Student Blog
School/Life Balance

Will I Have a Life in Grad School? (the answer is yes) ⟩
September 2, 2016, by Erwin

School/Life Balance

I find that many prospective students worry about the demands of graduate school. One of the most common questions I get being a student in the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is, “Do you even have a life outside of graduate school?” While our program is intensive (which is why it is ranked #3 in the country), it is certainly manageable.

Given my school schedule, I still have plenty of time to be involved in things that are important and meaningful to me. When I’m not in the classroom, I work as a student ambassador within the division, as USC’s Student Delegate for our state organization (OTAC), play in an intramural basketball league, spend time with family and friends, go to the gym, and of course watch Netflix! So believe it or not, my classmates and I have lives outside of graduate school.

Occupational therapists understand the importance of balance in people’s lives. After all, a balanced life is a healthier life! As students, we all work hard to ace our tests and gain the skills to be competent practitioners. With that being said, our professors urge us to practice what we preach and add balance to our own lives. That’s why my classmates and I make sure to set time aside for our own leisure and personal care. A doctor at the Keck Hospital of USC once joked with me that the occupational therapy students are the only students on the Health Science Campus that smile. While I’m sure the other health professions also smile, there’s just something special about occupational therapy’s perspective on health and balance that has us smiling a little more. 😊

Here are a few pictures of my classmates and me participating in meaningful activity outside of the classroom (just in case you don’t believe me).

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Tips & Tricks for Undergraduates! ⟩
July 29, 2016, by Megan

Getting Involved Life Hacks School/Life Balance

While walking across campus last week, I ran into some of the new Bachelor’s to Master’s OT students who were attending their Freshman Orientation. It was so exciting to learn a bit about the newest members of the OT/Trojan family and SO crazy to think that I was in their shoes less than a year ago! This run-in also inspired my next blog post — some Tips & Tricks for those interested in undergraduate life here at USC!

Although the majority of OT students at USC are applying to the Entry-Level Master’s Program, we also have the Bachelor’s to Master’s program in which students are immersed in the occupational therapy profession throughout their undergraduate experience. Because students start this program as freshmen, they are often overwhelmed with both excitement and uncertainty regarding the transition. A lot of the questions prospective undergraduate students ask me about this program are ones that I, myself remember laboring over as well. “What will my undergrad coursework be like as an OT major?” “What can I get involved in?” “How can I prepare?!”

In the hopes of easing some of these concerns, I have compiled a list of of advice I learned over my freshman year at USC — as well as an inside look into undergrad student life!
                                                                                                             
TIP #1 Get Involved!
The Involvement Fair and Service Opportunity Fair are two great ways to learn about different organizations on campus. These events provide great insight into the mission of each group and ensure that you see all of the (many) clubs and various groups that USC has to offer. I found that these fairs allowed for me to find organizations I was truly passionate about — and may have otherwise of missed out on!

The opportunities available to you vary from service organizations, to on-campus jobs, to sororities/fraternities, to religious and cultural organizations . . . and on and on — USC has it all! Check out campusactivities.usc.edu to see some of the available opportunities on campus!

TIP #2 Take care of yourself!
Try not to spread yourself too thin!! USC does offer a plethora of ways to get involved, but don’t feel pressured to join every group on campus! The first few weeks on campus can be a little overwhelming — I would recommend taking your time to find organizations you are truly passionate about and really devoting your time to those groups! Make sure to sleep, eat nourishing food, and take time to relax!

Which brings me to my next tip . . .

TIP #3 Hand Sanitizer!
It is so easy to get sick while living and working around so many new people. Try and avoid germs by keeping your hands clean . . . and, again, try to SLEEP enough!

Tip #4 Get to know your professors!
This especially applies to OT professors and faculty members! We are fortunate to have nearly 100 OT faculty members, each one of them with a rich knowledge about the field and a passion for helping you be the best OT you can be! Office hours are a great way to meet with professors one-on-one and ask specific questions. Try and take advantage of these opportunities, I promise your professors won’t bite 😊

TIP #5 Don’t Stress — Everything will work out!
Now I will admit that I am someone who often stresses out over the smallest of things . . . however, I wish I could go back and tell myself to not be so worried about everything! Whether you worry your favorite classes will fill up, that your roommate won’t shower daily, or even that you might sleep through your first class — I urge you not to panic! If there is one thing I can say, it is that everything will work out! Besides, as OT students, we are great are coming up with creative solutions to any problem we encounter, right?! 😉

Tip #6 HAVE FUN!
At USC, the students value hard work and devotion to academic success, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to unwind and have fun! From football games, to the beach, to quirky cafes, to scenic hikes — there is always something to do in LA!

And here is a sneak peek into living on campus and a typical freshman schedule!

Undergraduate life at USC is jam-packed with excitement and endless opportunity . . . and it is such an amazing time to develop a passion for OT! Hopefully this post helps to paint a better picture of life as a USC OT undergraduate. Have a great weekend, everyone!!

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Next Steps . . . ⟩
May 9, 2016, by Joe

Beginnings and Endings Getting Involved Life Hacks School/Life Balance

So, here we are, final blog post. I graduate in FOUR DAYS! (WOO!)

I’ve had the most incredible and transformative journey. I pivoted from one career path to come into the OT profession, initially aimed at going into physical rehab, then every semester showed me a new side of OT which flipped my world upside down. Now at the end of my final semester, I find myself interested in bridging between physical rehab and mental health practice, with a touch of primary care. And with one more fieldwork to go, I wonder how my interests will change by the time I take the board exam.

USC Chan has given me more than just clinical skills, but personal and professional life skills as well. If it wasn’t for the tremendous mentorship I received from our stellar faculty, I would not have become so involved with AOTA, which has opened incredible leadership opportunities and experiences, like attending conference to speak in front of hundreds of people, and even representing the OT profession at physical therapy’s national student conclave. Looking back, I can’t believe how much has happened in 2 years. it’s all just flown by!

So, what’s next?

I’ll be at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in their outpatient mental health programs. This includes working with teenagers with behavioral health problems, adults with special needs, and refugees for community integration. I’m SO excited to get started, and looking forward to being back on the east coast. I’m still waiting to hear from residency placements, but I expect to be back in the fall for the OTD program . . . with how much has happened in these last 2 years, who knows what that year of mentorship will bring as I’ll be a fully licensed occupational therapist!

For those of you just beginning your OT journey, some tips:

1. Get to know your faculty! I remember right at the beginning of the program, Dr. Samia Rafeedie, Director of the Professional Program, said simply: “you’re a student for now, but I see you all as future colleagues,” which really set the tone for the relationships we should develop with our faculty. I’ve made it a point to meet with each of my professors one-on-one at least once per semester. They have invaluable insight and expertise, and their input has been so crucial to my personal growth and success in the program. Make the effort, it’s well worth it! (And don’t worry, they’re all friendly and warm, they’re OTs!)

2. Learn through experience! Our classes are great at setting your foundation for clinical reasoning and developing hard clinical skills through fieldwork, but there is so much more to learn about yourself both personally and professionally through extracurricular experiences. Go to all the seminars, guest lectures, presentations, and the myriad opportunities available to you throughout your time in the program. I’ve continued to learn new skills through some unexpected ways, such as meditation training through my volunteer work with the health promotion office, and presentation skills through my work as an ambassador.

3. Get involved with our professional associations! I cannot stress this enough! Being a part of the OT profession means being a member of your professional associations at the state and national level. Not only do they act as your professional insurance to protect the work we do as OTs, but there are really great opportunities for learning and networking. Which leads me to:

3.5. Go to conferences! They’re super fun, but also give you a chance to feel part of the greater OT community. Go to the mixers and networking events, attend sessions of interest — I’ve made so many good friends from attending conferences. That’s where I meet the OTs who have similar interests as me, and who have offered invaluable advice going through the process. While there are lots of conference and symposium opportunities, attending at least once AOTA national conference is a must!

And finally, 4. RELAX. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and workload of school, but remember to take time to take care of yourself. We talk about balance a lot as OTs, make sure to apply that to yourself. Keep up with leisure and recreational activities, make time for friends and family, and give yourself permission to enjoy a delicious meal and a good night’s rest.

Ok, one more — 4.5. Celebrate your successes! You’re going to work hard, savor the fruits of that labor!

Oh, and always . . . FIGHT ON!

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One last occupation: photography ⟩
May 2, 2016, by Heather

Beginnings and Endings School/Life Balance

As a way to ring in the end of my graduate school experience, I wanted to talk a little bit about one of my favorite occupations: taking photos.

I found my passion for photography over twenty years ago, when my father gave me his old point-and-shoot camera. I initially discovered my love for taking photographs of flowers and different elements of our natural world. It was beautiful and seemed safe at the time.

When I was in high school, I joined the school newspaper as the staff photographer. This gave me an introduction into taking photographs of people. All different types of people.

When I moved on to bigger and better things in college, I decided to minor in photography. Our school had a well-renowned art department, so I thought it would be a good idea to make the most of the resources it had to offer. I recall the discomfort of my first photography class critique — we reviewed each other’s work and gave constructive criticism (out loud). It was extremely difficult. I learned eventually to not shy away from criticism, as I saw my craft improving with time and peer feedback.

After college, I moved to San Francisco and tried to start my own photography business. My passion had evolved from taking photographs of the natural world to taking photographs of food. Yep, food porn basically. I was offered opportunities to assist on bigger photo projects for brands showcasing ice creams, soups, yogurts, and for projects for Bon Appetit magazine. I was loving the challenges and the different types of art I was being exposed to.

To this day, I still love photography. I look forward to its next big challenge for me.

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Once a student, always a friend ⟩
April 29, 2016, by Jodie

Community School/Life Balance

Last night, I officially finished my last academic course as a master’s student here in our graduate program. This entire journey towards becoming an occupational therapist has been the most rewarding, inspiring and memorable experience of my life. This has been my biggest dream ever since middle school and it still feels so surreal that in just a few months, I can proudly call myself an occupational therapist!

In my hands rehabilitation elective course last night, my professor ended the lecture by telling my class “once a student of mine, always a friend.” At this moment, it really hit me how tremendously lucky we are to have such supportive and brilliant faculty not only sharing all their knowledge with us, but also supporting us every step of the way towards becoming the best occupational therapists possible. So many thoughts flooded my head as I was driving home from school last night so I decided to write them all down as soon as I got home and share some thoughts/advice with you guys!

1. Get to know our faculty from the very start of the program! There’s so much more that we can learn from our faculty than just what is taught in lectures. I promise you, they don’t bite. 😛
2. Immerse yourself in each and every experience throughout the program: lectures, tailgates, conferences, mixers, guest speaker seminars, etc. Every experience opens a door to new possibilities and you’ll never know what’s out there if you don’t put yourself out there first.
3. Keep your class notes organized either electronically or in binders/folders. You will need all your study guides and notes at the end of the program for the comprehensive exit exam!
4. Take the time to get to know all of your classmates — MAIs, MAIIs, Bachelor’s to Master’s students, OTD and PhD candidates, and everyone else in between! Especially during your first summer semester before you split up into different cohorts but even after you’re separated into cohorts too!

Those were the main thoughts that came into my mind during my drive home (I’m sure if I lived further or took a detour route home, this list would have been exponentially longer!) I hope you find them helpful as you begin your journey towards becoming an OT. I am so excited for you guys and hope to hear about your adventures through these blogs in the years to come.

I also just wanted to share a picture from our last recruitment team dinner tonight at the San Antonio Winery! 

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