Fifteen students in NIU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program took what they’ve learned in the classroom into the community when they attended the Sycamore Park District Self-Care Fair on Feb. 4 at the Sycamore Park District Community Center.
“This was an important opportunity for the students to practice motivational interviewing skills and advocate for health literacy within the community,” said clinical assistant professor Sarah Greenhagen, who attended along with Rich Sroka, a student in the Ph.D. in Health Sciences program at NIU. “I am very proud of how each DPT student stepped up to the plate and connected with the participants at the fair in very meaningful ways.”
Sherrill Morris, chair, School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders, said this type of opportunity allows faculty and students to engage in ways that aren’t possible in the classroom.
“Students were able to practice and refine their advocacy of the physical therapy field in a fast-paced and supportive environment,” Morris said. “Moreover, students worked together as a team with peers and faculty, solidifying collegial relationships they can rely on for life.”
Greenhagen said it was DPT student, William Gonigam, who learned about the fair and organized student and faculty participation. Students created a stretching program to target specific areas of the body and educated participants on safe stretching techniques to reduce pain and increase daily physical activity.
“This was a great chance to expand our presence in the community, hone our skills as budding physical therapists,” said Gonigam. “This was also an opportunity to really step out into the world to meet the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) vision statement of transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.”
DPT student, Erik Gomez, shared the sentiment.
“The Self-Care Fair was a fantastic first-time experience in getting to engage with community members and teach them about the importance of movement as rehabilitation and prevention of injury,” Gomez said. “It helped to promote confidence as a future practitioner in being able to approach new faces, and to demonstrate our willingness to help people become a little bit more knowledgeable than before.”
Plans are in place for students in the DPT program to continue this type of community engagement.
“I hope as we progress through the program we can continue to find and create these opportunities to not only enrich our learning experience, but to continue to build the NIU DPT program into something incredible and impactful,” Gonigam said.
Gomez agreed.
“Events like this help to spread the word of our DPT program and the many friendly and hard-working students and staff that are here to serve,” Gomez said.
Learn more about NIU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the Physical Therapy Clinic at NIU.
