What is your hometown?
I was born and raised in Atkins, IA, which is about 20 miles west of Cedar Rapids.
How or when did you become interested in Rehabilitation Science?
I have always been interested in movement and the human body. When I went to college I thought I wanted to be a physician, but when I had the chance to do some job shadowing I realized it was not my calling. I had the opportunity to volunteer at a private physical therapy practice during my junior year of college. The therapists seemed to enjoy their jobs so much, and they got to meet and spend time with so many different people. I was interested in the combination of science, research, and patient care that the field had to offer. In my senior year I took a rehabilitation course and an exercise science course from the athletic training department. This allowed me to study the science of movement and how that science could be put into practice. After that I was hooked!
How or why did you choose the University of Iowa to attend the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate program?
The University of Iowa is the fifth top physical therapy school in the country, and I believe it is the only public university to earn a ranking in the top ten. Being born and raised in Iowa, I knew that by studying here I would have access to top faculty and facilities and that I would be exposed to the very latest research in the field. The University of Iowa’s Physical Therapy program also offers a very wide range of clinical education opportunities, and you get to begin clinical education in the first year of the program. I was also drawn by the fact that the University of Iowa offers the degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy, which includes courses in the curriculum such as pharmacology, differential diagnosis, radiology, and more clinical hours than a Master’s degree program.
Is there a teacher, mentor or UI Carver College of Medicine faculty member who has helped shape your education?
All of the staff of the Physical Therapy program have helped to shape my educational experience. Because the University of Iowa is a research institution as well as an entry-level clinical program, many of the staff are experts in their fields of studies. They bring not only the clinical experience of being a physical therapist, but the scientific background and knowledge of why we do what we do.
What kinds of opportunities or advantages does being a Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science student at Iowa provide? What about challenges?
Physical Therapy students at Iowa have the opportunity to begin clinical education in the very first year, with a full time clinical experience between the first and second year. In many programs you have to wait until the end of the program to have any clinical contact. Also, the University of Iowa name is well recognized and respected when one is searching for a job. In terms of challenges, the program curriculum is very challenging. We are usually carrying around 18 semester hours, and the classes are very involved. High levels of academic performance are expected, as well as the ability to apply information in a clinical setting. A Physical Therapy student at Iowa has to learn very early how to manage time and keep tabs on many different things happening all at once.
Please describe your professional goals and interests.
I am interested in many different areas of physical therapy. One of the things I like about the profession is the fact that you graduate with a generalist degree, and with that degree you can decide the direction you want to go and the work setting you want to explore. Personally, I enjoy the hospital setting and inpatient physical therapy. I am interested in working with patients with neurological injuries or insults, such as strokes and spinal cord injuries. However, I also have an interest in pediatrics, especially early intervention services for very young children who are not developing at the expected rate.
What are some of your outside interests?
I am an active member of Christ the King Lutheran Church, and I enjoy participating in Bible studies and music activities. I play cello and piano and occasionally sing in the choir. I also am a 3rd degree black belt in the American Taekwondo Association, and I help teach classes in Coralville with Anderson American Taekwondo Association. I enjoy these classes because it never matters what kind of day I have had, or what the score on my last test was. The kids I am teaching only care that I come into class and teach them their kicks and punches and we all have a great time!
Do you participate in any community service/outreach projects? If so, what are they and what have your experiences been?
After college I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras. This was a two-year assignment as a Health and Nutrition Volunteer. I lived in a small mountain town of about 2000 people and worked with the local school and health center to develop educational programs to meet the needs of the people there. My main projects were in the areas of HIV/AIDS education and adolescent life skills development. It was a wonderful experience, and it taught me to be truly grateful for all the blessings I have been given.
Do you have an insight or philosophy that guides you in your work?
My orchestra conductor in college once said “Mediocrity is the enemy of greatness.” This is a philosophy that I have tried to hold to throughout my education and that I will continue to identify with once I begin a career. Anything that is worth my time to do is worth doing to the best of my ability.
If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of medicine), what would it be?"
We live in a very reactive society. When a problem comes up we react with a solution. However we are not very good at preventing problems from happening in the first place. This is especially true in medicine. Health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity could be greatly reduced with good preventative care, but our medical and insurance system place a greater emphasis on fixing problems once they exist than on the programs and education devoted to preventing them from happening in the first place.
What one piece of advice you would give to students who are interested in applying to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science program?
Get as much exposure as you can to the profession before your start. It’s a tough program and not one that I would want to go through if I wasn’t sure that Physical Therapy was what I wanted to do. Volunteer experience, job shadowing, or working as a Physical Therapy aide or technician will help you to discover if Physical Therapy is right for you, and will give you experiences to draw on when you start your coursework.
What do you see as "the future" of medicine?
The team orientated approach is becoming more common in all professions, and medicine is no exception. In the future of medicine, I envision physical therapists, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals all working together, leading to improved patient care as each professional is able to bring his or her specific expertise to the table. I hope that medicine can come to a point where all disciplines are equally respected for the part they play in the care of patients.