Where are you from?  

I was born in California but moved to Rhode Island at a young age; I grew up in Providence and North Providence. Now I commute to URI from Lincoln.

Tell us about educational journey.

I began my undergrad career at CCRI. Originally I was there for the physical therapy assistant program but there was no bridge between PTA and DPT. So instead I finished my associate’s degree in fine arts/general education and then came to URI. I didn’t know if I wanted to do biology or kinesiology at URI–but I was more passionate about kinesiology so that was my choice. It was great because I had the opportunity to start an accelerated master’s program in kinesiology during my senior year. I did research on running on the side of roads and the impact on joints, as well as differences between men and women. I applied for PT school in October during the second year of my master’s program. I only applied to URI which, looking back, I realize that putting all of my eggs in one basket was not the best approach; I probably should’ve applied to other programs–but I always knew that URI’s PT program was my top choice.

Tell us about yourself and your role on campus when you were an undergraduate student.

When I got to URI I became a teaching assistant for the anatomy and physiology labs. This was something I always wanted to do and I enjoyed helping friends and classmates at CCRI. Also, I had to deal with my own learning disabilities in high school, so I could relate to the struggles of other students. Now I’m a class representative for the DPT class of 2026.

How did you decide on physical therapy over all other health professions?  

PT can be used to prevent lots of chronic diseases; many other health fields are less focused on prevention than physical therapy. I want to help people through their illness but also to improve their overall health. I believe that PTs take time to listen to patients and their stories, and make patients feel heard and cared for. My goal is to inspire people to care for one another.

How do you think your time at URI prepared you for PT school?  

During and after my transition to URI my advisor always made sure I was on track and progressively getting into more challenging courses. Also, the master’s program at URI truly prepared me for PT school. It familiarized me with the intensity of grad school and graduate-level courses. Only a few other students in my DPT class had prior graduate degrees and I could see the difference. I understood the intensity while others without graduate-level experience felt overwhelmed; so I tried to help them adjust to the rigors of graduate-level classes.

Many pre-health students wonder what life will be like when they get to their professional training. What advice do you have? Was there anything that surprised you when you started PT school?  

As an undergrad, I was surprised that a lot of my friends and other pre-health students were afraid of failing and not doing well on tests and quizzes. Hyper focusing on it can limit your learning and ability to grow. Even with all of that, lots of my professors tell me that it’s not always about working so hard to get to an A or a perfect score; it’s also important to take time for yourself to prevent burnout, which can cause your grades to decrease. If you don’t take care of yourself now, it will affect the quality of care you give to patients in the future.

How have your professional goals evolved since your undergraduate years?  

As an undergrad, my goal was just to be a physical therapist and help patients improve and get through the tough times. But I also loved my master’s work in the biomechanics lab. There was a time when I considered getting a PhD in biomechanics. Now that I’m in PT school, I’m thinking I might want to do clinical work and PT research once I’ve built up my experience as a clinician.

What do you think are keys to success on the health professions training pathway?  

Believing in yourself. It’s going to be difficult and there are going to be times when you think you won’t succeed. But if you focus on that it might come true. If you have a positive mindset and believe in yourself, you’ll do the best you can and be successful. Also, make sure to remember that, in the end, you’re doing this to help people. 

What is your schedule like as a DPT student? 

I’m taking about twenty credits this semester. I have classes every weekday; some days are fully devoted to classes. On Wednesdays or Fridays I do research. As I mentioned earlier, I’m also a class representative. The first Monday of every month, we meet with staff and all professors to provide feedback about the DPT student experience. We’re the main communicator between students and faculty.

Why did you choose the URI DPT program? 

I didn’t apply to any other programs because I was very invested in my research and I liked the URI program. I always heard really good things about it, and every student I met from the URI DPT program during my shadowing hours was very confident in what they were doing. The location was also important; I have two brothers who are going to go to college and I wanted to help my parents financially [by getting in-state tuition]. This way, all the money that my parents have saved can go to my brothers’ education. 

What are your plans for after finishing your DPT training?    

Go and work in any setting for experience for a few years then maybe try other settings. At some point I want to get into a clinical lab with motion capture systems that analyze gait patterns for kids with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

Do you have any other advice for URI students?  

Take it one day at a time. You have a big goal that seems overwhelming to achieve, but do the best you can every single day, and do what you can in the moment. Try and improve a little bit every single day and learn how to take care of yourself and others; if you do this, you will achieve your goal and find yourself in a place that’s even better than you could’ve imagined!