Student Blog

First Day of Fieldwork! ⟩
September 24, 2013, by Ryan

Fieldwork

We started at our Level I Fieldwork sites last week . . . very exciting!!! I have been placed in the area at a hand therapy clinic since I am currently in the Adult Physical Rehabilitation and Disability Immersion. It is a small clinic with two therapists that made my first day quite nice and pleasant. I was able to meet patients recovering from surgeries such as carpal tunnel and trigger thumb or healing from lacerations caused by a power saw or broken glass. I have to admit, I am a little nervous about protecting my hands after that one day. It was interesting to see how each person was impacted from the loss of their hand function.

Since it was my first day and I am still learning (or trying to remember what I have already learned in Kinesiology a year ago . . . or Anatomy and Physiology even before I started the program, yikes!!!), I decided to interact with the patients. I definitely had the time, since I was told by my CI (Clinical Instructor) to just observe that day and with only two therapists in a small space, there really wasn’t much to else to do. I had a great time meeting people! As people were set up (paraffin wax and heating compress for 10 minutes) I would ask people how they started coming to the clinic. Everyone was happy to share their stories and I ended up having a great laugh with a lovely older woman who was very funny and obviously loved life! She had the best outlook on life. My CI was quite knowledgeable and also really great at explaining what she was doing, then asking me about certain conditions I saw. It really kept me on my toes. I think I am going to learn a lot this semester, so make sure you check in to see what fascinating hand conditions I see next!

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Another Test Conquered!! ⟩
September 24, 2013, by Kate

Classes

This morning I had my second exam in my Adult Physical Rehabilitation and Disability immersion and boy, am I glad it’s over! Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the OT program and graduate school in general, but let’s be honest — tests are not that fun. However, I feel that I studied enough for this exam, and I think I did pretty well on the multiple choice and the practicum portions (the practicum is a short-answer/written reply that relates to what you have been covering in the class). Last night a fellow classmate who lives down the street from me came over, and we quizzed each other on the lecture and lab material. It was great to have someone to help me out!

Now, it’s off to prepare for my exam coming up next week in our Health and Wellness class! Although it may seem as if these exams are never-ending, it is awesome to learn this material and build upon it. I can see my future as an occupational therapist coming closer every day. And when I look at the bigger picture, I know the studying and hard work is worth it!

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Visiting San Luis Obispo ⟩
September 23, 2013, by Jen

Classes What are OS/OT?

This past weekend I took a short break from my life in Los Angeles to visit some friends at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. I graduated from Cal Poly in June 2012 (exactly one week prior to beginning the occupational therapy program at USC) with a BS in Kinesiology and a Minor in Psychology. My visit brought back numerous memories from my undergraduate years and reminded me how much my education at Cal Poly helped me get to where I am today.

As a kinesiology major I took courses such as Biomechanics, Motor Control and Learning, Anatomy, Physiology, Neuroanatomy, Adapted Physical Activity, Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Activity, Gerontology, and Sports Nutrition. When I took each of these courses, I never thought about how much I would be using what I was learning in the future. Let me tell you . . . I’ve been using what I learned a LOT since beginning graduate school. Majoring in kinesiology especially prepared me for the physical rehabilitation aspects of occupational therapy.

As a psychology minor I took courses such as Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Behavioral Disorders in Childhood, and Environmental Psychology. What I learned in these courses did a fantastic job of preparing me for the mental health and pediatric aspects of occupational therapy.

I’m so grateful for my undergraduate experience and know what I am learning now in graduate school will be VERY useful when I become an occupational therapist.

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The Sound of Music ⟩
September 23, 2013, by Kate

Living in LA School/Life Balance

This weekend was full of studying for me. We have some exams coming up this week, and so over the weekend, I had to sacrifice some of my social time to hit the books, which is just part of being a graduate student. However, since I’m learning so much about balance and the importance of play and leisure, I did take some time this weekend to hang out with some of my friends from the OT program. About 27 of us got together and went to The Sound of Music Sing-a-Long event at The Hollywood Bowl. It was pure joy and the most fun I have had in a long, long time.

There was a costume contest before the movie started, where little kids and adults alike dressed up as characters or lines from the movie. There were “charming sponges” (in reference to Uncle Max’s character), “bowing ladies” (in reference to the lady who wins an award during the festival performance), and nuns galore. The winners were 13 nuns, each with a number on her costume, strung along with rope, to represent “a long line of governesses” that had come before the character of Maria at the Von Trapp household.

When the movie began, the entire auditorium sang along to the words of the songs, cheered when Maria and the Captain were on screen, and booed and hissed at the Baroness and any mention of the Nazis. During “Edelweiss,” we all put our cell phones in the air and swayed back and forth. The evening was full of magic and friendship, and it was just what I needed to recharge my batteries going into this week.

Good news for you: this happens every year! Each year, The Hollywood Bowl does this sing-a-long event to The Sound of Music during September. I know I will try my best to attend next year!

Here’s a picture of me with my mittens on, enjoying some hot cocoa! Although it is Los Angeles, it got pretty chilly this night and I came prepared!

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My Room and the Person-Environment-Occupation Model ⟩
September 20, 2013, by Clarissa

Life Hacks Living in LA School/Life Balance

This past week was so eventful with fun, fieldwork, and organizing my room! The Occupational Therapy and Science Council held a pool party at one of our classmate’s beautiful apartment complex in downtown Los Angeles, the Medici, with yummy food and good company! I also had my first day at my Level I fieldwork this week at a school-based pediatric setting, which was really cool. My clinical instructor was so great and I’m excited to go back!

Surprisingly, though, room organizing was the highlight of my week. I’ve been living out of a suitcase after returning to LA post-Level II fieldwork. Standing in that inferno of clothes and papers, I was thinking about the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) Model that I learned about in my Mental Health immersion last year and, yes, I started OT-ing myself. My occupation is being an OT student, my person factors included my decreased motivation to study whenever I looked at my room, and my environment was a chaos of my personal belongings (minus the one clear walkway from my door to my bed). To improve my occupational performance as a student, I went to work and I am now SO EXCITED that I like being in my room again! My bookshelf is also the new apple of my eye. The moral of the story here: stay balanced and make time for the little things.

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