Student Blog

Goodbye Level I Fieldwork! ⟩
November 28, 2016, by Jessica

Fieldwork

Two weeks ago was my last day of fieldwork, and it was definitely bittersweet. I truly enjoyed my experience this past semester at College View School, a specialized school for children with severe disabilities within Glendale Unified School District. Even though I was a special education teacher before coming to OT school, I had never worked with children with severe physical and cognitive disabilities, so this was an amazing learning experience for me. My clinical instructor was very knowledgeable and very supportive, which helped me grow in my own clinical reasoning skills and interpersonal skills. What impressed me most about this site is how well-resourced this school was — they had a beautiful facility with spacious classrooms, accessible playground equipment, a wheelchair accessible indoor heated pool, and a therapy gym. It was great to see that this school district really invested in making this school great for their kids with the highest needs, which is something that is not always prioritized in other school districts.

I was also impressed by how the school really wanted to give the kids the same experiences that other kids in general education campuses get. They had “student of the month” assemblies, where kids from each classroom would get recognized for their growth and progress in front of the whole school and their families. You could see the pride in their parents’ faces, beaming smiles and endlessly snapping photos of their child on stage. They also had themed dress up days, i.e. ’80s day, Hawaiian day, where the kids and teachers would get decked out and compete to win a trophy and bragging rights. Those are just a few of the awesome things that happened at College View in my short time there, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to meet and work with all of the wonderful children and staff.

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Giving Thanks ⟩
November 21, 2016, by Kimmy

Community School/Life Balance

I love this time of year because it reminds people to reflect on everything to be thankful for, no matter how small a source of happiness may seem. Being part of a profession as rewarding as occupational therapy continuously inspires me to consider celebrating all of life’s joys. This year, USC has given me plenty of reasons to be thankful, including:

Graduation — I earned dual undergraduate degrees in occupational therapy and psychology. USC allowed me to double major, as well as pursue a minor, in my preferred areas of study.

Grad School — The Bachelor’s to Master’s program allowed me to transition seamlessly into graduate school during my undergraduate senior year, saving me time and tuition while pursuing my career.

Festival of Books — I always look forward to this weekend in April when my favorite college campus is taken over by my favorite occupation. In addition to basking in the endless supply of literary love, I was star struck when I walked right by astronaut Buzz Aldrin this past year!

Olympics — Watching the Olympics becomes even more exciting when the Trojan Family is represented — and the Trojans sure represented by bringing home 21 medals.

Football — The Trojan men have been fighting on to win seven consecutive games!

HSC — I moved to the Health Sciences Campus, making my commute extremely convenient and broadening my exposure to a new LA neighborhood.

Ambassadors — Serving as an ambassador has quickly proven to be a truly meaningful and enjoyable occupation. From helping others learn about OT to growing closer with my co-workers, I have loved every moment.

OTD — I will be pursuing the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy next year, which gives me advanced clinical education to become the best therapist I can be and an excuse to stay at USC for one more year!

I hope you also take the time to consider everything that has made you smile this year. Happy holidays, everyone!

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Resources for USC students ⟩
November 18, 2016, by Erwin

Community Getting Involved Living in LA School/Life Balance

Being a Trojan has its perks. In addition to getting a top-notch degree in occupational therapy, USC also offers students unique opportunities to make their time here truly one-of-a-kind.

Some of the amazing things that USC has to offer include athletic special events, concerts, theatre, distinguished speakers, and jazz series. Personally, I try to take advantage of all of these opportunities — especially USC football.

USC also provides opportunities to get involved through community outreach, cultural committees, and leadership. Specifically in the division, students can get involved in various programs. Many students that live in the OT House are involved in Engage, a program that works with at-risk adolescents by giving them an opportunity to participate in diverse activities. Other division organizations include the Latino Occupational Therapy Association, Occupational Therapy and Science Council, and Student-Run Clinic.

Here’s me with the other members of the Occupational Therapy and Science Council!

USC is also invested in your wellness, which is awesome because that is what occupational therapy is all about! USC students have access to both the Lyon Center and Soto gyms, recreational sports, the Eric Cohen Student Health Center, and of course, USC Occupational Therapy’s own Lifestyle Redesign®.

Lastly, being a student at USC also means you have all of beautiful Southern California to your disposal. Los Angeles has a lot to offer: museums, concerts, sports, and did I mention the food?!?! My classmates and I have bonded so much in the past year and we’ve been able to go to places unique to Southern California. Not many OT students get to say they visit Disneyland, go to Lakers and Dodger games, beach trips, and explore LA on their free time.

Here at USC, there’s always an opportunity to do the things that you find meaningful!

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Visit to El Sereno Middle School! ⟩
November 17, 2016, by Alyssa

Community What are OS/OT?

A few weeks ago, Dr. Jesús Díaz and I made a visit to El Sereno Middle School! We spent our day in Mrs. Elizabeth Buck’s science classroom. During out visit, we had the chance to meet her 7th and 8th students and talk to them about the field of occupational therapy and teach them things, such as where OTs work and who we treat. In addition, we were also able to share the value we see in pursuing college through our own college experiences here at USC! Mrs. Buck’s students were a pleasure to meet and we especially admired their respect and interest in our presentations. Specifically, we were very impressed on how well they were able to define occupational therapy after our group discussion. We appreciate the thanks and feedback they sent us and I would like to share some of these with you!

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Happy Veterans Day! ⟩
November 15, 2016, by JRoe

Getting Involved What are OS/OT?

This past Friday, I volunteered at the USC Veterans Day Appreciation Reception hosted by our division on UPC in Town and Gown! It was a great event and a wonderful opportunity to say thank you for all of the work our service men and women do for our country every day. The guest speaker was Dr. Jennifer Hermanson who is an OT and a veteran herself. Here at the Chan Division, we feel a strong connection to our veterans as the profession bloomed during World War II when so many hospitals needed occupational therapists to help in the war effort. Still today, many OTs work with veterans in a variety of settings. We cannot thank them enough!

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