Asociación Hispanohablante de Terapia Ocupacional (AHTO)

Asociación Hispanohablante de Terapia Ocupacional (Spanish-speaking Occupational Therapy Association) is a flourishing student group at USC Chan dedicated to improving the educational experience of Latinx and/or Hispanic-identifying occupational therapy students, serving as a resource for community members to support one another and advancing clinical care for Spanish-speaking/Latin American populations.

As part of their leadership capstone externship experience, students Daniela Flores-Madriaga MA ’22, Silvia Hernandez-Cuellar MA ’22, Denisse Mendoza MA ’22 and Abraham Ramirez MA ’22 set out to advance the development of the Asociación Hispanohablante de Terapia Ocupacional.

With help and guidance from Associate Clinical Professor Danny Park, the division’s director of Global Initiatives, AHTO hosted its first event, a panel featuring Latinx and Hispanic occupational therapy alumni, in April 2022. The goal of the event was to provide current students with insights from the perspective of previous Latinx/Hispanic USC students — now practicing clinicians — on their experiences during the program, navigating life post-graduation, seeking employment and what it has been like to serve the community.

AHTO recognizes that service work, mentorship support and relationship-building with members of the community is critical for continuous professional development. The experiences facilitated by AHTO helps unite and connect USC professional program students. For AHTO members, community is defined as a feeling that extends beyond a group that shares similar characteristics or experiences. The importance of leaning on community and showing up for one another is a prevailing sentiment among AHTO members.

Moving forward, AHTO is committed to creating a safe space for current and future Latinx/Hispanic students at USC Chan to learn and collaborate, with the ultimate vision of transcending knowledge to improve occupational therapy care for medically underserved Latinx individuals. AHTO also invites and welcomes all individuals of diverse backgrounds.

Contact

Email | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Instagram | @ahtouscchan

2023-2024 Board Members

Co-Chairs | Vanessa Temblador, Lorena Alvarado
Secretary | Samantha Osuna
Academic Chair | Wendy Hernandez
Project Chair | Stacy Sanchez
Social Chair | Jennifer Vera

2022-2023 Board Members

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®).

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.