An Exciting Semester Ahead!

January 16, 2014
by Kate

Classes Externships

After a very relaxing and restorative winter break, I am now ready to kick off my last semester as a Master’s student with a big bang! Although it is always tough to get back into a routine of waking up early and studying on weekends, I know that this is the last 3 months before I’ll be in the “real world” of occupational therapy. This semester is different than others, too, because we are able to take electives in our specific area of interest. By doing so, we can develop our niche in the field of occupational therapy, which will help us in our own clinical practice.

This semester, I am taking Lifestyle Redesign and a special elective at the Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice so that I can implement some of these techniques into a group session. I’m also taking a Motivational Interviewing class in order to improve my communication in a therapeutic manner. My other elective is a special topics course in occupational therapy in acute care. This class is really neat because alongside a weekly lecture/lab combination, we spend four hours per week in a hospital setting at USC’s Keck Medical Center.

This semester I am also excited for our leadership externship that is associated with our Leadership Capstone course. I am going to Ghana with a group of about 40 other students and practicing occupational therapists. We will be working with children with disabilities at a special school and training center. I’m very much looking forward to gaining a global view on the opportunities for those with special needs.

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with my schedule this semester. The classes I have chosen and the adventures that await me are challenging yet exciting.

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