Student Blog
Kaho

Wrapping Up with Thanks ⟩
December 3, 2019, by Kaho

International Living in LA

I hope everyone had a relaxing and long Thanksgiving weekend surrounded by friends and family! Students of the Chan Division are back for their final week of classes and are sprinting to the finish line as they prepare for presentations, final papers, and exams. It’s a time of high stress, but I want to try to soak in the warm soothing vibes from Thanksgiving for a little while longer.

I spent my Thanksgiving this year with my boyfriend’s family here in SoCal. My family is far, far away in Japan and the holidays can be a lonely time for international students like me, so I’m really grateful to have been able to get that home-with-family feeling with lots of home cooked food. My cohort, Cohort A, also had a Friendsgiving potluck that week. I found out that everyone is a master chef and we had like . . . a century’s worth of food. It was amazing. Our professors, Dr. Diaz and Dr. Gunter, prepared turkey and ham for us too, so I’m not exaggerating when I say we had a FEAST.

*Sorry for the blurry photos, my phone has terrible quality*

As this semester comes to an end, I’m reflecting on all that’s happened (classes, fieldwork in pediatrics, elective courses selection, OTD application, externship planning, student ambassador events, etc. oh my) and how quickly these past 4 months or so have flown by. To be honest, this whole year and a half since I started the program has flown by. I can’t believe that I’ll be done with my final immersion by the end of next week and I only have one semester left until I graduate. I know that next semester will feel even faster because it’s filled with exciting elective courses and I’ll be working lots of events. Although I have an indefinite list of things that I’m thankful for, this year, I’m especially thankful for the friends that I’ve made and become closer to through the program, the opportunity to pursue my passion and study OT at USC, my teachers and mentors, my family that never fails to support and encourage me no matter how far they are, my support system back in San Diego from undergrad, and my good health/able body. I’m heading home to Japan over winter break and my annual family reunion is waiting for me on the other side of finals. It’s been a whole year since I’ve seen them, so I’m beyond excited and motivated to get through these last two weeks. I hope everyone has a great holiday season and good luck on finals! Finish strong!

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Studying without Stu(dying) ⟩
November 21, 2019, by Kaho

Life Hacks Living in LA

I don’t know about you, but I’m easily distracted by my environment. As soon as I sit down to study, my brain convinces me that my entire house needs to be deep cleaned this instant, or that I need to meal prep for the next 2 weeks, or it suddenly reminds me of an errand I need to run that I’ve been putting off and is obviously not time sensitive. If I manage to win that internal battle and remain at my desk, then my bed starts to look incredibly cozy and warm and before I know it, I’m wrapped up in there like a burrito and hours have passed . . . Unfortunately, I just cannot study for long periods of time in the comfort of my own room or home. If you just nodded in agreement, this post is for you. 👉

After trying to study in various places around my house, I’ve found a few favorites that always get the productive juices in me flowing. I live near the main campus, UPC, so I usually study somewhere around there.

1. The Village
   This is my favorite spot of all time. There are tables and chairs in the plaza next to a fountain, where numerous undergraduate and graduate students sit down to study or chat with friends. It’s outdoors, so I love being able to feel the calming breeze while soaking up some SoCal sun. There’s a Trader Joe’s, Target, and various shops surrounding the plaza, so I can always run for a snack or meal if I get hungry. If I need an outlet or I want to go indoors because I’m baking in the sun, there are cafés like Dulce and Starbucks that still promote productivity. When I need a quick break, I just look up from my books or laptop and people-watch. It may sound strange, but it’s really interesting to see all these different lives and situations coming together in one place. I just like to gaze around the plaza and see what people (and their dogs) are up to. I could study here for hours.


Tables and chairs in the USC Village plaza

2. Doheny Library
   My second favorite is Doheny Library. In my opinion, it’s the prettiest library at USC. I go here when I really need to concentrate and grind out some work because it’s quieter than the Village and there are less people. It also kind of makes me feel like I’m in a Harry Potter movie, so I guess that helps too. There’s a study hall in the corner of this library where the ceiling is high, books line all of the walls, and there are numerous long tables for students to sit at. It gets an ample amount of natural light and outlets are conveniently located. Just sitting in the room instantly makes me feel more intelligent and motivated.



Study hall at Hogwa—I mean, Doheny Library

3. Any coffee shop
   I won’t go into much detail about this one because there are hundreds of influencers out there that can do a much better job than I can of ranking aesthetically pleasing LA coffee shops. But, I just wanted to point out the existence of numerous aesthetically pleasing LA coffee shops. Once you start exploring, the possibilities are endless. Just Google “best LA coffee shops” and you’re good to go. (Side note: The next place on my coffee exploration list is Blue Bottle because a dear friend got me a gift card. I’m pretty excited to try it this finals week.) Sitting down with a nice cup of coffee in a well-decorated space with relaxing music is always a good indicator of a productive day.

Finals week is coming up and it seems to be a tough time for a lot of people, but the least you can do is study in a space that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. You’ll definitely find me in one of these three places these coming weeks. Don’t forget to get some sun, listen to some music, eat well, sleep well, and good luck!

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My First Level 2 Fieldwork (#TBT?) ⟩
November 7, 2019, by Kaho

Fieldwork

I know it’s November and summer feels like ages ago, but with wish-lists for the Summer 2020 level 2 fieldwork about to open up to 1st and 2nd year students, I wanted to reflect and share with you about my fieldwork experience from last summer.

For 12 weeks, I was in an inpatient acute care setting in a hospital in San Diego. As you’d imagine, it was very fast paced, challenging, exciting, etc. and I. Loved. It. Every day looked different and I was constantly learning new things. My clinical instructor (CI) has been an OT for tens of years and working at that specific hospital for over 5 years, but she mentioned that she still learns something new every day. Because the hospital didn’t have a large OT team, the OTs didn’t have an assigned area or floor. The patients in the entire hospital were distributed among the OTs randomly and equally, so I got to see everything from a person with cancer to a patient in neurology to a person with a new hip or a new knee. I was all over the floors, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It was definitely overwhelming at first with so many things to keep in mind and be aware of, and I was nervous to touch anything because it is a setting where careless mistakes could be unforgiving. Also, my level 1 fieldwork was in hand therapy, so this was my first time performing transfers on real patients. However, my CI was amazing at gradually increasing my responsibility and easing me into the bustling hospital halls. She talked me through every treatment session and constantly provided me feedback on my performance. Despite my doubts, I was independently evaluating, treating, and documenting patients by the end of the summer.

My days started at 7:00am and ended at 3:30pm. The first hour of my day consisted of looking up patients’ medical history, condition, precautions, and anything else that was relevant. I was usually up on the floors by 8:00am. I saw about 6-9 patients each day with my CI, depending on how many of them were evaluations since those take longer than regular treatment sessions. In the inpatient acute care setting, your schedule revolves around the patients’ schedules, so documentation occurred during gaps when none of my patients were available or at the end of the day.

One of my favorite things about working in the hospital was that there were many opportunities for collaboration across health care professions. I got to talk to and sometimes treat with physical therapists (PTs), speech language pathologists (SLPs), nurses, and even medical doctors (MDs). We would all bounce ideas off of each other to come up with a holistic treatment plan for each unique patient. With collaboration came opportunities for advocacy, as well. I can’t tell you how many times other health professionals and patients referred to me as PT during my fieldwork experience. Patients would say to me, “What, I just had PT. Why are you back?” or “Why are you taking me to the bathroom? I thought you were going to take me walking down the hallways.” Notes from the nurses or MDs would state things like, “Patient walked to bathroom with PT today.” It was frustrating, but it was a great opportunity for me to practice promoting OT and sharing my elevator speech about what OT is and why we’re great. 😊

Another exciting aspect of having fieldwork in acute care was watching surgeries. I got to watch four surgeries over the summer: a total hip replacement, a total knee replacement, spine surgery, and a deep brain stimulation. It was an incredible learning experience and it deepened my understanding of what surgical patients go through and how much pain they may be experiencing afterwards. It made seeing the patients’ joys of taking their first shower after surgery or being able to get to the edge of their bed and sit without support that much more meaningful.

Whether this is your first level 2 fieldwork or your second, consider the inpatient acute care setting at any hospital if all or any of this sounds intriguing to you. I had a very positive experience and I highly recommend it!

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Challenge Accepted ⟩
October 17, 2019, by Kaho

Life Hacks

Growing up, I did a lot of individual sports. I ran my first 10k when I was five and from there, I participated in cross country, track, and swimming throughout my school years. I would get so much anxiety the night before a race that I often would not be able to sleep and it felt like my heart would literally flutter out of my chest. Nervous thoughts would flood my brain like, “Am I ready?” “Have I trained enough?” “What if I finish last?” “What if I don’t finish at all?” My mom, who is also an experienced athlete, would sit me down before each race and give me a little pep talk to calm my nerves. She would say various things each time, but one phrase that she repeatedly included and therefore stuck with me is, “無理やと思ってからが本当の勝負” For all of my non-Japanese speaking readers out there, it roughly translates to, “The real battle begins after you think you’ve reached your limit.” This sentence has become so engraved into me that I still hear my mom’s voice in my head every time I’m challenged or stressed to the point that I think I can’t/don’t want to try any further. It has translated over from sports to all aspects of my life and has become my life motto. It has truly helped me throughout numerous stages of my life. (Side note: it’s my mom’s milestone birthday on Monday, so quick shout out to her 🎉 )

I’ve learned that whenever I think I’ve reached my limit, how far I’m able to push myself from that point after is the real test in my strength and character. It has helped me to reframe stressful, sometimes seemingly hopeless situations. When I feel tempted to give up, I pause, reflect, and reset my thoughts. I think, “Okay, I’ve made it to the edge of familiar grounds. This is where things get interesting and exciting because I’m now entering new territory. This is only the beginning of a new self-improvement opportunity.” Think of it this way: you’re playing a video game and you lose a life at level 15. It makes you start back at level 1, but this time, level 1-15 is a piece of cake because you’ve already experienced those levels. No acquirement of a new skill happens here. When you reach level 15 again, you feel a little adrenaline because this was where you fell last time. You’re about to enter a level that you have yet to successfully overcome. This time, you’re able to conquer the challenge and move on to level 16, then level 17. Your limit is now level 17 and you’ve pushed yourself further than what you were familiar with or could tolerate before. How I see it, it’s the same with life. Each time you push yourself past your perceived breaking point, your capacity grows that much more.

Every day, we’re faced with new challenges and I completely understand that it all becomes too overwhelming sometimes. However, something as simple as reframing your thoughts can switch up your mood and give you the courage to keep advancing. Next time you’re faced with a situation that makes you want to give up, try taking a different perspective and get excited! It’s an opportunity to grow and become an even better version of yourself. I don’t know who or if anyone needs to hear this right now, but you’re much more capable than you may think. Fight On!

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To Be, or Not to Be, a Trojan ⟩
October 10, 2019, by Kaho

Admissions

As students begin to apply to different occupational therapy programs and the Chan Division’s November 30th deadline creeps up, one of the most common questions I’ve been receiving is, “why did you choose USC?” “Is it worth it?” A former student ambassador wrote a blog that briefly shares her reasons for choosing USC and it also has helpful tips on how to finance. Graduate schools are not cheap and it’s no secret that even among them, USC is on the pricier side. I understand that finance is a huge factor for everyone when making decisions about their future and no one looks forward to the multi-digit loans they’re about to take on. The financial burden was an immense worry for me as well, and it still is. However, there are pros and cons to everything in life. It helps to weigh both sides and look at the bigger picture. So, to answer your question, attending USC has been worth it for me personally and I’ll explain my reasons why. Before I do that though, I’d like to note that everyone’s situation is different, everyone’s values are different, and only you can make the best decision for yourself because ultimately, you’ll thrive most in an environment that you’re whole-heartedly committed to.

• The school itself, the students, and its faculty
  There’s a reason that the Chan Division has been ranked as one of the top OT programs in the world repeatedly. There are numerous, cutting edge research projects going on at any given time and graduates of the program go out to be leaders in the world of OT every year. Being in an environment like that, where I’m surrounded by intelligent, motivated, passionate, and dedicated students and faculty, I’m inspired to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone to be the best OT that I could be. The professors that I have met are all so personal and genuine. I can sense that they truly care about my learning and success. Despite the large student body compared to other OT programs, I feel that my individual needs are heard and met and that I am fully supported in my education.


My cohort after a Thanksgiving potluck

• The size
  While some people may prefer a small class of 25 students, I appreciate the fact that there are 136 other students going through the program with me at the Chan Division. It has given me the opportunity to meet a variety of people with different passions and styles. Personally, the big class keeps things interesting because each individual brings a new perspective. Each graduating class is also divided into 3 cohorts of about 40-45 for most lectures and in labs, the cohort is further split into 2, so I still get the benefits of a small class like individualized attention from professors and close relationships with classmates as well.

• The resources and connections
  As you already probably know (because I mentioned it in my first reason), USC Chan’s faculty is pretty amazing. The researchers, educators, and clinicians are all passionate about what they do and they’re respected across California, the nation, and even the world. Now imagine being able to walk into any of their offices and start a casual conversation. All of the faculty have an open door policy, where students can seek for guidance, mentorship, or just a fun conversation. It’s incredibly comforting to merely know that I have access to all faculty with an array of different experiences within and outside of the profession of OT. Furthermore, students have resources outside of the division. Every fieldwork site I’ve been to, there has been at least one USC Chan alumnus working there. As soon as I say that I’m from USC, their eyes light up and I instantly feel a connection as “a fellow Trojan.” They willingly share with me about their career path and any advice they have. Because OTs can work in such a vast range of settings, everyone’s story is unique and insightful. Speaking of fieldwork, USC has connections to over 950 sites nationally and internationally. The possibilities for your professional development is endless!

With all that being said, I can’t stress enough that this is just my own experience. Everyone’s priorities are different and what makes USC worth it for me, may not be important to you. In addition, I have only experienced USC’s OT program, so I can’t compare it to other schools and speak for it. In the end, any school will be what you make of it. Talk to the people around you that know you well and can help you figure out whether what USC has to offer is what you’re looking for in a graduate program. An application process can be a stressful experience and it involves some big decisions, but I’d be happy to be a resource so don’t hesitate to shoot me an email! You can also sign up for one of our info sessions. Just remember, you’re not alone in your concerns. Good luck!

*a little disclaimer in case you were wondering: everything I’ve written is my honest opinion and I was in no way required or encouraged to say positive things about USC 😊

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