Student Blog

Reflections on Gender, Leadership and the OTD ⟩
February 24, 2020, by Catherine

Diversity

I knew I had found my forever occupation (the other definition), when I first walked through the CHP hallway’s “Walk of Fame” adorned with the portraits of Trojan giants of our field: Margaret Rood, A. Jean Ayers, Elizabeth Yerxa, and Florence Clark (just to name a few). It was as if their legacies emanated through the halls, empowering me to make hard pivot, leaving behind my past career managing corporate transactions to delve into the meaningful, life changing profession that is occupational therapy.

Prior to Chan, I attended a small women’s liberal arts college for my undergraduate degree here in the US, and a larger women’s university for my MBA in Korea. I was surrounded by a false sense of security that gender was not an issue, and that my intellect and skills were all I would need to achieve my career goals. Following my interests, I found employment in finance, technology, entertainment, fashion and journalism.

Entering the working world was a wake-up call. The stories of the glass ceiling are real, and in my personal experience, every industry and profession has invisible obstacles for women to succeed.  Navigating corporate structures, traditional policies, and the socially embedded expectations for women are hurdles that are no easy feat to overcome alone. In a recent report by World Economic Forum’s the US ranked 53rd out of 153 countries on gender parity, “focusing on four main themes: economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.”

While occupational therapy has been one of the few professions that has been dominated by women for over a century, stereotypes about our gender, lack of awareness of the value of occupations, and what occupational therapists bring to the table are the very real barriers practitioners face in the workplace. In fact, research has shown that “Though they may feel discomfort in a feminized field, men do not face structural barriers in occupational therapy . . . In such jobs, men are disproportionately pushed into management positions, with better pay, more prestige, and less hands-on care” (Beagan & Fredericks, 2018). It was no wonder that I was in awe of our “Hall of Fame”.

The OTD is a year long program that not only has allowed me to deepen my clinical understanding of meaningful, occupation focused interventions for my clients; it has given me an opportunity to hone my leadership skills and is preparing me to be a leader in my own right. The core courses and faculty mentorship has been integral to this process. The continuous achievements of the USC Chan Trojan network, highlighted in our news fueling the fire. I am inspired and energized to follow in their footsteps. I hope all women in their prospective industries are able to find strong mentors in their field, but if you are an occupational therapist, I sincerely believe there is no better place than the OTD program here at Chan to make that a reality. 

Beagan, B. L., & Fredericks, E. (2018). What about the men? Gender parity in occupational therapy. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 8(2), 137-145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417417728524

Jacson, S. (2019, December 23). It will be 257 years before women have equal pay, gender gap report says. NBC News. https://nbcnews.com/news/world/it-will-be-257-years-women-have-equal-pay-new-n1103481

Yeung, J. (2019, December 17). Global gender equality will take another 100 years to achieve, study finds. CNN Business. https://cnn.com/2019/12/17/asia/gender-pay-gap-uk-wef-intl-hnk-scli/index.html

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Throwback Thursday ⟩
February 20, 2020, by Kaho

Admissions Externships Housing and Transportation International Life Hacks Living in LA What are OS/OT?

As I was brainstorming what to write for my upcoming blog posts, I found myself at a complete blank. Nothing came to mind. I thought, what unique information can I provide as a student? As an ambassador? Social media chair? Then, a lightbulb switched on. Why don’t I take advantage of the data I’ve learned to analyze this year and make a compilation of other amazing blog posts? So, here we are. Here are the top 10 most popular blog posts from past and current student ambassadors (from Jan 1, 2015 through today), according to page views by you all! There are some oldies but goodies and they’re all definitely worth a read, so check them out.

1. How to write a personal statement
2. How to explain what occupational therapy is
3. A Leadership Externship experience in South Korea
4. A breakdown of the workload/life of an OT student
5. Pros and cons of living at Currie Hall
6. Pros of living in OT House vs. Pros of living somewhere else
7. A different Leadership Externship experience in South Korea
8. Pros and Cons of living in OT House
9. Incorporating yoga into occupational therapy
10. The role of occupational therapy in oncology

Hope you find these helpful!

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Formula for Success ⟩
February 19, 2020, by Marilyn

Life Hacks

Town & Gown of USC is a non-profit philanthropic organization whose purpose is to support USC through scholarships for students, building and campus enhancements, and cultural programs. On February 4th, 2020 the USC Town & Gown Scholarship held its annual Town & Gown Scholars and Donors recognition lunch, in which Dr. Arthur C. Bartner (Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band) was celebrated and recognized for embodying the Spirit of Troy for the past 50 years. During his speech titled “The Man & Legend Behind the Spirit of Troy,”  Dr. Bartner shared with Town & Gown scholars and soon to be graduates 7 tips for the formula to success that I will be sharing in the blog post. As I reflect on these 7 tips for success, I recognize how blessed and grateful I am to learn alongside amazing and talented people. I have decided to share about peers in the program that embody one of the success tips mentioned in Dr. Bartner’s speech.

1. Busy people are successful people

LiShan Wee — “The key is doing something that you are very passionate about.” She currently serves as the Graduate Student Government Senator for the Occupational Therapy and Science Council and is part of the Global Initiatives team.

2. You have to believe in yourself

Nicole Yoon — Selected as a Presenter for the AOTA Occupational Therapy Inventors Showcase at the 2020 AOTA Annual Conference & Expo in Boston, Massachusetts. Nicole perseveres relentlessly regardless of previous rejections that could be deemed as setbacks. She rebuilds her self-confidence by taking on new challenges and always proves how much she can achieve. Her ambitious goals and grit will make her a global phenomenon in OT.

3. Seek out the mentors that can help you

Rachel Kent — After completing my Level II fieldwork with Rachel during summer 2019 at St. Joseph’s Center, I was reminded about the importance of mentorship. She was always open to reaching out to mentors for assistance and feedback, in order to best support her clients. Her willingness to seek out mentors will propel her to make an impact across multiple settings in OT.

4. You have to be ambitious

Janis Yue — Elected as the AOTA Student Representative to the Commission on Education

5. Continue to grow

Daniela Valle — “The key to success is accepting feedback. Aspiring to be the best version of myself is a daily challenge. I am happy to say that I have friends and faculty in the program that I can count on to give me feedback. (They are also more than willing to discuss heavy topics that affect our communities and clients.) By accepting feedback, I can hone my strengths and work on challenges. Receiving feedback on areas that need changes helps me put my ego aside and focus on what can essentially make me a better practitioner. I have learned to not take feedback personally, but rather understand that it is an opportunity for growth.” Feedback provided by a peer, professor, or supervisor can often seem intimidating, however Daniela’s approach to feedback is valuable. Often the individual providing constructive feedback has a genuine desire to help improve your performance, which will ultimately lead to growth!

6. Networking is a way of life

Ellie Bendetson — “Through networking, I have been able to pursue a variety of passions I didn’t know I had! During undergrad, I interviewed Dr. Stacy Schepens Niemiec about the use of technology to promote successful aging. After the interview, I continued to network and pursue opportunities in her lab and eventually gained a position assisting on a variety of exciting projects. I never thought I’d be interested in working with an older population or utilizing technology in my practice, but this networking allowed me to explore new areas of practice and build impactful connections.” I can relate to Ellie given my experience with volunteering in Dr. Schepens Niemiec’s lab on the Vivir Mi Vida pilot study. Networking often does not come easy to students, however it is encouraging to see peers use this tip to gain further research experiences in OT.

7. Be grateful

Kiana Phillips — Grateful people make the world a better place. In my case Kiana has been my gratitude anchor that keeps me present in the moment. Her gratitude can shift the energy of any conversation or clouded perspective whether it be professionally or personally related. I am certain that she will continue to be source of light and harmony in my life, but most importantly for her future clients.

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The Building Blocks of the Pre-Master’s Program ⟩
February 14, 2020, by Japeth

Admissions Diversity International Videos

Coming from a country where English language is not the official language may be difficult for some students who intend to go abroad for continuing education. This is what I also felt when I was still applying to the program. Questions such as “Will I be able to speak confidently?” or “Can I express myself and my thoughts properly?” were always on my mind. International students also need to take an English Proficiency Exam (IELTS or TOEFL) and must reach a score that is accepted by the department. This requirement is difficult, to be honest! Aside from this, students who are planning to enter graduate school must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which includes questions about analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. This exam is just equally difficult, if not more, as the IELTS or TOEFL.

For interested international students who might be worried on their performance on these tests, don’t fret! I am happy to share about USC’s Pre-Master’s Program, which aims to help students improve their performance and scores!

Below is a video featuring Yen Ting Ni and Yi Fan Lin, both went through the Pre-Master’s program before joining this year’s Post-Professional MA in OT cohort.

I hope this video is helpful to future applicants and students! Also, I would like to share with you about what changes the Admissions Team has been doing! The admissions team headed by Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, together with Dr. Kristin Nxumalo and Dr. Amber Bennett, has changed how admissions look like! USC Chan has moved towards what we call the “new admission holistic process”, where all components of the admission criteria are given equal importance and value.

Fight On!

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ASBME Makeathon: USC interdisciplinary collaboration ⟩
February 13, 2020, by Kevin

Externships Getting Involved

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering (ASBME) Makeathon event as an occupational therapy mentor. The Makeathon is an energy-charge 30 hour hackathon event in which 12 teams compete to develop and prototype a medical device for a selected real-world population. Using a combination of programing, CAD design, and access to the USC fabrication lab, including the 3D printers, each team rapidly develops an innovative medical or therapeutic technology. A Makeathon or hackathon challenges teams to produce months worth of work in just several days, in addition to having the material constraint of using only the materials provided by ASBME. While this event is primarily for students in the USC Viterbi Biomedical Engineering program, the organizers took an interdisciplinary approach by incorporating mentors from the master’s and doctorate programs of the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy.

This year, the teams were challenged to develop a rehabilitation device that promoted or enhanced physical therapy activity in a nonclinical setting for persons who are experiencing hand or wrist dysfunction post-stroke. Additionally, the device had to be intuitive and address one aspect of motor control including strength, dexterity, and joint extension. Due to my background in 3D modeling and education in occupational therapy, I jumped on the opportunity to take part in the Makeathon as a mentor for the teams.

From the perspective of occupational therapy, the OT students were able to provide valuable advice and suggestions to each team considering person, environment, and occupational of the potential user. During my mentorship time, I performed role plays to help the teams imagine the device in everyday use, provided anatomical explanations pertaining to post-stroke hand and wrist considerations, and advised on design aspects. The undergraduate biomedical engineering students were incredible! I’ve never seen such fast CAD design or Arduino programming. While the students were working furiously to produce their device, they took time to seek out the mentorship of the OT and PT students, which helped the teams understand the rehabilitation applications of their designs. Everything from electronic glove games to dexterity puzzles were made during the course of the competition.

Overall, it was amazing to see biomedical engineering, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students collaborating effectively to inspire truly creative innovation. Attending this event was a subtle reminder to the amazing minds and talent of the students at USC!

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