Student Blog
Az

Pre-OT Program: Learning and Advocating about Occupational Therapy (OT) ⟩
November 6, 2025, by Az

Getting Involved

The Pre-OT Pathway Program is an incredible opportunity for undergraduate and recently graduated students who are passionate about pursuing a career in occupational therapy. It’s the perfect stepping stone for anyone curious about what occupational therapy (OT) really is and how to navigate the process of applying to occupational therapy programs.

What makes this program so special is its structure: it meets once a month on a Saturday, bringing together students from different majors and backgrounds. Each session comes with valuable insight, featuring guest speakers (faculty members), interactive discussions, and advice from current students at USC Chan (student leads: Lilia and me!). It’s a welcoming space where curiosity meets community, and every meeting feels both inspiring and motivating.

As one of the student leads in the program, I’ve had the privilege of helping guide students through their Pre-OT journey. This leadership role has been one of the most rewarding experiences during my time as a Student Ambassador at USC Chan. Alongside my fellow second-year OT student, Lilia, I help plan the curriculum, coordinate speakers, and mentor students who are still discovering what occupational therapy truly means. It’s been such a fun experience and something that strengthened my leadership, organization, and communication skills while allowing me to support and inspire the next generation of future OT students.

Being a student lead has also helped me make meaningful connections between what I learn in class and how those lessons apply in the real world. As a second-year OT student, I’m constantly learning new theories, techniques, and clinical skills that I get to share with our Pre-OT students. Each monthly session reminds me why I chose this field and it’s not just about helping people, but about empowering them to live their lives to the fullest. Seeing that same excitement and curiosity in the students I mentor keeps me motivated to keep growing, both personally and professionally.

To learn more about the Pre-OT Pathway or to sign-up, visit https://keck.usc.edu/physician-assistant-program/student-life/usc-pa-pathways/, or reach out to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Practice Immersion Edition: Shifting from Pediatrics mindset to Geriatrics mindset ⟩
July 29, 2025, by Az

Classes School/Life Balance

Hello! In this blog, I wanted to talk about navigating and shifting from the pediatrics mindset from Spring semester to the geriatrics mindset for this semester. There are a lot of switching gears and understanding two opposite populations’ perspectives and goals in their activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

To begin, my first immersion at USC Chan was in pediatrics. Right after winter break, I was a little nervous and excited about starting my pediatrics immersion and learning about the unique aspects of children. Throughout my Spring semester, I experienced a hands-on experience that helped me understand the different types of clinical correlates that is relevant to the pediatric population. In labs, we were taught about dysphagia, holding babies, writing, and different assessments to use depending on the age group and the domain of the assessments. It was a fun immersion and allowed me to connect with my friends in the cohort. Shout-out to my friends Sam, Lilia, Aliza, Shanan, and Haeun.

In Geriatrics, I quickly realized that the use of universal “we” is not as common as it had been in pediatrics. This shift challenged my communication style within the older adult population. Moving away from phrases like “Let’s do it together” and “we are going to [activity]” mindset to a more client-centered and individualized approach that fits the older adult population.

During my first standardized patient in geriatrics immersion, I found myself using the universal “we” when I instructed them to do the activities in a sequential order. It was a clear understanding that there are different approaches that are needed for different populations. Transitioning from a pediatric to a geriatric mindset has been a challenge and I am eager to learn more and expand my understanding of occupational therapy in this population. Below is a picture of me during a small group lab for assistive technology for low vision individuals.

Anyway, that’s it for now 😊

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14 days of Summer: An OTD Student’s Summer before Summer Semester ⟩
June 3, 2025, by Az

Beginnings and Endings

Hi! I’m Az and I am a current E-OTD student. To preface this post, I would like to tell y’all about my favorite occupations outside of school. My favorite occupations include hiking, weightlifting, camping, reading, and building model kits and Legos. I am also a huge fan of Star Wars and would like to build the giant Lego Millenium Falcon in the future!

After a whirlwind of finals and finishing up my second semester, I had exactly 14 days to breathe. No studying. No driving in LA traffic. No due dates. Just a quiet 14 days of relaxation and nothing. In this post, I’m going to focus on what I did in my 14 days of summer break.

Right after finals, I drove with my friend Kat to Sacramento from LA. During our drive, I realized that Kat and I did not get the chance to spend time together given our busy schedule and us being in a different cohort. Spending time with her in the car for 6 hours was full of fun conversations and sing-alongs. We got to make a playlist called “A-Z with Az” for the car ride. This playlist is organized alphabetically by song titles.

The first 4 days of my 14 days of Summer was with my friend and spending time up in Northern California. The last time we saw each other was about a year ago and seeing them again in person was such a wonderful experience. While planning for this trip, I realized that both Sam and I love outdoor activities and being one with nature. So, we decided to go camping and unplug from the world. Our campsite is known for its views of the Golden Gate Bridge and The Bay. After getting to the campsite, we unpacked our camping gear and explored a trail nearby. During our walk, we got caught up in each other’s life and was able to walk around together just like the old days.

Our campsite

View of The Golden Gate Bridge

For the rest of my 10 days of break, I recently downloaded an app called StoryGraph where it tracks and focuses on an individual’s reading statistics. Over break, I was able to disconnect from social media and regain my love for reading. I read a total of four books over the course of 6 days and I honestly forgot about how much I loved reading until I got back on it. The four books that I read were The Silent Patient, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, All about Love, and Normal People.

Anywayyy, that’s it for now!

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