"There are few places where you have the opportunity to be surrounded by incredibly smart students and faculty who are all there with the intention to learn, become better practitioners, and become better people overall; but that is exactly the case every day when we enter the Health Sciences Building."
Yes, we strive to be our best so we can provide the best patient care. Our DPT students are challenged, and they succeed; consistently achieving a 100% licensure test pass rate and placement rate. Here, you'll benefit from small classes, evidence-based practice, interprofessional opportunities, an orthopedic residency program, TeamSTEPPS training, and more.
Home Town: Chicago, Illinois
Colleen continued her education at SAU after graduating in 2017 with a BS in Exercise Science and BA in Psychology. Our high-quality DPT program and 100% pass rate caught her attention. So did the other aspects of an Ambrosian education. "I believe the values St. Ambrose teaches, such as empathy, community, justice, service, and integrity, are an important part of the education students receive here. By integrating these values into my Physical Therapy education, I believe I will have an advantage after graduation over students at other schools," she says.
Why SAU?
Colleen knew SAU was the place for her the day she interviewed for the DPT program. "It was clear everyone was there to share their knowledge with each other and work toward being the best PTs they could be. I was also impressed by the early clinical experiences we get. Few schools give you the opportunity to be in the clinic your first year, but at SAU we have that unique opportunity after just one semester of classes," she says. With us, you'll complete seven clinical experiences and graduate ready to work in any practice setting.
What do you tell people about the DPT program?
"First, I tell people that it is incredibly challenging, and I love it," she says. Our program is focused on evidence-based practice and you'll learn how to provide great care as a member of an interprofessional team. You'll train on state-of-the-art equipment in the Human Movement Studies Laboratory and get 1,400 hours of patient care experience. Colleen embraces it all. "As a Physical Therapy student, the best way to better myself as a person and as a practitioner is to dedicate myself to constant learning," she says.
How does SAU allow you to make a difference?
Colleen's past participation in Campus Ministry activities, service projects, and peer mentoring have allowed her to impact the world, and she has no plans to stop. "As a DPT student, I look forward to volunteering in the Interprofessional Health Clinic. This program is an amazing resource for students to gain experience working with real patients, and gives underserved members of our community the opportunity to receive therapy for medical conditions they may not otherwise be able to get," she says.
Why Choose the DPT Program?
"The faculty are incredible, and it's true when they say they are there to help you succeed. If they're in the office, the door is literally open, and they never make you feel like their time is more valuable than yours. All of the faculty have extensive clinical experience, and that experience is very apparent in their teaching. As far as my cohort, we work as a team. There is no competition among the class, and everyone works together to get the most out of our education and the opportunities we have," Colleen says.
