Education
Undergraduate Coursework: BS Exercise Science
In 2010, I graduated with honors from Cornerstone University with a Bachelor of Science. I majored in exercise science with minors in general science and psychology. While completing my undergraduate degree I ensured that I received well-rounded experience by participating in numerous activities and leadership opportunities on campus including Leadership Journey as a freshman, Terra Firma as a sophomore and junior where I had the opportunity to mentor freshman as they transitioned to college life, numerous intramural sports, chapel experiences and Bible studies. As Cornerstone University is a non-denominational Christian university, I was continually challenged to integrate my faith into the academic and learning process which encouraged me to reflect on how my own desires and ambitions aligned with the faith I held. While I may have thought it was a futile aspect of my education at that point, I can now say that I appreciate how that challenge and reflection has allowed me to travel through life with a sense of purpose and clear direction.
Graduate Coursework: DPT
Currently, I am a student at the University of North Dakota completing the second year of a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Following a year of physical therapy coursework I completed two clinical experiences during the beginning of my second year in the program. The first was at Unity Medical Center in Grafton, ND a rural outpatient clinic associated with a hospital which focused mainly on a variety of orthopedic conditions. The second clinical experience was at Eventide at Sheyenne Crossings a transitional care unit which provided me the opportunity to evaluate and treat a number of pathologies affected various systems of the body including cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and neuromuscular systems. More information about my clinical experiences can be found in “Physical Therapy Practice Over Time”. During the second half of my second year at UND, I participated as a teaching assistant in Clinical Examination & Evalutation I, which provided a thorough review of examination & evaluation techniques along with a challenge to effectively teach and demonstrate these techniques. I am also in the process of completing research study that is investigating the influence of the timing of student clinical experiences and student characteristics in the hiring of new graduates for my scholarly project. For more information regarding this study, refer to the “Artifacts” section of my portfolio. This January, I will have the opportunity to complete an acute neuro clinical experience at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska and a private practice clinical focusing on manual therapy at MTI in Kirkland, WA.