Quinnipiac University is one of the leaders in education for health professionals. For physical therapy majors Quinnipiac University offers an entry-level, five and-a-half year program with a master’s degree.
Physical therapy offers a hands-on approach to treating disease and disability. Physical therapists will try to help patients return to their best functional state. Physical therapists also help post-operative patients to recover faster from surgery with less pain. The program is rather demanding, and requires hard work for those in it. This is where the Physical Therapy Club comes in.
Club President Kimberly Liestman describes the club as a place to provide physical therapy students with an accurate portrayal of the program. Often fifth year students will offer accounts of the things they have done to help encourage first year students.
“Topics in the meetings are basic, so everyone, regardless of what year they are in, can take part in them,” she said.
The club gathers at monthly meetings to provide students with valuable information about what is to come in the program. Speakers and returning fifth-year students will often come back and talk about their experiences and help out by doing informative labs with students. Their main goal is to enlighten the students in the program with important information and updates in the medical fields that will help them throughout the program.
Vice President Kelley Renke, Secretary Betsy Cobb, Treasurer Effie Chaeharone, and public relations representatives Melanie Buckland and Katie Keane help organize the meetings. These members also help plan the club’s upcoming events.
The club is having a day of Special Athletics where disabled children and adults will be paired with a buddy from the group and play games. Frisbee and basketball are being offered to show people that disabilities do not necessarily limit people from being active. It also gives club members a hands-on approach to some of the things they will experience as a physical therapists.
Kimberly urges all people planning to become physical therapists to join the club.
“It’s a great program and I have enjoyed it over the years,” she said. “Freshmen, don’t be discouraged if it gets hard. It’s a great profession, so stick with it!”
“Going to the meetings and hearing about all of the experiences the fifth-year club members have gone through has helped me realize that physical therapy is something I really want to do,” says first year Lauren Anzalone.
The next meeting will be held on Nov. 4, at 7:30 in Echlin Center, room 203. The meetings are open to everyone, and physical therapy majors are strongly encouraged to come. Fore more information, call the Physical Therapy Club at x8343.