An important part of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is the clinical education component, which gives students hands-on, real-world experience under a licensed physical therapist. Our program has always thrived due to our strong community partnerships and our clinical affiliations throughout Tampa, Florida, and our Nation. This current semester, spring 2021, five of our current students had the chance to train under five of our alumni who are serving as clinical instructors (CI). Below are short interviews with each of our five alumni clinical instructors.
Alumni: Sara Stannard, Class of 2019
Current Student: Chantelle Gutierrez
Location: Florida Hospital Carrollwood
- What do you enjoy most about being a clinical instructor?
Creating a comfortable learning environment for students to feel like they can ask questions and learn as they grow amongst future colleagues
2. What does it mean to you taking a student from your DPT program (USF)?
It’s an honor that the University of South Florida (USF) would trust me to equip future students as they had equipped me.
3. How do USF DPT students stand out to you from other students?
Documentation, professionalism, and taking initiative are qualities that have really stuck out to me about USF students.
4. What advice would you give a student before heading out to CE?
Remember that confidence and taking responsibility for your learning experience goes a long way. You can’t always change a “bad CI”, but you can ensure you learn as much as possible!
5. What advice would you give students interested in Physical Therapy as a profession?
Always keep a patient-centered attitude and leave your stress at the door! We have a unique ability to serve others so we must make the best of it.
Alumni: Christopher Kroger, Class of 2015
Current Student: Brandon Beebe
Location: James A. Haley VA Hospital
- What do you enjoy most about being a clinical instructor?
I have always enjoyed our profession’s educational element, and I feel that being a clinical instructor (CI) gives me the best opportunity to share knowledge while practicing the skill of teaching. It’s a pleasure watching the students grow during their rotations and I can tell that patients also listen to knowledge dissemination which assists with buy-in and empowerment.
2. What does it mean to you taking a student from your DPT program (USF)?
I am proud to help develop future PTs from my alma mater, and it pushes me to be a better clinical instructor. It’s great to contribute to the School that helped make me the therapist I am today and who had a lot to do with me finding my career at James A Haley. There is something rewarding about seeing a confident USF student leave my clinic after their neuro rotation.
3. How do USF DPT students stand out to you from other students?
USF students tend to go the extra mile to build rapport with their patients. I find that they are compassionate, empathetic, and have the desire to know their patients. It makes it that much easier to identify activity and participation limitations when your patients feel comfortable sharing aspects of their personal lives and the things they struggle with daily.
4. What advice would you give a student before heading out to CE?
Be prepared to have a plan. One of the most obvious things to a CI is when a student comes to a treatment session and/or evaluation with no plan. Once you have more experience, it is much easier to “wing it”, but having a good plan and backup plan will help your sessions go much smoother, increase your patients’ confidence in you, and impress most clinical instructors.
5. What advice would you give a student interested in Physical Therapy as a profession?
If your passion is helping people and building relationships, go for it. Most days at work include lots of laughter, music, conversation, and I leave feeling rewarded. Another piece of advice would be not to settle when selecting your career. PT has become so diverse that there is no reason to be stuck in a place or an area of practice where you are unhappy. When you go to your interviews, go during a time that you can observe the other employees and see if you can ask them questions.
Alumni: Kyle Schindler, Class of 2019
Current Student: Deanna Gallo
Location: PT Solutions – West Chase
- What do you enjoy most about being a clinical instructor?
I love the mentorship aspect of being a CI. I’m able to put myself in the students’ shoes and try to teach them what I wish I knew when I was in their shoes.
2. What does it mean to you taking a student from your DPT program (USF)?
It’s awesome to give back to USF. It’s also great that I know the strengths and limitations of the program because I went there, and can help the students expand their knowledge.
3. How do USF DPT students stand out to you from other students?
They come in with a solid background in pretty much everything which makes it easier to elevate them to the next level in whichever specialty the clinical provides.
4. What advice would you give a student before heading out to CE?
Be confident in what you know. You always know more than you think. Humble confidence will allow your intelligence to be seen.
5. What advice would you give students interested in Physical Therapy as a profession?
Learn from everyone and everything. Observe in many specialties if possible. When talking to the PT you are observing, ask lots of questions. I also recommend being good at talking with people, and working on your people skills will carry you so much further.
Alumni: Amy Shehadeh, Class of 2018
Current Student: Sogol Fatehi
Location: Select Physical Therapy – Outpatient Physical Therapy
- What do you enjoy most about being a clinical instructor?
Molding the minds of future clinicians and passing the knowledge I have gained from PT school and my specialty in orthopedics.
2. What does it mean to you taking a student from your DPT program (USF)?
I love taking any student from any program. I have more similarities and stories when I take USF students.
3. How do USF DPT students stand out to you from other students?
The USF students I have worked with have demonstrated excellent professionalism and motivation to learn.
4. What advice would you give a student before heading out to CE?
PT is such a diverse and versatile career and having an open mindset can lead you to different passions.
5. What advice would you give students interested in Physical Therapy as a profession?
Make sure to look at your working environment including management and the team you will be with when applying for jobs. Work with people that challenge you and give you recognition for your hard work so you can keep climbing the ladder of success.
6. Any other information you might want to share/include.
I would recommend students being open to the opportunity of completing a residency. Being a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedics (OCS) has opened more doors for me than I could have imagined. Always strive for success and the sky is the limit for any goal you set for yourself!
Alumni: Eric Schindler, Class of 2019
Current Student: Brittany Snowden
Location: PT Solutions
- What do you enjoy most about being a clinical instructor?
I really enjoy teaching and pushing others to be better. Being a clinical instructor forces me to be “on top of my game”. It’s made me provide better patient care, clinical decision making and helped me do more outside the clinic to learn. I feel you always learn a lot while teaching someone.
2. What does it mean to you taking a student from your DPT program (USF)?
It’s a pretty cool experience because I know what they went through as a student. I also get to see how the school has changed and updated its curriculum to improve. I’m also not too far removed so we can relate to similar experiences that we had in school.
3. How do USF DPT students stand out to you from other students?
They definitely are more prepared than other students I have seen. The curriculum is obviously doing a good job to prepare the students for clinical education and their career.
4. What advice would you give a student before heading out to CE?
Come into the clinic with an open mind. You may not necessarily agree with your CI but they can definitely teach you something. I also think it’s important to have an exercise library to pull from. It’ll help you have an immediate impact on patients if you can have different exercises to use with different patients.
5. What advice would you give students interested in Physical Therapy as a profession?
It’s a great profession to work in. Most days it does not feel like work as you get to interact with so many wonderful people.