At a key transition point in their studies, occupational therapy students across all USAHS campuses participate in a meaningful ritual, witnessed by family and friends. The OT pinning ceremony marks the end of the classroom portion of their studies and the beginning of their fieldwork. For Residential MOT and OTD students, this happens in their fourth term, and for Flex, in the seventh term.
A longstanding tradition in OT practice, the pin celebrates the diversity of practice areas, the client-centered nature of our practice and the values of our profession.
“It’s an opportunity for faculty to acknowledge our students’ transition from classroom learning to clinical learning,” says Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L, director of the entry-level OT programs on Read more
Dr. Liz Wilson became the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Department of Occupational Therapy at the university in 2018. She started at the university as a guest lecturer and then adjunct faculty before transitioning into her current full-time position.
She has worked in a variety of occupational therapy settings including inpatient acute hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health, pediatric school systems, and skilled nursing. The last 16 years of her practice were in an upper extremity rehabilitation clinic in San Diego, CA where she specialized in lymphedema and orthopedic injuries.
Dr. Wilson is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), California Occupational Fieldwork Council (CAOTFC), and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). She has participated in volunteer work in Nicaragua in a hospital rehabilitation clinic and in various locations in the United States.
