Student Blog
Classes

Occupations linking us to our heritage ⟩
September 12, 2012, by Kendra

Classes What are OS/OT?

I got married this past August and something that occupied my mind throughout the planning and actual wedding process was the connection to my ancestors and current family I felt by taking part in this long-lived tradition. For the longest time I was a nay-sayer for weddings, I didn’t want to prescribe to antiquated traditions, I envisioned myself a new-age woman, hear me roar! I still am, but I see now why some traditions live for hundreds, thousands of years. Suffice to say, I get why people ‘get married.’ The feeling that I was experiencing the same jitters, excitement, and annoyances that my mother, grandmother, and one day, daughter will experience, made me feel like I was tapping into something far greater and substantial than just one day of celebration.

One of my classes this semester is Health Promotion and Wellness, and the activity we did this week was identifying occupations that are important to us and what values and emotions we instill into them. All I kept thinking about was the connection to the past I feel when engaging in some occupations. Finding this connection allows for greater value and understanding of the process of engaging in occupation. For example, laundry. I avoid doing it until absolutely necessary, but lately when I am folding shirt after shirt after shirt I think of my great-grandmother, whom I never met, but know that she too throughout her lifespan folded clothes, cooked meals, and got married. Suddenly this seemingly mundane task was far more meaningful. Suffice to say, my class has helped me re-think the ‘why’ of engaging in certain activities, allow the why to create meaning and, ideally, change something burdensome into something meaningful.

⋯

OTD Admitted Student Meeting ⟩
March 21, 2012, by Alix

Admissions Classes

This afternoon I finally got to see all of my fellow OTD classmates in the same room at the same time. 😂 The Division held a meeting to tell all of the admitted OT students about what to expect from the program (which starts in the fall), how to register for classes, and how to find a residency site. It was fun to see who I would be spending the next year and change with and to learn more about the amazing projects that OTD students have completed in the past. While I already know that I’ll be working in Lifestyle Redesign with the Faculty Practice here at USC, I’m not 100% sure yet what I will be doing as a project. I’m hoping that it will have something to do with bolstering OT’s presence in oncology and/or integrative medicine. Either way, it’s definitely starting to seem more real and imminent now that we’ve had our first official meeting. If you’re new to USC OT and want to learn more about the OTD program, you can find it here.

⋯

Welcome to 2012 ⟩
January 11, 2012, by Alix

Classes School/Life Balance

Happy New Year! This week marks the beginning of a new semester — the home stretch of the Master’s program for myself and my fellow ambassadors. Winter break was (as always) much too short, but it does feel good to be getting back into the swing of things. I’m taking five classes this spring: two core courses focused on quantitative and qualitative research, a course about Lifestyle Redesign, an elective focused on OT’s role in the primary care setting (kind of like a mini-fieldwork), and a course about motivational interviewing and therapeutic communication.

I’m definitely looking forward to the Lifestyle Redesign course, especially because I’ve decided to stay here at USC for my clinical doctorate, and I’ll be focusing on Lifestyle Redesign. (Yay OTD!) Some other things I’m looking forward to in 2012: Learning how to surf, finding a good gluten-free bread recipe, exploring California even more (Joshua Tree and Yosemite are two goal destinations), and, of course, getting married. I have high hopes for a busy but very fulfilling year. 😎

⋯

Thanksgiving for Optimal Living with Multiple Sclerosis ⟩
November 18, 2011, by Alix

Classes Community

We just finished our last session of the “Optimal Living with Multiple Sclerosis” class, an elective I took this semester. It was a unique and useful course that gave me the chance to lead 1:1 occupational therapy sessions and groups for participants living with Multiple Sclerosis. 

The class also included a lot of good food (including a pizza-baking class earlier in the semester), and today we hosted a Thanksgiving potluck to express our thanks to the participants and to reward ourselves for a semester of hard work. (I made kale salad with pomegranate seeds, lemon, olive oil, and toasted sesame seeds.)

I am leaving the class with a much better understanding of how to be an occupational therapist for people with MS. I am also leaving with a great new recipe for chilli, courtesy of one of our participants. Finally, I got a chance today to chat with some of the PT students in the class. It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m collaborating with other disciplines for the good of our clients. I’m thankful for all that I learned in the class and for all of the enthusiasm and positivity that the participants brought to each session.

I hope you all have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!

⋯

Primary Care ⟩
November 15, 2011, by Kimberly

Classes What are OS/OT?

I just got back from USC-Eisner Family Medicine Center in downtown LA. For one of my electives this semester we are learning about and accumulating clinic hours in primary care settings. Primary care is a relatively new field for OT, but is an exciting one to be getting into. At Eisner we work right alongside the primary doctor to provide a more comprehensive care plan for the patient. Our scope of practice covers areas like pain management, weight management, functional assessments, organization, ergonomics, and work-life balance, to name a few.

This morning we worked briefly with a woman who is experiencing trouble with fatigue and mobility at work. She suffered a traumatic brain injury about 20 years ago and as a result has left foot drop and general left-side weakness which make it harder for her to walk. She has been mobile up until this point using the assistance of a walker and a cane while working her two jobs. But recently she has found it more tiring to walk everywhere.

After talking with the woman, we scheduled a follow-up appointment for an ergonomic assessment and a work-site assessment. These will allow us to see what adaptations to the environment could be made to enable her to better do her job without fatigue. She was very excited at the prospect of working with us in the future and at how willing we are to address her needs in the settings where they occur. So far in this class, my clinic experiences have been really rewarding. A patient who comes in for a simple check-up, some low back pain, or a need to reduce their cholesterol usually leaves from OT feeling more empowered to make small changes in their daily lives for greater health.

⋯