Student Blog

Three Reasons Why I Chose USC OSOT ⟩
October 17, 2016, by Raisa

Admissions

“Why did you want to go to USC?” this was a question I would get a lot while I was working on my application. I never really knew what to say except “why not USC?” Now having experienced the MA-1 program for myself I have come up with a short summary of why I love USC and I would like to share them with you.

1. History

USC has been a cornerstone for research and development in the field occupational therapy. Theories such as Sensory Integration, Lifestyle redesign, and occupational science took root in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

2. The Trojan Family

USC is home to some of the most recognized minds in the field of occupational therapy, many of whom are faculty members who teach classes at USC. The faculty members have expertise in their own practice areas, mainly in the fields of research, education, and clinical practice. USC OSOT also hosts a Global Initiatives project. The Global initiatives project aims to enhance the profession of occupational therapy on a global scale.

3. #CareerGoals

“#CareerGoals” is what my friends back home would say when we do things that help us achieve our goals. Having practiced occupational therapy for about a year, I was able to reflect how I wanted to structure my practice. I want to specialize in the field of neurorehabilitation and acute care settings. My long-term goal would be to complete my Doctorate degree (OTD) for advanced clinical practice or clinical research in neurorehabilitation.

USC plays an integral role in helping me achieve my career goals, I cannot imagine me taking my master’s program anywhere else. No regrets here! I hope you will consider working towards your #Careergoals and have USC help you in achieving them.

⋯

Fight On for NAMI! ⟩
October 7, 2016, by Kimmy

Getting Involved

Beyond clinical work, a huge part of being an OT revolves around advocacy — both for the profession and for the populations OTs serve. This past Saturday, I attended NAMI Walks, a fundraiser and awareness-raiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Not only was it a great way to spend a morning with my classmates and professors, it was also an opportunity to see how our actions extend beyond the classroom. Overall, NAMI raised over $385,000 which will be put toward breaking down the stigma of mental illness.

There are plenty of outreach opportunities available to breach the divide between classroom and community. Next week, I will attend a NAMI group to experience the support system firsthand. Through fieldwork, fundraisers, and class assignments, the program and faculty encourage students to open their minds to these new experiences and open their eyes to what exists outside of textbooks. Throughout school, I believe it is essential to keep in mind why you are studying all of this content, consider the people you want to help. Don’t wait until graduation to get out there!

⋯

A Month into the Program ⟩
October 5, 2016, by Raisa

Community International Living in LA

Hello, everyone! For my first ever blog post as an international student ambassador, I wanted to share with you how my first month as a Trojan went. Being an international student I basically had to uproot my life in the Philippines in order to move to Los Angeles so I could attend the on-campus post-professional Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy program here at USC. Migrating from one country to another is not as easy as it sounds, it sure was exciting but not easy. One month before my flight, time sped up so fast it literally felt like everything happened in the blink of an eye. The hardest part of the move was saying goodbye to my friends, workmates, and family. Then the day finally came when I said goodbye to my homeland of 24 years and embarked on a new exciting adventure.

Arriving in Los Angeles was both fun and scary, this city was a new environment, similar to home but at the same time different in many ways. It felt good to have a change of environment. To mark our entrance into the medical profession the division held a white coat ceremony for all new students. The white coat ceremony was a rite of passage that all OT students go through, the white coat symbolizes both the responsibility and the privilege that we hold as occupational therapists. During my ceremony that’s when it all sunk in, I was finally a Trojan!

Once class started I did not feel so alien to the city of LA. I met my classmates from the MA-1 program and we all got along really well, it was nice to form a support system in a new environment. For the first month of classes, I was delighted and eager to absorb all that USC has to offer. I will not lie, the first few weeks of class will take some getting used to. You will have to acclimate to the methods of teaching, medium of instruction and for some of my classmates’ language posed a big issue to learning. There will be sleepless nights and books you will read over and over again but don’t worry. The good news is that all that work will be worth it! In my 4½ weeks into the program, I have learned many new concepts that will shape how I will hold my future practice. The best part is that I am re-learning concepts from my undergraduate degree but I am learning them from a different perspective. It is both refreshing and eye-opening to study different occupational therapy concepts from a different point of view. One month into the program and I am falling more in love with Occupational Therapy! My first month as a Trojan has been exhilarating and I cannot wait to share with you what else USC has in store for me.

⋯

15th Annual Afternoon Tea with a Scholar ⟩
September 30, 2016, by Erwin

Getting Involved

This past Sunday was the 15th Annual Afternoon Tea with a Scholar. Each year, the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) hosts this event to highlight exciting research that is being done in the field of OT!

This year, Ann McDonald, MA, PhD, OTR/L, spoke about the dynamic role of occupational therapy in support of families due to the oftentimes difficult talks of meeting the needs of a family member who has a physical, emotional, or neurodevelopmental challenge.

The event was awesome and there were two main things I took away from this event: the importance of research in occupational therapy and the importance of our state organization.

Research plays a pivotal role in advancing occupational therapy. Science is ever evolving and it is important that occupational therapy works to develop the best forms of treatment possible for our clients. USC is one of the leaders for research in the field of occupational therapy. In fact, Occupational Science, the science that informs our practice, was founded here at USC.

Another takeaway from this event was the importance of our state organization, OTAC. Supporting our state organization is so important because it fights for our right to practice — specifically in California. Many people know that OT is one of the top jobs out there, but it did not happen overnight. OTAC works tirelessly to advocate for our profession and support its members so we can work in this wonderful field.

Four students and I had the pleasure of volunteering for this event. Not only was volunteering fun but it gave us an opportunity to serve our OT community. So whether you are a prospective student or a seasoned practitioner, get involved in our state organization and the promotion of scholarship in occupational therapy.

⋯

Can you feel it? ⟩
September 26, 2016, by JRoe

Classes What are OS/OT?

Hard to believe we are already entering week six and almost at the halfway mark! This semester has gone by so quickly! During this first half of the course, Adult Physical Rehabilitation, we have been learning about different assessments we may administer when we meet our clients. This past week, our focus was on sensation testing on the upper body. Sensation tests look to see if clients can feel things like touch, temperature, or pain on their skin. Without sensation, a person may be at an increased risk for injury, among other thing, and is very important to address. Clients who often have decreased sensation are ones who are recovering from a stroke or a spinal cord injury.

Our professors brought in all sorts of tools that could be used to test our clients’ sensation! One of the coolest tools was called a “pinwheel” and was used to test for pain. This test is commonly administered along the arm.

Another fun assessment to try out was the one used for stereognosis, which is what allows us to find objects with touch alone; the classic example being finding your car keys in your pocket or purse.

We also tested on each other for two-point discrimination, which measures how close two points can be to each other and still recognize them as separate points. 

⋯