#firsttimeatendee

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the hashtag Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference & Expo along with my fellow colleagues from hashtag USC! 

As a new student in occupational therapy, I wanted to learn more about the profession in terms of advocacy, policy, licensing, the business-aspect of hashtag Occupational Therapy, and just dive into the unique topics that were offered at this conference. 

I attended presentations on holistic approaches to treating trauma in children, maternal mental health, navigating interviews and discussing salaries, sleep promotion, management of thumb CMC osteoarthritis, and undergraduate outreach. Every one of these topics provided so much relevant and meaningful information that I cannot wait to apply during my time in academia. 

I’m constantly reaffirmed why I chose to pursue this profession every day I am at school, but this past weekend at the hashtag OTAC conference truly opened my eyes to the bigger picture. Having the opportunity to connect with so many like-minded individuals allowed me to share and resonate with their fervent passion. 

Thank you to USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy for giving me the opportunity to immerse myself further in this profession and thank you to OTAC for hosting!