Student Blog
What are OS/OT?

Two Letters, One Enlightening Minor ⟩
June 2, 2025, by Cara

Beginnings and Endings Community What are OS/OT?

Though it’s been a few weeks since graduation, I find myself constantly reminiscing. My undergraduate experience was nothing short of exhilarating and transformative. A large part of that was due to being part of the OS Minor. The below is a love letter to the program and everything it gave me. 

Dear OS Minor,

It’s not often you find an environment that makes it worthwhile to show up to class. But you were one of those hidden gems. You arrived when I needed it most, turning the fear that comes with transferring into a sense of community, direction, and opportunity.

The courses themselves weren’t just theoretical — they were opportunities for self-expression, connection, and catharsis. I gained practical skills both for my OT toolbox and to thrive in life. Whether it was intimate class discussions, creative group work to understand OT across the lifespan, or service-learning like beach clean-ups and interacting with shelter animals, I learned to build meaningful connections and approach every space I occupy with open-mindedness, humility, and inclusivity. Additionally, I better understood who I am and what matters to me. Embracing the power of personal narrative allowed me to express my values to inspire others in my community, like Thrive Pod, a newsletter column for USC’s AAPI community, encouraging students to break the stigma and prioritize self-care.

But what truly makes the program valuable isn’t fun, unique courses that merely fulfill credit. It’s the professors, some of the most wholesome and remarkable individuals I’ll ever know.

To the faculty: there will never be enough words to do you justice. From the start, you created a welcoming and nurturing space, where every student was on a first-name basis with you all and going to office hours didn’t feel formal or intimidating. I’ll never forget Ashley’s sweetness and natural talent for breaking the ice, Diego’s childlike energy, Arameh for being the ultimate girl boss, Gabe for being down-to-earth, and Kate who, put simply, is the epitome of “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. Thanks to all of you and the comfort you provided, I found the reassurance I needed that USC was the right place for me, and that I’d be supported with the quality education and support concomitant with my aspirations. 

Besides your personalities, what sets you apart from other professors is the way you constantly enhance learning. It’s not just in your thoroughly written syllabus, but rather through the compassion you give so sincerely and freely. You took the time to understand my interests, offered mentorship, helped me get involved on campus, guided me through graduate school applications, and believed in my potential as an OT. I greatly appreciate your investment in me as more than just a student and hope to embody that same warmth, empathy, and dedication for my future patients.

Oh — and I can’t forget about being an Undergraduate Student Ambassador. From outreach efforts to filming faculty doing the silliest social media trends for recruitment, this was one of the highlights of my time at USC. It gave me the opportunity to give back to the program, promote OT, support prospective students, and become more connected to the Chan OSOT community. To everyone I’ve worked with this past year — thank you for the wonderful memories and friendships.

While part of me wants to freeze time, I’m eager for what’s next. This isn’t goodbye, OS Minor, for you were the foundation for everything to come. Sometimes I wonder what my college experience might’ve been like without the minor, but I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

✌️
Cara

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Occupational Therapy, Entrepreneurship, and a Conversation with Dr. Esther Bae ⟩
April 10, 2025, by Avery

Community Diversity What are OS/OT?

Occupational therapy (OT) is a field dedicated to helping people live fuller, more independent lives. OT’s are often found in clinics, schools, or hospitals. But how can the field of Occupational Therapy blend with entrepreneurship? I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Dr. Esther Bae, an Occupational Therapist, entrepreneur, and business owner, about just that.

As someone passionate about both OT and business, I’m exploring how these two worlds intersect. At USC, I’m considering an Entrepreneurship minor alongside my OT major, and I am currently taking the course BAEP 450: The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, to learn how to turn my ideas into real-world impact.

Dr. Bae earned her OTD degree right here from USC. She is an entrepreneur who has merged her passions for accessibility, beauty, and social impact into a thriving career. Esther is the co-founder of Dwelle Collaborative (now Qualified), the first nonprofit to provide occupational therapy services to survivors of sex trafficking, empowering them through meaningful employment. Additionally, she founded a consulting business, which she now focuses on, called Modified Independent, which focuses on accessibility and inclusive beauty, helping brands develop more adaptive and user-friendly products and services. Dr. Bae has always had a passion for makeup and beauty, and she was able to combine her two passions through consulting and entrepreneurship.

One of Dr. Bae’s most notable collaborations through her company Modified Independent has been with Selena Gomez’s company Rare Beauty, where she played a key role in developing accessible packaging for people with disabilities and user-friendly designs for their products, specifically on their Find Comfort line. By working closely with the brand, she ensured that beauty products could be more inclusive, demonstrating how OT principles can be applied in industries beyond healthcare.

Additionally, she has been highlighted nationally by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)  for her accomplishments as an entrepreneur in the field.

Dr. Bae shared some advice with me as I embark on my OT journey. One of the most impactful things she told me was:

“There is no one right way to go about things in your career. What’s important is that you always keep going. I have experienced so many setbacks, but sitting here talking to you, I can see how my journey has come together. You have such a vast future ahead; don’t get caught up in the things that go wrong. Pivot and keep going”.

Her words really stuck with me—not just as encouragement, but as a reminder that the path forward doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. As someone who is inspired by both occupational therapy and entrepreneurship, her message reinforced that forging your own path means embracing uncertainty and setbacks as part of the process. Whether in healthcare or in business, growth often happens in the pivots. As I move forward in this journey, I’ll carry her wisdom with me: to trust the process, stay open to change, and keep showing up; even when things don’t go as planned.

Dr. Bae’s story is a testament to the limitless possibilities within occupational therapy. Whether through consulting, nonprofit work, or product development, OTs have the potential to innovate and create meaningful change. Her journey inspires me as I explore my own aspirations in OT and entrepreneurship, reminding me that success is about persistence, relationships, and the willingness to adapt.

For anyone considering an entrepreneurial path in OT, Dr. Bae’s story proves that it’s possible to build a career that aligns with your passions while making a meaningful impact. The key is to start with what you have, embrace setbacks as opportunities to pivot, and never stop moving forward.

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My Summer at a Play-Based Sensory Integration Clinic ⟩
September 27, 2024, by Kimberly Rochin

What are OS/OT?

This summer, I had the chance to be a camp counselor at Play 2 Progress (P2P), a sensory integration clinic that uses play as its core. As someone who’s all about pediatrics, this experience wasn’t just another job — it was eye-opening. I got to see how powerful play can be in helping kids grow and learn.

Every day at camp was buzzing with energy. The sounds of laughter, excitement, and even frustration filled the air as the kids worked through different challenges. Even though I’ve worked with kids before, P2P was different. Instead of just giving directions, I learned how to empower kids by letting them take control. With sensory processing in mind, I started to find ways for them to use their senses to better understand their behavior and choices. One of my favorite parts of the summer was watching the kids tackle sensory-rich games. These games weren’t just fun — they helped with balance, coordination, and fine motor skills. We turned obstacle courses into mini-adventures, art into sensory experiences, and group games into lessons in teamwork and patience. It was amazing to watch the kids grow more confident with each challenge they faced.

But what stuck with me were the differences between the three, four, and five-year-olds. Even though their ages were close, their attention spans and social skills were worlds apart. That taught me that you can’t expect every child to engage the same way. Each kid has their own developmental pace, and it’s important to meet them where they are to truly support their growth.

While I did come home sometimes covered in slime or my pants splattered with paint, this experience was worth every messy moment, leaving me with unforgettable memories and a deeper passion for helping kids through play.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about my experience, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Till next time!

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More than Observation: Insights from My Shadowing Experiences ⟩
September 26, 2024, by Cara

What are OS/OT?

In preparation for applying to OT school, I was intimidated by the requirement of 80 observation hours. How could I accumulate that much experience in just one summer? Luckily, with a little networking through family friends and help from Google, I shadowed across three different settings: inpatient (acute care), school-based, and outpatient. Each experience not only exposed me to the field but taught me the importance of learning with an open mind.

Starting with inpatient (acute care), I explored a variety of specialties, from ICU to neurology, burns, orthopedics, pediatrics, cardiac, and trauma. The focus is to help the patient get better and decide where they go next, whether it’s home, a nursing facility, or daily rehab. As patients recovered from heart surgery, spinal injuries, strokes, work-related injuries, neurological trauma, or burns, the OTs addressed bedside mobility, dressing, personal hygiene, range of motion, and consciousness. They assessed how well the patient could do the above without assistance.

While I had always thought I would end up in pediatrics, my visit to the burn unit sparked a newfound interest. Seeing such severe injuries is not for the faint of heart, but there’s something about the strength and progress of the patients that drew me in. I felt more challenged because of the complexities of the burns and the intricacies that come with treating them. Moreover, the reliance on visual aids, such as the burn itself and images of post-surgery skin grafts provided greater insight into a patient’s range of motion, independence, and pressure tolerance than written notes. As a visual learner, this resonated with me.

Moving onto school-based OT, I observed high-functioning students as OTs focused on improving fine motor skills like handwriting, pencil grasp, and line spacing. It was interesting to see differences in letter formation and recognition; some reversed letters or wrote from bottom to top. I also couldn’t help but notice a fisted grasp pattern among the students, and that I, too, grip my pencil incorrectly instead of the proper tripod grasp. Furthermore, I learned standardized tests like the Beery VMI and Bot-2, which determine eligibility for OT. These included activities like drawing, comparing shapes, and transferring or sorting objects to assess visual and motor skills. I got to test these on myself, in which I discovered that I needed to improve my manual dexterity.

Finally, in an outpatient setting, I got to be a little kid again, recognizing how play can help make learning fun. Here, OTs used play-based interventions to improve kids’ independence and achieve their goals. Equipment included a rock wall, hammock, and interactive games. At first glance, it seems like this is just a setting to let loose. But, play-based therapy addresses skills like problem-solving, fine motor, bilateral coordination, and self-control. For example, I learned that playing on a scooter can strengthen the core, playing with slime helps with sensory integration, and using tweezers to sort colors develops the pincer grip needed to hold a pencil or utensil.

From the hospital, classroom, and indoor playground, each experience has made me realize all the ways I can make a difference as an OT. Maybe you’re someone who already has their heart set on a certain specialty. Still, I encourage you to explore the many faces of OT. You might discover new interests, identify skills that need improvement, or even realize that you could use some OT as well!

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A Love Letter to OT ⟩
February 6, 2024, by Samantha

What are OS/OT?

With February upon us, love is in the air and, as a bit of a hopeless romantic myself, I’ve been taking time to reflect on the things I love, including OT. Growing up, my parents always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and find a career that I was passionate about. My dad would say, “Sam, if you’re doing something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Although I have yet to fully immerse myself in practice, every time I participate in fieldwork and envision the future I’m creating for myself in school, I’m confident that I love OT in the same way my dad describes loving his career. Upon reflection, here are some of the many reasons I fell in love with the profession of occupational therapy:

Playing with a Purpose: As a sophomore in high school, I was introduced to occupational therapy when my cousin, Tori, was born with Down Syndrome. In efforts to support my family and learn more about pediatric healthcare professions, I joined Tori at many of her PT, OT, and speech therapy sessions. It was here that I began to recognize the value of play as a means of therapeutic intervention. Whether it was running around on an obstacle course to work on balance and motor planning or swinging on a bolster swing to receive vestibular input, Tori was having fun while simultaneously strengthening skills that would be applicable to other facets of her life. Through my observations in this OT clinic, I fell in love with the concept of playing with a purpose and knew I could see myself making a difference in children’s lives in this manner for the rest of my life.

Flexibility in Practice Areas: Like many, I arrived at OT school with my heart set on pediatrics. As I began my first immersion, I was placed at an outpatient hand therapy clinic for fieldwork and became enamored with the complexities and inner workings of the hand and wrist. Internally, I began having a bit of an identity crisis, as I was unsure of the definitive path I wanted to pursue. However, my perspective shifted when I recognized the flexibility within the field of OT. Although certain settings require advanced practice, there’s a beauty to the inherent flexibility that this profession offers. OT practitioners have the freedom to navigate through various practice areas at different points in their lives. For instance, starting an entry-level position in acute care doesn’t confine someone to that setting forever. If this same individual desires to start a family or becomes the primary caregiver of a loved one later in life, transitioning seamlessly to a more suitable practice area without returning to school is a viable option. Ultimately, I love that the dynamic nature & flexibility of occupational therapy not only promotes the practitioners’ ability to enhance the lives of others, but also empowers them to pursue a career that aligns with their evolving personal and professional aspirations.

Applications of Creativity: As a creative person who enjoys crafting and making music, I love having the opportunity to integrate these aspects of my own life into professional practice. In our Creativity, Craft, and Activity Analysis course, we explored different creative modalities that can be used to enhance interventions with clients. From collaging a vision board to promote self-awareness and identity to making a pumpkin out of construction paper to practice cutting with scissors, the possibilities are endless. The creative process allows people to explore and express themselves in ways that traditional interventions might not achieve, therefore being creative in my personal life informs my practice. Although this application can be challenging at times, I find it exciting to be able to integrate occupations I enjoy in my profession.

Though everyone’s occupational therapy journey is different, I hope that my experience and love for the profession helps you appreciate it & ponder the reasons you’re pursuing this career too.

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