Here at USC, our Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has a linked faculty practice, called the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice (OTFP) located conveniently on HSC in the IGM building on the first floor. Dr. Ritt-Olson mentioned this in class once... about Dr. Florence Clark (the Associate Dean and Chair of our division, and also the current president of our national professional association, the American Occupational Therapy Association) who worked with people on things like time management... well Dr. Clark's work has included so much more and has spun into a thriving practice. See below!
Check out the website: http://ot.usc.edu/patient-care/faculty-practice/
OTFP has many programs directly linked to the patients/clientele of the Doctors of USC and the USC University Hospital (e.g. Bariatric surgery candidates must go through the OTFP weight management program prior to, and often after, surgery; Living with Multiple Sclerosis group, etc)
Of note for you (my public health class peers), we have programs catered specifically to Weight Management (one of our longest running programs), Life Coaching, Lifestyle Redesign for the College Student (catered to college student issues such as time management, stress management, health/nutrition/physical activity, balance, healthy lifestyles, etc), a Diabetes Program, and more.
So what the heck is Occupational Therapy, and what can it do for you? This is taken straight from the website (the link I just provided above):
About the Faculty Practice and Occupational Therapy
At USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice, we work with people to create customized, medically-sound treatments for a wide range of health and wellness issues. Our team of highly-qualified and experienced occupational therapists (“OTs”) will help you develop skills for healthy living, whether your goal is:
- to lower your risk of developing illness by managing stress, improving your eating and activity habits, reducing your cholesterol, lowering your blood pressure
- to lose weight and keep it off, whether you have few or many pounds to lose, or to help you prepare for bariatric surgery
- to get more satisfaction out of your daily habits and activities, no matter where you are in your life
- to get more out of your college years by learning ways to manage your time and gaining skills for handling your own finances, cooking, goal-setting, and more
- to deal more effectively with an ongoing condition such as Multiple Sclerosis or chronic pain
- to optimize your return to academic pursuits for veterans of the U.S. Military
“Occupational Therapy” looks at how you occupy your time, and how your daily activities affect your health, wellness and life satisfaction. This holistic health care profession assists clients to improve performance, prevent illness and disability, and promote adaptation to life changes. Occupational therapists are licensed by the state of California and registered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. All practitioners hold a Master’s degree, and many have earned a clinical doctorate degree.
Contact us today, or speak with your physician for a referral, and get started on feeling your best in mind and body!
“Occupational Therapists are the life designers, the architects of life.”
So check it out! For those of you who still got a year of school to go... or even medical school at USC in the future, its something to consider. Students who have USC health insurance get OT services included... (you may have to pay a copay... not sure so you'll have to check on that). You just need a referral from your primary doctor. Contact OTFP first and they'll tell you what referral to get, if you're interested.
Cheers!
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