Meet Alex, DPT Student

Ever since I can remember, Physical Therapy has always been the goal. I started playing travel competitive sports when I was 7 years old, so I have always either been one, or surrounded by, athletes, training, and additional workout sessions. 

Why did you decide to enter the field of Physical Therapy?

Ever since I can remember, Physical Therapy has always been the goal. I started playing travel competitive sports when I was 7 years old, so I have always either been one, or surrounded by, athletes, training, and additional workout sessions. This is where my passion for health and fitness first began. I have always been absolutely fascinated with muscles, human movement, and what the human body is physically capable of. I am also passionate about having a positive attitude as well as an outgoing personality that places an importance on developing relationships with those around me. I soon realized that physical therapy would allow me to combine my passion of fitness, health, and building relationships while delivering top-notch quality care to patients. Physical therapy gives me the ability to make a difference in people’s lives by giving them back their confidence in their bodies and returning them to what they enjoy doing in their everyday life. I chose this career path and never looked back.

What is your background?

I am currently in my third year of my Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC. I was born in Virginia Beach so my whole life I was considered a beach girl. That changed when I moved to a middle of no where town for my undergraduate degree. I went to Ferrum College, a small school located in Franklin County, Virginia. There I graduated with my B.S. in Health and Human Performance with an emphasis in Exercise Science with a minor in coaching. I also continued my life-long athletic career at Ferrum by playing for both their softball and field hockey teams.  Even though I am technically a retired athlete on the field, I still enjoy being incredibly active and making time for the gym, where I love to challenge myself in my lifts.

What is your specialty/niche when it comes to being a future physical therapist?

As a student, this is a difficult question for me to answer. I feel as though I am still developing my niche/specialty. However, I do know of some populations that interest me or areas that I feel especially close or drawn to. I am infatuated with the idea of improving human function while promoting a healthy lifestyle for my patients and my community. I want to help patients achieve their best selves and bring them to the realization that they are much more capable than they know while simultaneously getting them back to what they enjoy doing. Additionally, there are other programs and areas that further spark my attention. One example would be programs such as working alongside coaches and educating them on how to better train their athletes in areas such as proper lifting techniques, overtraining, overspecialization, playing time, as well as recovery time with an emphasis on relative energy deficiency in sport (REDS). With my athletic background, this is an area that I am passionate about and would like to implement in future clinics that I am working in with the hopes of creating positive change in the sports world by reducing preventable injuries.

What are you most looking forward to with joining the Rehab 2 Perform team?

I am looking forward to working along side and learning from physical therapists who are incredibly passionate about what they do. When I first heard about this company, I knew it was comprised of professionals who are not only physical therapists, but many are specialists and/or have obtained their CSCS and incorporate that into their clinical decision making as well. Rehab 2 Perform has taken my passion for fitness and athletics and combined it with traditional physical therapy creating a hybrid treatment approach that I cannot wait to experience and gain knowledge from. As a physical therapy student, I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to be placed in a facility that places emphasis not only on rehabilitation but also functional performance and overall health of the patient. I cannot wait to be a part of the R2P team and grow as a future clinician while learning from therapists who I share similar beliefs and values.

What are your plans on trying to engage and connect with the community?

Currently with living in the season and world of COVID-19, I believe that it should be of importance to learn how to best engage at a distance. During my time at Rehab 2 Perform, I would want to be incredibly active on all my social medias, being mindful of patient privacy, and posting all about my learning experience and the different techniques, populations, and opportunities I am exposed to. I would also seek out different opportunities for getting directly involved in the community by attending any offered screening, pro bono services, or health and wellness / prevention strategy events that are in the area. With our growing and expanding profession, I am a firm believer that it is important to continue to advocate for our profession and informing those around of what a physical therapist can offer them.