What Is the USC Chan PP-OTD Really Like? Three Things I Didn’t Fully Appreciate Before I Started

August 12, 2026
by Cindy

Beginnings and Endings Classes

Is a PP-OTD worth it after you’ve already started working as an occupational therapist? That was a question I asked myself before returning to USC Chan. I had practiced as an occupational therapist in both Taiwan and California for about three years, working in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Returning to school would be a significant investment of time, energy, and resources, so I wanted the experience to offer something that clinical practice alone could not.

For my PP-OTD residency, I joined the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice, where I received training in Lifestyle Redesign® while developing a residency project focused on supporting international students as they adapt to life in the United States. Now, as I finish the program, here are three things I didn’t fully appreciate before I started.

1. My residency project became more than an assignment.

At the beginning of the year, my goals were straightforward: become a more proficient clinician, complete my residency project, and graduate. But somewhere along the way, my project stopped feeling like a graduation requirement.

I began with questions I had been thinking about since my PP-MA program: Why might international students participate less in meaningful occupations after moving to a new country, even when they know how to access them? Can occupational therapy support international students? Through my PP-OTD coursework in leadership, knowledge mobilization, and occupational science, that question gradually became tangible initiatives. I built partnerships with stakeholders, developed resources, and created tools that will continue to support international students after my residency ends.

Seeing an idea grow into something that could have a life beyond my degree gave the project a sense of purpose I hadn’t anticipated.

2. I finally had the opportunity to intentionally bring occupational science into my practice.

Occupational science has always been one of my favorite parts of occupational therapy. But as a practicing clinician, I rarely had the time or opportunity to intentionally explore what an occupational science question could look like in practice.

My residency gave me the space to synthesize occupational science, evidence, and people’s lived experiences to explore international students’ lived experiences through an occupational science lens and how Lifestyle Redesign could support international students navigating major life transitions.

At the same time, my clinical residency at the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice gave me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and hands-on practice of Lifestyle Redesign. The training and clinical experience helped me build toward certification. I accumulated the required practice hours, studied extensively for the certification exam, and ultimately passed it. It was a goal I had been working toward since I first learned about Lifestyle Redesign in 2019. Achieving my dream of becoming an occupational therapist specializing in Lifestyle Redesign is incredibly meaningful to me.

3. Leadership became something I practiced — not just something I studied.

Before the PP-OTD, “leadership” felt like something that might come later in my career. After all, I am still an early-career occupational therapist.

But the program showed me that leadership doesn’t have to begin with a title. During my residency, I reached out to university partners, listened to stakeholder feedback, adapted my ideas, developed educational resources, and learned how to move an idea from evidence to implementation.

I’ve always hoped to create an impact beyond individual client care. The PP-OTD didn’t just teach me about that possibility but also gave me opportunities to start practicing it.

Returning to school was a much bigger commitment than I imagined when I started. I entered the PP-OTD hoping to deepen my clinical practice, and I am leaving with specialized training in an area I care deeply about and a broader set of skills to grow into an occupational therapy leader. For me, the value of the PP-OTD has been learning how to provide meaningful care while also developing occupational-centered programs, translating knowledge into practice, and creating change beyond individual treatment sessions.

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