USD School of Health Sciences Success Spotlight: Rebecca Johnson

Rebecca Johnson

Degree: Doctorate in Occupational Therapy

Current Position: Occupational Therapist with Black Hills Pediatric Therapy, Rapid City

As a kid growing up in Rapid City, Rebecca Johnson spent plenty of time playing in the great outdoors. Today, as an occupational therapist with Black Hills Pediatric Therapy, she is determined to help more Black Hills children reap the benefits of outdoor play. 

"Kids are spending a lot more time on screens, which means they are not hearing birds, experiencing different temperatures, or playing in the dirt," says Johnson. "They are not getting exposed to sensory stimulation so their sensory processing is lower. They are also not as strong as they used to be. Many are having trouble holding pencils because they are not climbing and digging."

Johnson was one of the first graduates of the USD School of Health Sciences Doctorate in Occupational Therapy program in 2017. She was originally attracted by the affordable tuition and proximity to home. Once inside the program, she came to appreciate the many other things that set USD's OT program apart.

"I feel like we learned more about all the different OT areas, whereas at some schools, it's mostly adult-driven," says Johnson. "We learned about pediatric OT and assistive technologies. But they also taught us grant-writing and other skills you don't get anywhere else. We even got some business education in case we wanted to go that route."

Johnson says her USD education not only gave her the confidence to think outside the box with her outdoor OT programming, but to start a business (Timbernook Black Hills) connecting kids and Nature.

"The small class sizes meant I really got to know my fellow professors and my fellow students which helped me feel comfortable asking questions," says Johnson. "Even though it is a big school, it is a close knit community." 

Congratulations to this USD School of Health Sciences success story!