By Alice Nimmo, Class of 2019 Physical Therapy Student and Historian/FPTA Liaison
THE FORT LAUDERDALE PHYSICAL THERAPY (PT) students give back to the community through service learning and community service throughout the year by participating in numerous activities that help promote PT and educate the public about the benefits of PT services. Many of the activities are interprofessional in scope. The following is a synopsis of a year’s worth of activities.
January
PT students team up with the occupational therapy program to provide interprofessional presentations on the benefits of collaborative health care. From left are students from the class of 2019—Tim Marten (PT), Haley Moore (OT), Ian Carroll (PT), Moriah Piazza (OT), Alice Nimmo (PT), Lyndsey Peterson (OT), and Erika Fassler (PT).
February
PT students provide balance, strength, and developmental assessments at the South Florida Reach Fair. Back row from left are Brad Puglisi (class of 2018); class of 2019 students Daniel Vergara, Felipe Esguerra, Nicole Alvarez, Trineice Powell, and Cynthia Hernandez; Seyla Touch (class of 2018); and Cheryl Hill, D.P.T., Ph.D., PT, professor. Front row from left are Laina Touchberry (class of 2019) and class of 2018 students Adrian Bohnert and Alyssa Finn.
March
Class of 2019 students, from left, Stephanie O’Leary, Alice Nimmo, and Brittany Inerfeld prepare specialized safety equipment to ensure an exciting Adaptive Sports Day for disabled athletes.
April
From left, a potential future PT student learns about and practices a balance test on foam at a Medical Career Day event, with help from second-year PT students Tim Marten and Brendan Bak.
May
Doctor of Physical Therapy students team up with Memorial Health to ensure a fun day of adaptive bowling for children with special needs. Back row from left are class of 2019 students Ty Culver and Michael Marquis; Brittany Benson (class of 2020); Courtney Duda (class of 2019); and Ray Shipman, adaptive sports manager. Front row from left are Ashley Wilson (class of 2019) and class of 2020 students Tiffany Nguyen, Quyen Nguyen, and Jenna Barnes.
June
From left: Class of 2019 students Tim Marten, Dominic Mascia, Brendan Bak, Ian Carroll, and Emily Passint provide functional screenings in strength, balance, mobility, and aerobic endurance during the Special Olympics, as well as corrective exercise programs to address impairments.
July
NSU staff members and students supervise the first-aid tent at a local summer gymnastics camp that empowers young girls through dance, cheerleading, and life coaching.
August
NSU nursing, osteopathic medicine, and physical therapy students team up to provide free, comprehensive, interprofessional health screenings for the Crockett Foundation’s annual back-to-school exposition.
September
Second-year PT students promote the physical therapy profession at NSU’s annual CommunityFest. Back row from left are Marielle Gulotta, Jenna Rosenfield, Cynthia Hernandez, Nicole Alvarez, Regina Reda, and Sara Chinoy. Front row from left are Deanna Siroonian, Daniel Vergara, and Gina Godinez.
October
The classes of 2019 and 2020 close out National Physical Therapy Month with a festive Trick-or-Canning food drive that helped provide a hearty Thanksgiving meal to those less fortunate. From left are Michael Jones (class of 2019); class of 2020 students Tiffany Nguyen and Nick Frears; and Justin Dages (class of 2019).
November
Physical therapy second-year students, from left, Nina Coloso, Courtney Cave, and Michael Jones, along with Ovidio Olivencia, D.P.T., PT, OCS, assistant professor, are shown at a community event where they were promoting the NSU program.
December
The class of 2019 provides free health screenings for the elderly population in Fort Lauderdale.