Donia Youssef
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
After seeing the way my physical therapist helped me get my life back together after an accident, I wanted to be able to replicate that feeling with my own patients someday. A relationship like that makes a job and occupation much more enjoyable and valuable.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
This program provides me many benefits that end up preparing me for applying to graduate school here at Rutgers University. In addition, having guidance and advisors makes this journey much easier for me.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
This program has allowed me to take interesting and difficult classes that will potentially prepare me for graduate school. These classes sparked my interest and have made me look forward to the classes I will be taking after I graduate from undergrad.
One fun fact about myself is that I love drinking coffee, but excessively sweet coffee. My coffee is 90% caramel, 2% coffee, and 8% ice.
Amanda Sussman
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
I aspire to have a career in Physical Therapy because I believe the profession would allow me to positively impact one’s quality of life, while also pursuing my passion for health and kinesiology.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
I chose the DPT 4+3 Program at Rutgers because it offers the unique opportunity of acceptance into a DPT program a year earlier than the general applicant route, while still having the typical four-year undergraduate experience.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
The 4+3 DPT program has helped prepare me for graduate school because it has encouraged me to get exposure to and build connections within the PT field early into my academic career. By the start of just my second year at Rutgers, I had already observed 80 hours between two different settings: outpatient and pediatrics. Also, this program has motivated me to network with Rutgers faculty and Physical Therapists. The early engagement encouraged by this program has helped me confirm that PT is the career I wish to pursue.
A fun fact about myself is that I have an identical twin!
Ryan Bochinski
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
During my junior year of high school, I got the chance to spend time at a Physical therapy Clinic for my hamstring injury. I really enjoyed my time at the clinic since I got to learn about the human body and ways to help prevent future injuries. Also, I enjoyed getting to know my physical therapist, and while many other professions do not give me the chance to connect with the patients. From my time spent in the clinic, I developed a strong interest in the field of science and the human body. After taking classes that interest me such as Biology and Anatomy, I decided that the physical therapy field was the best path for me.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
I choose the Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program since it provides many benefits to help me succeed in my undergraduate studies. Some of these benefits include participating in volunteering, development workshops, and seminars. In addition, the program gives me the chance to apply to PT school early while many other schools do not provide this benefit. All of these are opportunities to help better myself for graduate school.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
The Program has helped me prepare for graduate school in many ways. One way is that the program allows me to connect with other Pre-Physical Therapy students, graduate school students, and current physical therapists. These connections are useful since I get to talk to other students with the same interest in me as me and I get a better insight of what graduate school is like. Furthermore, the program helps encourages students to reach a certain grade point average and letter grade which motivates me to perform to the best of my abilities during my time in undergrad.
A fun fact about myself is that I have attended 8 proms during my time in high school. Alongside I am a member of the Rutgers photography club and I am involved in philanthropy through Greek Life.
Gabriella Toral
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
Physical therapy impacts my life indirectly. Before I knew about the career reliability, salary, and intensive education that encompasses physical therapy, my first encounter with the field was through my mom. The experience of watching and listening to the stories about her work and the impact it left on their families was inspiring. Before I knew anything about the quality of life or rehabilitation, my mom represented what a physical therapist embodies. From there I took my own steps into exploring PT by volunteering at a school for children with special needs. I watched how the pediatric physical therapist was not just working on rehabilitation of one certain area, they were strategizing a plan for a child’s entire life. At that moment I knew that I wanted to be a physical therapist.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
I chose the Rutgers DPT 4+3 program because I attended one of the summer information sessions when I was an incoming freshman and knew that this program would give me the help I needed to become a PT. The program caters to a few select individuals so it is very personalized. I knew that if I got into the program there would be a team with the skills and connections to guide me from my freshman year all the way until I graduate DPT school, and that was very comforting.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
The Rutgers DPT 4+3 program has helped me prepare for graduate school by keeping me on track and focused. During this hectic time, it is hard to keep the future in mind, but my advisors are always there to talk, connect to help me, and resolve my issues in any way possible. Since I started my sophomore year I had my advisors check up on me to see how I am doing, and even set up a resume building workshop which provided me a deeper understanding of what a resume should look like. All of these meetings and workshops have calmed my worries about graduate school and I can happily say that I am on track to achieve my dreams.
A fun fact about me is that I am a twin! I have a twin sister who is pursuing speech therapy at Seton Hall University!
Mallika Negi
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
I've been through a lot of Physical Therapy myself, and seeing the dynamic of the practice firsthand definitely inspired me. I was positively impacted by my PT's guidance, and I want to be able to help others in the same way that they helped me.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
I had my eye on the program since the beginning of my senior year in high school because it provides an excellent pedestal, by way of resources and guidance, in order to prepare for PT school applications. The program also gives me the opportunity to apply to the Rutgers PT school a year in advance (the summer before junior year), which was extremely appealing to me because I am hoping for a seamless transition from my undergraduate degree into a doctorate program.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
The program outlines specific classes to complete prior to applying to graduate school, sort of like a checklist, which I find extremely helpful in staying organized. For me personally, support from our amazing advisors, who I know I can count on to ask for help at any step, definitely boosts my confidence as I approach this summer - when I have to apply to the graduate programs.
A fun fact about me is that I like to do art in my spare time! My next project is a 50x50 painting for my bedroom wall.
Joseph Meshach Ramirez
What made you want to become a Physical Therapist?
When I shadowed at Sportscare in Nutley, an outpatient facility in my town, I fell in love with the idea of being able to give someone back their life. We go about our days without really thinking about the importance of movement in our lives and how much of an impact it can make when it gets taken away. Physical Therapists assist and give back the functionality lost to an injury, surgery, etc. and the fulfillment that came with seeing how much a patient can progress with guided exercise and the joy it brought to people made me realize that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Why did you choose Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program?
I chose the Rutgers DPT 4+3 program because I know that under the care and supervision of the program heads and directors, all I need to do is put in my effort and use my work ethic to succeed.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
This program has helped me prepare by giving me a solid outline of courses to follow and it has workshops that become stepping stones towards my goal of becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
A fun fact about me is that I love to sing, act, dance, play instruments, game, learn, exercise, and I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the US 4 years ago!
Caroline Prophete
What made you want to be a physical therapist?
Becoming a Physical Therapist allows me to combine my interest in exercise and body mechanics. Additionally, as a physical therapist, I will become an educator and teach my patients how to rehabilitate their bodies.
Why did you choose the Rutgers DPT 4+3 program?
I chose the Rutgers DPT 4+3 Program because of the support system grants each student. Based on how the advisors interact with each student, it is apparent they want each of us to succeed.
How do you think this program has helped you prepare for graduate school?
The program is very accommodating in sending us opportunities and ensuring we are prepared for graduate school by providing resume workshops, test-taking courses, and interview assistance. Overall, this program utilizes my strengths and showcases them to ensure I am victorious in my academic journey.
A fun fact about me is when I am not focused on academics, I enjoy binge-watching shows on Netflix.
