Student Blog
Admissions

Pre-OT Me ⟩
January 23, 2017, by Kimmy

Admissions What are OS/OT?

Before deciding to enter a graduate program, you may have asked yourself, “Can I be an OT?” I may not know you too well yet, but I have a feeling the answer is yes! While a Master’s degree in occupational therapy is required to practice, many professionals arrive at this destination from vastly different origins.

My path was a bit more direct as I entered USC directly in the Bachelor’s to Master’s program. However, in the effort to gain a well-rounded undergraduate education, I also pursued a major in psychology and a minor in nutrition & health promotion. By studying these diverse fields, I feel enabled to blend multiple perspectives to inform my future practice as an occupational therapist.

Occupational therapy stresses the importance of client-centered practice and treating the whole person. Because each OT exudes a unique therapeutic style, one’s practice can be informed by his or her background. An OT with a background in business might differ from one who studied sociology, but they can both provide valuable treatment for their clients. Further, these varied perspectives allow therapists to share knowledge and exchange ideas with each other, which improves therapists’ clinical reasoning and the profession as a whole!

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Cohort Love ⟩
December 6, 2016, by Jessica

Admissions Community School/Life Balance

Prospective students are often nervous about the fact that USC’s program is relatively larger than other OT programs. Each class has about 120-130 students, so students might be worried about getting “lost in the shuffle.” However the great thing about the program is that students are divided into three cohorts, with about 40-45 students in each one. Your cohort is the group of people you’ll be taking most of your classes with, so class sizes remain more intimate. For lab sections, your cohort is divided in half, so there will only be 20-25 students in each lab, so you can get more hands on experience.

You’ll become pretty close with your cohort, since you take most of your classes with one another. Some cohorts will plan outings together and share resources with one another. Some of the fun things we’ve done as a cohort: go out to dinner, happy hour, hiking, attend a Dodgers game, and celebrate the holidays with a white elephant party!

This past week was our last class together as a cohort. For our last semester, we will all be taking elective courses of our choosing, so everyone will be split up into different classes. In rememberance of my awesome cohort, here are some photos of Cohort A!

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Three Reasons Why I Chose USC OSOT ⟩
October 17, 2016, by Raisa

Admissions

“Why did you want to go to USC?” this was a question I would get a lot while I was working on my application. I never really knew what to say except “why not USC?” Now having experienced the MA-1 program for myself I have come up with a short summary of why I love USC and I would like to share them with you.

1. History

USC has been a cornerstone for research and development in the field occupational therapy. Theories such as Sensory Integration, Lifestyle redesign, and occupational science took root in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

2. The Trojan Family

USC is home to some of the most recognized minds in the field of occupational therapy, many of whom are faculty members who teach classes at USC. The faculty members have expertise in their own practice areas, mainly in the fields of research, education, and clinical practice. USC OSOT also hosts a Global Initiatives project. The Global initiatives project aims to enhance the profession of occupational therapy on a global scale.

3. #CareerGoals

“#CareerGoals” is what my friends back home would say when we do things that help us achieve our goals. Having practiced occupational therapy for about a year, I was able to reflect how I wanted to structure my practice. I want to specialize in the field of neurorehabilitation and acute care settings. My long-term goal would be to complete my Doctorate degree (OTD) for advanced clinical practice or clinical research in neurorehabilitation.

USC plays an integral role in helping me achieve my career goals, I cannot imagine me taking my master’s program anywhere else. No regrets here! I hope you will consider working towards your #Careergoals and have USC help you in achieving them.

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White Coat, Bright Memories ⟩
September 1, 2016, by Kimmy

Admissions Community Getting Involved Living in LA

This past Friday, I attended the Chan Division’s 6th White Coat Ceremony. For those who are unfamiliar with the tradition, the White Coat Ceremony began as a way to mark medical students’ induction into medical school. Over time, other health professions — including occupational therapy — have adopted the tradition.

One year ago, I was sitting in a folding chair, wondering how I would be able to wear a coat in the 95 degree weather. Luckily, my excitement made me forget all about the heat! At the time, I was one of ten undergraduate seniors in the Bachelor’s to Master’s Occupational Therapy Program. The White Coat Ceremony falls annually, on the first Friday of the fall semester, meaning I did not know many of the other students yet, besides those other nine seniors. Though I was initially a bit intimidated by the 130 Master’s students surrounding us, these strangers have since become some of my closest friends and biggest inspirations.

This time around, I experienced the ceremony as a student ambassador. Instead of anxiously awaiting my turn to walk on stage, I now eagerly await the opportunity to meet my new classmates and future colleagues. Being on the other side of this event not only allowed me to appreciate the attention to detail required for such occasions, but also made me realize how quickly time moves and things change. As difficult as my transition to graduate school felt at times, I look back on my first year with extreme gratitude. The white coat may get dirty, but the memories will never fade!

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A Positive Move ⟩
August 24, 2016, by Jessica

Admissions What are OS/OT?

For my first blog post, I wanted to share my story of how I found OT. I always find it so interesting to hear other people’s stories of how they discovered OT, and I hope that some of you can relate to my experience.

During my junior year at UCLA, I felt a little uncertain about what I would do after graduation with a degree in International Development Studies. Sure, I loved learning about other countries and cultures, but I wasn’t sure about how I could translate that passion into a career. However, I had a lot of experience working with children and adolescents throughout high school and college, and knew that was something I was good at. So with the advice of some close friends, I decided to apply for an Americorps program called Teach for America, where they recruit recent college grads to teach in underserved, low-income communities around the US. Fueled by my passions of working with children and social justice, I felt like this was the best career move for me. So within a week of my undergrad graduation, I packed up my whole life and moved across the country to Brooklyn, NY to be a 3rd grade Special Education teacher. Sidenote: This also happens to be where I met my fiancé/future husband.

My first two years of teaching were the most challenging years of my life, compounded by feelings of homesickness and constant questioning of whether teaching was the right career for me. Then one day, I vividly remember seeing a woman (who I had never seen before) with a stockpile of hula hoops and giant stability balls working with a student in the hallway. This student, who was previously crying and throwing tantrums every day in class, now had the biggest smile on his face and was appropriately communicating with the woman. I was intrigued, and asked my co-teacher who she was. She aptly replied, “Oh her? She’s an occupational therapist.”

That night I went home and Google searched everything I could find on occupational therapy. I couldn’t believe that this was my first time hearing about OT — everything I was reading felt like it was a perfect fit for me, combining my passion for helping people and opportunities to be creative. I kept this research in the back of my mind for the next year, before ultimately deciding to move back to San Francisco to continue teaching closer to home. Despite the change of setting, I still had the feeling that a change of career was what I needed. As a special education teacher, often working closely with occupational therapists, I was able to see the transformative power of OT in my students’ lives. One student had severe difficulties with emotional regulation, and after his OT sessions, he would come back with the biggest smile on his face. Over time, he was better able to articulate his feelings using the “Zones of Regulation,” and use healthy coping strategies (i.e., drawing, using lotion) to replace unhealthy coping strategies (i.e., tantrums). Witnessing these positive changes, I realized that I was much more passionate about helping kids with their socio-emotional skills than their math skills. After volunteering at an outpatient pediatric clinic, and many conversations with occupational therapists, friends and family, I decided to fully commit to applying to OT school. I only had a year to complete all my prerequisites, but I knew the struggle would be worth it to start a new career I was truly passionate about.

And now this brings me here to USC. After a year in the program, I can honestly say this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  I feel so grateful to have found a profession that allows me to make close connections with people and provide them with the skills and tools to empower themselves to create positive change in their own lives.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and I’m excited to share the rest of my experiences with you all this year!

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