Early on in my career, a doctorate wasn’t on my radar. I just wanted to treat patients. As my career progressed, I started to get offers to help facilitate CEU courses, so a doctorate started to become more appealing. And in 2016, my state passed full direct access, which spurred me to get it done.

I started looking at several DPT programs in early 2018 and I liked A.T. Still University due to its osteopathic background. Before starting the DPT program, I was the only therapist at my clinic without a DPT, which also pushed me to get it. I was really motivated to achieve my doctorate for name recognition. DPT gives me the credentials to teach and have more affluence when speaking at events.

While earning my DPT, I had two businesses and two young active kids. I had to sacrifice sleep and would mark out three to four hours at night once the kids went to sleep and during early mornings on the weekend. I didn’t miss anything for my children, but I did miss a good night’s sleep! During this process, my wife was my champion. She had to remind me of my goal frequently. She made sure the kids knew when I was studying and gave me breaks with some of my responsibilities.

Luckily, there were no financial concerns, and work helped pick up the slack when I needed it. Everyone was very supportive and helpful.

While earning my DPT, I had several deaths and major health issues with family members, in addition to major storms hitting my area. It was hard, but quitting was never an option. The staff helped me rearrange my courses to make it easier to finish. Jennifer Beal was amazing at helping with my schedule. She helped me realize that my end goal was more important than my short-term goal. She was a godsend during a time when I needed one.

Overall, I found the program to be well-rounded. I had to take classes that I wasn’t expecting due to not having experience in those areas. If I’m being honest, I hated statistics, but between the evidence-based practice classes, statistics, and quantitative analysis, I learned the foundation for understanding how to read research. These classes put it all together for me. I learned something in every class, and most importantly, I now feel proficient in reading research.

I would tell students that ATSU gives you a great education with caring and helpful staff. They help you achieve your goals, and everyone wants you to succeed.