Hometown: Collierville, TN

Degree: B.S. in Kinesiology

Tell us about the responsibilities of a physical therapy student:

The financial responsibilities can be a major stressor to a PT student, so having a plan before starting school is good idea. Integrating a social life into the role of a PT student is a balancing act. My study habits have greatly increased compared to undergrad. Also, because physical therapy is a doctoral program, students are expected to behave more professionally compared to undergrad.

What is your favorite aspect about physical therapy school?

I love that all my classes are interesting. They all are relevant to what I will be doing daily as a physical therapist one day. I also love the smaller class size. The instructors and students get to know each other on a personal level and it is the instructors’ goal to make sure you excel in the classroom.

How did your education at Mississippi State help prepare you for physical therapy school?

The instructors at MSU tried very hard to provide students with unique academic opportunities other universities could not provide. Personally, my experience with research projects and hippotherapy made me stand out as PT applicant.

Would you make any recommendations to current or prospective students that would like to pursue a career in physical therapy or a related field?

I think it is important to develop good study habits and time management skills in undergrad before coming to PT school. Also, as soon as you know you want to go to PT school, start looking at specific pre-requisite courses for specific schools so you can incorporate them into your curriculum. The GRE is an extremely important part of your application, but it is not everything. I recommend doing several mock interviews before your interview. The Mississippi State Career center had almost the exact questions I was asked in my interview for PT school. I think the most beneficial thing to a potential PT student is getting as many observation and volunteer hours as possible, in a variety of settings. This not only makes you more attractive to PT schools, but you have a better understanding of what the profession is about.