Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience: A Student’s Perspective

The University of Southern California is one of the top educational institutions in the country, but it is important to note that even the best universities have room to better themselves. USC (pictured to the left) rightfully prides itself on its central mission, “the development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit,” and its principle means of accomplishing this mission include “teaching, research, artistic creation, professional practice and selected forms of public service.” Although it is not specifically mentioned, one of the major reasons USC is successful in accomplishing its central mission is its ability to change, adapt, and improve. As times change, the needs and desires of students, faculty, and society as a whole change, as well. These abilities help the institution adopt and grow, facilitating its students and faculty with the proper equipment to change with these times. The university is constantly searching for ways to better all aspects of the institution including curriculum, research, structure, staff, amenities, and so on. An example of this is the university-sponsored College Dean’s Prize, created to receive suggestions from students on how to better their educational experiences. The Dean’s Prize calls for participants to “think seriously about learning, be creative and daring, and inspire us.” With the prize as the inspiration for this post, I am proposing a drastic change to the undergraduate education in my field: to create a major that is dedicated to physical therapy.

Currently, USC only offers a “pre-professional emphasis” on physical therapy, which is another word for a track of prerequisite courses that students follow. Students who wish to pursue physical therapy in graduate school are forced to either pick a major of interest and follow the PT prerequisite courses or choose a major that is somewhat related to the field (such as kinesiology) and also follow the prerequisite courses. Either way, students are forced to take numerous classes that are irrelevant to their field, and often times, have trouble fulfilling their major requirements along with prerequisites within the regular four year period. The majors chosen do not offer any seminars, guest speakers, workshops, advisement, or anything directly related to physical therapy. The only thing these majors offer is help with structuring courses to fulfill the PT prerequisites, which in my opinion, inadequate. The courses that students take for prerequisites are all general science courses; there are no PT courses or even related courses. This puts students in a position that is very frustrating. They will only get a taste of what physical therapy is like in graduate school. College is when students should find themselves and find what exactly they want to do in life, while there is still time to go back and forth between career choices. If a student only gets a taste of physical therapy curriculum in there graduate school years, then what happens if they truly do not enjoy it? The student would have wasted their undergraduate years, and they would be forced to go back to school to study for another field. USC has the best graduate program for physical therapy in the country. With that being said, the graduate program has no connection or ties in any way to the undergraduate “emphasis.” I have approached counselors from the typical majors that PT students usually choose, and each counselor explained to me how they do not work at all with the graduate program at USC. In fact, they said that these two institutions are so separated that the graduate program does not even favor USC students over those from other universities.

The creation of a physical therapy major would not only solve the majority of these issues, but it will also provide a proper platform for the students who are interested in the field to build upon. The major should cover all of the basic science prerequisite courses, but it should also include a few basic physical therapy classes. These classes should at least be able to introduce the students to what they will be learning, and give them an idea of what their future might hold. Within the major, there should be at least a few required seminars. These seminars should educate students about this field and how it is evolving today. They also should address current issues that are surrounding the field, as well as issues that may affect it in the future, such as new technological advancements as well as ever-changing legislation. Along with the seminars, the major should have an internship requirement. There is no better way for a student to realize if this field is right for them than to actually work at a physical therapy clinic. This would put them into a real life situation where they will take in knowledge that can never be taught in a classroom, and it would help students build connections with clinics and physical therapists that may later hire them. . A counseling department dedicated to a physical therapy program is crucial; students would be able to receive assistance on their coursework, and in depth information on internships and graduate programs, which as of right now, is not existent. Finally, a connection would have to be made between the USC physical therapy graduate program and the undergraduate major, such as bringing in speakers and representatives. This would provide students with valuable insight and information, as well as a relative understanding of what is expected and required of them to get into the graduate program and prosper as a successful physical therapist.

Developing a physical therapy major would provide students with the fundamentals, proper groundwork, and education to prosper in their profession. Under the USC strategic plan, one of the core approaches in its vision for the University’s future is to “focus our educational programs on meeting the needs of qualified students worldwide, from undergraduates through continuing professional development. This commitment will guide our choices regarding pedagogy, instructional technology, curriculum, admissions, and support services.” The implementation of this major would truly exemplify USC’s strategic plan and will meet the needs of students from all over the world who are interesting in pursuing physical therapy as a career and in need of an undergraduate program that will prepare them for the graduate level. This would set the school apart from the rest of the educational institutions because it would be offering an undergraduate program that is rare. The undergraduate program could easily increase USC's academic excellence, status, and reputation, which is what USC’s strategic plan strives to achieve.

USC Honorary Degree: Scott Ward

With USC graduation commencement ceremonies fast approaching, this week’s blog post is dedicated toward my nomination for the prestigious honorary degree. We were faced with a challenge this week; we were to find an outstanding person in our field of study that not only deserves this nomination but truly exemplifies the characteristics that the University of Southern California strides to represent. I have chosen non other than the most influential and powerful man in the field of physical therapy, Scott Ward, for the doctoral degree in science.

The University awards these degrees to “honor individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements in scholarship, the professions, or other creative activities, whether or not they are widely known by the general public,” to “honor alumni and other individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the welfare and development of USC or the communities of which they are part,” to “recognize exceptional acts of philanthropy to the university and/or on the national or world scene,” and to “elevate the university in the eyes of the world by honoring individuals who are widely known and highly regarded for achievements in their respective fields of endeavor.” While I do agree with the majority of the criteria for this award, I have decided to strain away from using financial donations or contributions with any influence toward my nomination. I feel that these awards should be based on achievement rather than as a tool to say “thank you” to financial supporters of the University. In his comments about the honorary degree, James Freedman, president emeritus of the University of Iowa and Dartmouth College, noted the recent trend; the “purpose of honoring distinguished personal achievement has been widely modified.. to flatter generous donors and prospective benefactors.” I agree with his outlook on these nominees as being “ill-chosen,” and that this award should instead “celebrate distinguished and sublime achievement.”

Scott Ward is a perfect candidate for the honorary degree at USC, and a pinnacle of “distinguished and sublime achievement.” Ward (pictured to the right) is an accomplished physical therapist who always took an active role to advance the field of physical therapy as a whole. Ward received his BA in physical therapy in 1980 and has been very active in the field ever since. He joined the American Physical Therapy Association that very year. The APTA is a national organization that represents over 66,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. The goal of the association is to further advancements in physical therapist education, practice, research, and to address current issues in or related to the field. Throughout his years in the association, Ward has held numerous positions and has worked his way up to becoming the president of the association just last year. The president of the APTA is arguably the most influential position that someone can hold in the physical therapy field. Ward has taken a proactive role in the field; since day one, he has been involved in research as well as countless case studies. Ward has focused his research toward physical therapy for burn-related wounds, and he has published countless papers on his case studies, research, and findings. He has always encouraged physical therapists to reach out of the field and take a proactive role in problem solving. In his acceptance speech for the presidency of the APTA, Ward commented, “I am looking forward to contributing to creative solutions for physical therapists to focus on evidence-based practice in delivering consistent, quality care and being proactive in networking with other organizations related to issues involving physical therapy.” Ward is an extraordinary character in the field; he is both an outstanding physical therapist and leader. Ward is not only the president of the APTA; he is the chair of the Rehabilitation Committee in the American Burn Association as well as the chair of the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah, where he received his PhD in physiology. Ward values education greatly; this is evident in his own personal pursuit for the highest level of education (B.A., PhD, and ongoing research) as well as his years as a teacher of Physical Therapy in the University of Utah.

Ward has received many awards since his entry into the field in 1980. A few of the awards include APTA’s Lucy Blair Service Award, Utah Chapter of APTA’s Physical Therapist of the Year Award, and the Barbara Knothe Burn Therapists Achievement Award from the American Burn Association. Ward’s accomplishments are enough to qualify him for the honorary degree on its own, but it is his character and values that make him stand out as the perfect person to give a commencement speech to the graduating class. Ward would deliver a speech that will not only inspire, but will urge students to take a proactive role in whatever field they pursue. He would stress the importance of education, as well as furthering your knowledge as much as possible with your own research and studies. He would urge to challenge norms and go out and make changes. Ward has done just that since he began as a physical therapist; he has constantly sought out to work hard and make changes to better the field as a whole. He has worked his way from being an average physical therapist all the way up to the president of the APTA, and he has contributed so much through his research and countless studies. In response to Ward accepting the presidential position of the APTA, a member mentioned that “Scott brings a broad view of the physical therapy profession to his presidency… He will challenge both the APTA and the profession to achieve great things for physical therapist patients in the coming years.” In Ward’s twenty-seven years in the field, he has done just that, constantly challenging and advancing the field as a whole.