I have always been interested in health, fitness, helping others and interacting and developing relationships with people. I am very extroverted and am passionate about working one-on-one with people and helping them achieve their goals.
Freshman year of college at Indiana University, I dreamed of a career where I would be able to implement all these aspects. I started looking more into physical therapy and shadowed in a couple of acute rehabilitation settings. I quickly began to see this was something I could see myself doing. I loved watching the physical therapist interact with patients, find ways to motivate the patient, and apply knowledge they have learned to benefit the patient’s life.
Trine University’s DPT program looked for well-rounded students who would work hard in the classroom to learn but also had interpersonal skills to make a great health professional. I could tell this by the interview process, as I was able to meet and get to know several professors, physical therapists, and students. I was amazed at how well I felt I would fit in with the personalities of the professors and students.
While this program focuses on learning through coursework as well as building clinical skills, I have also been able to learn how to reflect, build rapport with patients, and have hands-on experiences in the clinical setting with patients in my very first semester. I am excited to continue growing and improve the quality of life of many patients in the future, thanks to the values Trine University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program has instilled in me.
