Student Blog
Videos

The Building Blocks of the Pre-Master’s Program ⟩
February 14, 2020, by Japeth

Admissions Diversity International Videos

Coming from a country where English language is not the official language may be difficult for some students who intend to go abroad for continuing education. This is what I also felt when I was still applying to the program. Questions such as “Will I be able to speak confidently?” or “Can I express myself and my thoughts properly?” were always on my mind. International students also need to take an English Proficiency Exam (IELTS or TOEFL) and must reach a score that is accepted by the department. This requirement is difficult, to be honest! Aside from this, students who are planning to enter graduate school must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which includes questions about analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. This exam is just equally difficult, if not more, as the IELTS or TOEFL.

For interested international students who might be worried on their performance on these tests, don’t fret! I am happy to share about USC’s Pre-Master’s Program, which aims to help students improve their performance and scores!

Below is a video featuring Yen Ting Ni and Yi Fan Lin, both went through the Pre-Master’s program before joining this year’s Post-Professional MA in OT cohort.

I hope this video is helpful to future applicants and students! Also, I would like to share with you about what changes the Admissions Team has been doing! The admissions team headed by Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, together with Dr. Kristin Nxumalo and Dr. Amber Bennett, has changed how admissions look like! USC Chan has moved towards what we call the “new admission holistic process”, where all components of the admission criteria are given equal importance and value.

Fight On!

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Being Waitlisted ⟩
January 8, 2020, by Marilyn

Admissions Videos

The feelings one has when learning that they are waitlisted from a top-choice school can vary among each student. However, the reality is that there is still a possibility of gaining admittance to the institution. In this video, three MA-II 2nd year students (Nicole Yoon, Daniel Padilla, and I) discuss our experience with being waitlisted for the USC OT program. I am definitely not tech-savvy, so bear with me. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and hear about how we navigated this experience.

Fight on!

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OT in the HOUSE ⟩
November 14, 2019, by Noelle

Housing and Transportation Living in LA Videos

Warning: time lapsed commute may cause motion sickness. 😬 Skip to 2:00 for just the apartment.

I want everyone to know that I made this on iMovie ON MY PHONE and I am not the most tech savvy so bear with me. 😊

I originally wanted the background music to double as my song recommendation (”Home” by Dan Croll), but alas, couldn’t make it happen. The background music is “Extra Jolly” by Mark Mothersbaugh.

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Before I Let Go . . . One Last Blog ⟩
May 14, 2019, by Serena

Beginnings and Endings Diversity Videos

It is nearly unbelievable to think that my time in USC’s Occupational Therapy Master’s program is coming to an end. And Before I Let Go . . . I had to post one last time about my graduation ceremony and a surprise Beyoncé dance video that is near the end of the blog!

It is a bittersweet feeling to come to the end of a program that has given me so much! One of the most difficult parts is saying goodbye to the friends and mentors that I have made while in the program.

I am thankful to have received a master’s degree but I am most grateful for the lifelong friendships I have formed and mentors I have gained while in the program. We have memories, pictures, and videos that we will cherish forever. In honor of graduation here is one of my favorite videos some of my friends and I put together with the help of our friend in USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Lastly, I would like to thank my family for supporting me during my OT and life’s journey. At a time of great accomplishments comes the need to remember how you achieved your successes. Without my family I would not be who I am or where I am today. As OTs we know that the community and social supports play a huge role in quality of life and health. My personal accomplishments will always and forever be my community’s accomplishments, my family’s accomplishments. 

Thankfully, I will be staying at USC for another year to complete my doctorate at USC’s Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice (OTFP). At the OTFP I will be pursuing my interests in health and wellness by receiving mentorship while delivering Lifestyle Redesign® interventions to promote healthier habits and routines.

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Health and Wellness . . . with a little Cardi B ⟩
November 20, 2018, by Serena

Classes Videos

What does a USC OT graduate school class look like? Well let me show you . . .

In our program, it is truly all about work-life balance. As we near finals, our Health and Wellness Professor, Dr. Dieterle created an activity that allowed us all to engage in a novel or relaxing occupation while in class. My classmates and I had the ability to choose two activities to participate in for our 2 hour class. The options were salsa dance, meditation, Yoga, or arts & crafts. As you can see from the video, I selected salsa dance led by two OTD students and a meditation seminar led by Dr. Payne.

In the salsa dance class, the OTD students taught a partner routine. Then we all performed the routine with a partner. My lovely partner of the day was Melissa. Once we became familiar with the routine, we then switched partners so we danced with nearly every person in the room. I was incredibly impressed by my very talented classmates. The OTD students were taking song suggestions (very client-centered) so I requested “Mi Gente” (the remix of course with Beyoncé), “MIA” by Bad Bunny featuring Drake, and “Taki Taki” by Dj Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B. We also took it back to the early 2000s and listened to “Beautiful Liar” by Shakira and Beyoncé. However, the song of the day was “I Like It” by Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny & J Balvin.

Well now that I have laughed and released some stress in the Health and Wellness course, its time to get back to studying for finals!

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