Kortnee McBride ‘20 ‘22 (psychology, with a pre-physical therapy concentration; PTA) found out first hand the importance of observation and internship hours during your undergraduate career. She entered college with the intention of completing the physical therapy program but during the course of completing observation hours for her pre-physical therapy concentration she decided that the Physical Therapy Assistant program might be a better fit.
“I found in the places that I observed, PTAs were the ones that were able to have more of a caregiver-patient relationship, which is something I value,” she said.
McBride also volunteered at Joy’s House, an adult day center and caregiver service for adults living with life-altering diagnoses, for one of her classes where she worked with individuals who had diagnoses like dementia and alzheimers. McBride would plan daily activities for the adults and said it helped her find her path. “I was able to solidify what I wanted to do for a career,” she said, “it made me realize that helping people in any way is something that I will always want to do.”
After enrolling in the PTA program following her undergraduate career, McBride has enjoyed the hallmark benefits that are consistent across many of UIndy’s programs: real-world experiences and professors who care.
“My professors work closely with us to make sure that we are understanding everything they are teaching,” she said. “They take time out of their days to meet with us or hold open labs so we can come in and get as much practice in as is necessary.”
The professors in the PTA program use their extensive practical experience to blend real-world examples with their in-class teaching. “I think they give us all the tools we need to prepare us for the real world,” McBride said. “We get real-life experience through the use of clinicals and they give us real-life examples to discuss in class and work through together.”
One of McBride’s favorite things about UIndy is that there’s no shortage of activities for students to be involved in. One opportunity she took advantage of was participating in the Riley Dance Marathon. “I found good friends through the Dance Marathon, and at the same time was able to support a good cause that I care about,” she said.
“I think UIndy has a very engaging campus environment, and always has things for students to do,” she added.
