Alumni Spotlight: Emma, Doctor of Physical Therapy

What led you to this profession? Tell us about your journey.

Growing up, I had initially pictured myself going into medicine, but after hearing from a physical therapy student about their experiences in school and what attracted them to PT, I looked more into pursuing a career in physical therapy. What I found was a community of people that were interested in helping people in a multitude of ways focusing specifically on movement. I decided that I wanted to pursue a Human Physiology BA at the University of Minnesota. Majoring in human physiology offered me the ability to explore any health-related career that I may be interested in, though I always knew that I wanted to go into PT. My experiences in my major-related courses as well as the volunteer work that I completed worked together to help me to feel comfortable and prepared to take on PT school after I graduated. I'm excited to take on this new adventure!

Describe your participation in extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, research, or study-abroad opportunities during your undergraduate years that helped you prepare for your current role.

I was nervous to join extra-curricular activities when I was a freshman. The idea of going to a meeting or event by myself was terrifying, so I didn't end up joining my first club until my sophomore year. Once I got involved, I found a home in the Undergraduate Physiology Society. It connected me with a wealth of resources and people that were interested in the same things as me. I learned more about what I liked to study, again confirming that PT was the right choice for me. Eventually, I became the president and have loved getting to know more people and create a network of people that are interested in going into PT after getting a degree in Human Physiology.

What is your advice for current CLA students interested in a healthcare career?

My best piece of advice is to take a chance on something that you wouldn't normally feel comfortable doing. This could be volunteering/shadowing in a setting that you didn't think you would like or taking a class that isn't necessarily related to what you want to pursue a career in. Diversify your experience - doing so can help you to discover new things about yourself. You never know what you're going to find out!

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