and work from home during this time because that is a privilege.

A big part of writing these blogs is to inform you about my personal experience to help you think about what career path to take after the Master’s program. Reflecting back on this summer at the Primary Care Adult West Clinic, I can honestly say that I feel like I made the right decision by pursuing this OTD Residency. When I was applying to OT school, I remember writing my statement of purpose and having this innate desire to eventually be in a position to help the communities that I grew up in. Below I share with you a piece from my personal statement that has served as my personal motivation throughout the entire OT program and especially during these 12 weeks of fieldwork.

“People from low-socioeconomic backgrounds often do not have income, time, nor access to the health education necessary to receive treatment for various conditions. Even when members from my community are aware of healthcare resources, factors such as work, lack of transportation, immigration status, language barriers, and no insurance prevent them from addressing their health needs. For example, during my introductory experience completing occupational therapy volunteer hours, I became a de-facto translator for Latino families who admitted that they felt more comfortable receiving care from someone with whom they could clearly articulate their health concerns.”

Reading this now and thinking about my clients at the primary care clinic brings me a lot of joy. I feel very lucky that every day I get to work with the communities that I dreamed of helping while applying to OT school. Like any other person, there are days where I feel tired, less motivated, or just out of rhythm, but then I will have a conversation with one of my clients from the clinic and it reminds me just how much they appreciate the support OT provides. When talking to clients, they often remind me of my parents, my grandma, my aunts, and my neighbors. People that are trying to navigate such a complex healthcare system, simply trying their best take care of themselves and their families, while they are impacted by social, political, and economic factors. As someone that grew up in a low-income, Latinx immigrant family, with parents trying to make ends meet, the experiences of many of my clients hit home for me. This helps me push through on those difficult days and motivates me to always do my best to connect them with any resources that can help them. 

This summer has helped me learn a lot about myself and as I mentioned it was a good reminder of the reason why I came to OT school and decided to continue with the OTD. I am excited about the future as I look forward to learning and collaborating with others to better serve this population at the Primary Care Adult West Clinic. Lastly, I just want to give a special shout out to the entire Adult West clinic team, Dr. Diaz, Dr. Pyatak, Dr. Granados, and soon to be Dr. Elissa Taylor, who supported me this summer and prepared me with the necessary skills to take over the caseload at the clinic as the new OTD resident.

My advice to students applying to the OTD is to think about the things you are passionate about. If needed, take a step back and think about why you applied to OT school in the first place, what do you want to get out of the OTD, and what do you see yourself doing in the future. Remember that your OTD does not necessarily define what settings you end up practicing in. However, you want to make sure that adding an extra year to your education will be a pleasant experience, and an opportunity that will motivate you to want to show up every day and do the work to help others. Finding the right fit will be essential when looking at potential OTD residency opportunities, whether they are Chan affiliated or not. And if that takes a little bit longer than you expected, than that is totally okay. Don’t be afraid to reach out, be curious, take your time, and ask questions!

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What Student Organization Should I Join? ⟩
August 4, 2020, by Savi

Getting Involved

As the summer semester is coming to an end and the fall semester is quickly approaching, many students become aware of the various opportunities they have to get involved. Emails start to trickle in informing them of volunteer opportunities, student organizations, student council, student worker positions, and much more. Looking back on my first year, I recall this being one of the most overwhelming times for me because I didn’t know which organization would be the best fit for me. For that reason, I have gone ahead and reached out to individuals in our program who are involved in each organization. I asked them why they chose to be a part of this organization and what they have gained from or learned about by being a member. Hopefully, this helps you decide what you want to be a part of!

I do want to echo Calvin, Lamoni, and Marilyn’s blog posts by reminding you all that it is ok to say no and that it is important to maintain a proper work-life balance. You do not have to be a part of multiple or any organizations for that matter! I urge you to invest time in things that matter to you. For the first three semesters of graduate school, I only committed my time to schoolwork and my job as a gym receptionist. It wasn’t until the Student Ambassador position presented itself at the end of my Spring semester that I found myself getting more involved in the Chan community outside of class. Whether your meaningful occupations fall within or outside our program, find one or two activities or organizations that you are passionate about. Try your best not to overcommit yourself and do not feel like you have to rush into a decision. If you are unsure about an opportunity I can promise you that a new one will be just around the corner! With that being said . . . here are students’ insight on their student organizations.

1. OTs for OuTreach: “I chose to get involved with OTs for OuTreach because I wanted to be able to connect with other people in the program that aligned with my queer identity and be able to talk about our shared experiences throughout the program together. I was really searching for a sense of community and also a way I could get involved with the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles through community services/volunteer opportunities. I have always been involved in some way with queer organizations in high school and in undergrad so having a queer org in graduate school was essential for me to find community at the start of a new chapter in my life.” — Gabe Cravens; President of OTs for OuTreach
2. Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD): “My COTAD team knows about the importance of representation. Many people do not apply to programs like ours because they don’t see anyone like them. And a lot of people don’t know about occupational therapy because it’s mainly a white, female, heterosexual, middle-class profession. So, establishing a COTAD chapter at USC felt really important (I think every OT program should have a chapter). Along with those points, the OS seminar has really emphasized cultural values and how that shapes people’s occupations. COTAD can bring more insight into those views by advocating for diversity. Taking on the role of chapter president made me nervous because of the time commitment but so many people have reached out saying that they want to get more involved, they’ve pitched in ideas on what our chapter should do, helped plan events. It truly ends up being a team effort. Because of that, Its a lot less overwhelming than I thought it would be. And we’ve only been established for a few months. We’re coming off the ground (which is the hardest part) so I can’t wait until the future when everything is rolling.” — Lamoni Lucas; COTAD Chair
3. USC Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC):  “Being a part of OTSC has taught me how important it is to listen to the student body’s values and what they truly want from a governing student council, being the social media chair has taught me how important connection is, especially during this global pandemic in which we are all undergoing remote learning and our connections are no longer in person. We have been able to create a strong virtual bond regardless of external factors we have no control over, and that is why I decided to join OTSC, to connect and create the best graduate experience possible for all students!” — Samantha Coelho; OTSC Social Media Representative
4. Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE): “I was interested in PTE because it was different from other organizations. PTE has a major focus on scholarship and research opportunities. As a research assistant, I have learned more about all of the cool things OS and OT research labs are working on, so I wanted to get involved in an organization that focused on conversations surrounding these topics. As a PTE member, I can utilize the division’s expansive resources to learn from a variety of Chan faulty and staff. Although we aren’t following the regular events we usually put on due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are taking more time to implement interdisciplinary programming with students in other health disciplines. We have developed an OT and PT forum to talk about case studies and build treatment plans together, and we are also adapting events to work with other PTE chapters. This organization takes its own spin on promoting scholarship and fostering opportunities to work in transdisciplinary teams.” — Renee Reinberg; Co-President of PTE
5. USC Student-Run Clinic (SRC): “Before coming into OT school, I worked in an interdisciplinary clinic for children who’ve experienced trauma. I shadowed an OT and observed how she worked alongside a team of health professionals to tackle very complex situations. When I came into USC, I was very excited to be a part of the SRC, where different disciplines could also come together to work on healthcare cases for vulnerable populations. Being in SRC challenged my assumptions of other health professions and brought me more understanding of the unique role that each healthcare member contributes to the team. This experience also helped me feel more comfortable advocating for the importance of OT, both with clients and with other health professionals, as a means to serve complex populations more effectively as a team.” — Katherine Tao; JWCH Clinic Site Coordinator
6. The Chan Community Commission (CCC): “Joining CCC was kind of serendipitous because my friend Sarah Morris and I wanted to create a peer mentorship program for incoming students during summer. We reached out to Dr. Rafeedie with the idea and were added to the taskforce that ended up evolving into the CCC! I have definitely enjoyed working together with such wonderful passionate people to make CCC a reality and share ideas and bring them to fruition.” — Kayla Jahari; Co-Leader of the Peer Mentorship Circles in CCC
7. The Chan Community Commission (CCC) Continued:“For me, being a member of the Chan Community Commission (CCC) this summer has been a wellspring of hope and positive energy in the midst of the most tumultuous socio-political period of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the CCC team to create opportunities for Chan students and faculty to build community and practice wellness together. I am looking forward to continuing to strengthen our OT community this fall as part of the OTSC Philanthropy Committee!” — Adam Strizich; CCC Health & Wellness Sub-Committee Lead
   
   **As Adam has mentioned the CCC will no longer continue under this title in the Fall, so please click here to learn more about the future of CCC and how they are uniting with OTSC and Global Initiatives.

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Student-Work-Life Balance ⟩
July 30, 2020, by Lamoni

Classes Getting Involved Life Hacks

We often hear about the importance of a work-life balance or a student-life and social-life balance. However, we do not talk much about the balance of being a student, being an employee, and being social or engaging in self-care. When I discuss work, I do not mean students that have student jobs (like me). Though that is also something to consider. Being a student with a student job still requires balancing but student jobs understand that your life as a student comes first. These jobs often allow time for studying while at work. They also tend to be more flexible to a student’s schedule. My boss constantly emphasizes self-care and she consistently remind my coworkers and I to adjust our schedules as needed. Shout-out to her; we love you Kim. The flexibility that I see in my job as a student worker typically does not ring true for employment outside of the university. Most employers expect their employees to be committed to a certain schedule and to give their full attention to their work while they are on the clock.

Recently, a few first-year students told me that they would like to become more involved but feel too busy with summer courses at the moment. Some even asked for advice on what they should do because they assumed that their lack of involvement would reflect poorly on them. I want to assure everyone that you are not obligated to join any organizations. Please do not overwhelm yourselves. In fact, many people do not become involved until their spring semester. The goal of the student-organization fair and any emails that you are receiving from organizations are to make you aware of what is out there. Think of them as saying “here are your options, if you so choose” and not “pick me!” If your plate is full or you simply are not interested right now, that is completely fine.

I brought up these concerns with my friend, Daphne, and they spoke about their own experience during their first semester of the master’s program (which we all know is very fast paced). But more than student life which includes student organizations and groups, they told me about how difficult it was to also have a job. After being in class from 8:30AM to 4:30PM, Daphne would go to work. Then after work, they would tend to homework and studying. They said “during summer, it was easy to be overwhelmed with everything going on. There were so many extracurriculars that I was I was interested in, but I did not have time between class and work. I hardly had time for sleep.” Daphne also mentioned feeling alone and unaware of any other students balancing jobs on top of their studies.

Now, with campus being closed due to COVID-19 and many student jobs being unavailable, I believe some students have picked up work outside of school. Additionally, I know that some students have children or are responsible for financially contributing to their household – maybe more so because of the pandemic. I have heard from some of my peers that their families are requiring more financial assistance from them. It is difficult to balance student-life, work-life, and life-life. Add in COVID-19 and it can become an even greater struggle.

If you can say “no,” say it.
I know that some responsibilities are non-negotiable. However, not everything requires your time. When someone asks something of you, the answer “no” is a viable option. For the people that have a hard time saying no, there are several ways to say it ~nicely~

Special shoutout to @BRIARAMs on twitter for creating a thread. Here are some of her suggestions.
“I appreciate you for considering me, but this is not for me at the moment.”
“I am unsure, may we revisit this another time?”
“Thank you so much for thinking of me, but I have committed to something else.”
“Unfortunately, now is not a good time.”

I used to have difficulty telling people no but there are only so many hours in a day. Plus, I cannot get the job done effectively If I am tired or have to tend to 100 things at once. Learning how to say no to some things allows you to say yes to what is important to you.

Reduce your involvement
Sometimes we get excited and push ourselves to become more involved than necessary. Similar to saying no, reducing your involvement helps to take some things off of your plate. As mentioned, many of you want to become more involved but you are concerned about the commitment. If there is something that you absolutely want to be a part of, become a member. But remember—That does not mean you have to be a board member. You do not have to show up to every meeting. You do not have to take on additional roles. Do what you can and nothing more. 

When assistance is offered, take it
During these uncertain times, there are programs, loans, and grants to alleviate stress (e.g., CARES Act Federal Grant, housing/rent assistance, business loans). Take advantage of those modes of assistance. Their sole purpose is to offer help so do not feel bad. Apply for what you need. If you need them all, apply for them all.

Ask for help
When help is offered, we are more likely to take it than to directly ask for it. A lot of people struggle with asking for help. But honestly, there is no harm in it. The worst thing that can happen is being told no. Do you foresee yourself needing an extension on your paper? Ask for it. Ask your boss if you can do readings at work when things are moving slow. Many people are more understanding than we think. If you explain your situation, they may be willing to help you out.

I wish life was as simple as saying – just be a student and fully commit to that. But in reality, there are bills, there are student loans, there are car payments. There are responsibilities outside of being a student. However, there are a few things that you can do to make it all feel a bit more manageable. I hope these tips offer some relief.

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Discovering Two New Occupations in the Midst of Challenges ⟩
July 29, 2020, by Nmachi

Life Hacks Living in LA

About two weeks ago, my sister and I were doing our usual quarantine morning workout routine: high intensity interval training (HIIT), abs, and lower body focus. Since we had been frequently exercising indoors, we decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air after the workout. Once we walked out the front door, we instantly knew that we made a great decision. The sun was shining, the air was cool, and the atmosphere was very peaceful.

After walking twice around while listening to music, we began talking about how much we needed that walk. It was something that was very simple but ended up lifting our moods and altering the trajectory of our day. We became more and more engulfed in our positive thoughts on the walk that we came up with the most genius idea of all time: watching a sunrise at the beach! It dawned on me that I had never been to the beach in the early morning to watch a sunrise. Because I’ve lived in Long Beach, CA my whole life, I tend to take my proximity to beaches for granted. Going on a morning beach adventure was the perfect way to take advantage of the benefits of living in SoCal!

Something to note is that my family and I are not the type of people to plan things on a whim. The fact that my sister and I thought of doing something new and actually did it the following morning was a big deal for us. While at the beach, we laid out on the sand, read books, and watched the changing beauty in the sky. It was magical but so simple. Since we arrived very early in the morning, there were barely any people around. This allowed us to truly relax and listen to the sounds of the ocean without distraction.

Going to the beach was the activity we needed in order to get the adventurous ball rolling, if you will. Since we had such a great time being outdoors, we brainstormed other activities to do that would require us to visit and explore different locations. My sister remembered that a family friend had recently gone hiking, so we decided to try out the same trail she went on. It was my first real experience hiking, and I loved it! We felt amazing afterwards and made plans to try out another hike near my other sister’s apartment. This hike was a bit more challenging but equally rewarding. The two hiking trips were amazing and had incredible views!

The main lesson that I learned from these experiences is that it is KEY to get out of the house, especially during this stressful time (while always wearing a mask and practicing social distancing). It’s safe to say that COVID brought many challenges and stressors to people’s lives. Personally, I have been dealing with the struggles of not being able to physically be on campus this upcoming semester. Having to do all my classes and hang outs with friends virtually has its pros and cons, and I know that many other people are going through similar conflicts. Despite having these negative feelings, I pushed myself to get outside of my comfort zone. Through this, I was able to discover two brand new occupations that I will begin to incorporate into my daily life from now on!

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