Resources

What is the most difficult aspect of teaching DPT students today?

Currently, I would say the pandemic has brought some challenges. The students have had less experience with hands-on skill time. Some of their learning had to be done online, where usually it would have been done in a classroom with a chance to experience modalities or have the chance to try something out.

Describe your best professional development experience.

I would say my level 1 NAIOMT course was by far the most beneficial course I have taken. Learning the “scan” gives you the ability to quickly yet effectively evaluate your patient, rule out serious pathologies, and work through selective tissue testing. It really helped me take all that I had learned in PT school and condense it to make it feel more manageable and specific while doing patient evaluation. I would also say my first boss had a huge positive effect on my career. Steve Allen was a fellow of the NAIOMT, so I was able to have him as my mentor and learned so much from him with hands on experience and having him be someone I could bounce ideas off of.

What are your five-year goals?

In five years I would like to have obtained my OCS as well as my Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certificate. I would also like to provide free monthly community education classes for prenatal and postnatal women in order to improve the awareness/need for pelvic floor physical therapy.

Thank you so much, LaRyn, for all you do to educate our students in the clinic — we are grateful! Congratulations to other clinical instructors who were nominated this year: Luke Steiner, nominated by second-year student Talon Staudinger Laci Donnelly, nominated by second-year student Jaylen Henderson Jen Dunn, nominated by second-year student Kalia Miller Josh Henderson, nominated by third-year student Spencer Schaefbauer

Seeking Clinical Placement

Attention alumni and clinical partners! We are searching for additional sites to offer clinical experiences for our students. We are particularly in need of acute/inpatient, and inpatient/outpatient neurologic experiences. If you are interested in offering an experience to our students or beginning an affiliation agreement for clinical education, please contact Director of Clinical Education Lauren Emmel, PT, DPT, at laemmel@umary.edu.

A word of gratitude to our clinical partners for their ongoing commitment to educating our students: Thank you for your generosity in supporting clinical education for University of Mary DPT students in 2021, 2022, and moving forward — we are grateful!

SPTA Update

The Student Physical Therapy Association (SPTA) led by elected students from each cohort has been hard at work with various projects this past year. This fall the students organized a winter clothing drive and included area PT clinics in an effort to benefit Ministry on the Margins, a nonprofit organization in town. It was a huge success!

Our program also held our annual adaptive sporting event. This year was the second-annual Racetrack Heroes adaptive track meet. It is for children who are unable to participate in regular sporting activities for various reasons. Everyone had a fantastic time and the smiles were contagious!

The SPTA just recently organized a National Advocacy Dinner (originated by the APTA) for students in our program as well as clinicians and students from other PT programs across the state (via Zoom). They brought in a great line up of speakers on various leadership/advocacy related topics.

Our program is also excited that after a two-year pandemic hiatus we are sending a student group back to Guatemala for a service mission trip in August 2022! Two of our wonderful alumni Heather Mattson and Kim Bloms will be leading the group.

Class of 2022 President

Kiersten Sabolik, SPT

Class of 2022 President Hello from the Class of 2022! We are in the home stretch of the program and are all eagerly awaiting graduation this April! Our last year in the program has flown by. We finished our spring classes and all headed out for our second clinical rotations this past May and June. We got our full eight weeks in this year (not cut short due to COVID-19 like last year) and gained lots of skills and confidence. We came back for summer classes, which included the pediatrics elective, statistics, professional development, and diagnostic imaging. Our peds class had the opportunity to help out with the iCanBike camp in Bismarck this summer, which was a lot of fun! We hit the ground running in the fall with more electives, lab comprehensives, and research projects. For the first time this year we had the opportunity for a geriatrics elective and an orthopedics elective. We had five short weeks on campus before dispersing across the US for our third clinical rotations. Coming back in the spring we again had five short weeks on campus to finish electives, pro bono experiences, take our written comprehensive PEAT test and everything else. A group of 10 from our class completed the LSVT BIG course and became certified this spring as well. Looking at our class over the past year, we have all grown so much in our leadership, professionalism, clinical skills, and confidence. We are busy making plans for our next steps; looking for and interviewing for jobs, applying for licensure, moving, etc. Real life is coming up quick! Reflecting on our time in the program, our class has sure seen a lot of changes and challenges. We have had three different program directors, been in two different buildings, said goodbye to a few professors, and hello to three new ones. We have spent 10 months online with Zoom classes, countless collective days in quarantines, and became experts at flexibility and changing plans. But we have also managed to not let PT school consume our whole lives throughout our time here. This past year we have celebrated seven engagements, one wedding, and one new baby! That brings our grand total for the past three years to 11 engagements, four weddings, and five babies! We are so blessed. I have enjoyed my time with this cohort so much over the past three years and am looking forward to graduation and seeing all the ways in which we will all change lives!

Class of 2023 President

Patricia Martin, SPT

Class of 2023 President Hello from the class of 2023! We made it through our first clinical and are getting ready to go on our next in May. Since we last checked-in a lot has happened, so we’ll start at our white coat. Our White Coat Ceremony was so wonderful, and we got to celebrate with many friends and family members over that weekend. Arno Gustin Hall was absolutely full, the sun was shining, and in Bismarck fashion it was very windy! What an awesome way to reflect on all the accomplishments and future experiences of our PT journey. Then we all parted ways for our first big clinical and did fabulous! We were in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and Texas. Being out in the field was great and we were able to bring so much back to apply as we started our second year. This helped us prepare to take over the Pro Bono Clinic in the fall and we are mentoring the first-year students now for when they’ll take over in the fall. We are preparing to take on our next clinical in May for eight weeks and are looking forward to using our new knowledge from this past year. We were blessed with Dr. Koermer out of Duke University, a cardiopulmonary specialist, to teach us the ins and outs of therapy in the acute hospital setting. He even ventured out of the warm state of North Carolina for the freezing winter of North Dakota to see us. We are so fortunate to have so much clinical experience between all our professors. This January we started our last full semester (yes, we are all counting down the semesters!) and we have been able to start our geriatric and pediatric community projects. It has been great so far being able to share our knowledge and give back to the Bismarck-Mandan community. We are also working with the exercise science undergraduate program in their on-campus exercise clinic, St. Alexius respiratory therapists, and other occupational therapy students to better understand and appreciate different health care roles. We have also been busy in the community volunteering at the annual Racetrack Heroes, a track and field event for children of all abilities, Day of Service, and will begin our community SOLE projects this coming summer. We also headed up contributions for Freezin’ for a Reason event this November. We helped collect winter clothing items from students and local clinics raising over 1,000 items! Many of us also participated in the Bismarck Marathon relay taking first and second in our division this past fall and plan to defend our title again this fall. We also crushed the PT themed halloween costume competition with our “It Depends” and “Hemoglobin Trotters” taking first and second place. Our class book club has also found some spare time to read a couple of non-PT books, we have a weekly bible study, and we’ve got lots of intramural sport teams as we at our “old age” are still trying to be athletes!

Class of 2024 President

Rachel Nauertz, SPT

Class of 2024 President I’d like to introduce you to the Class of 2024! We have had a great start to our doctorate education, facing many of the same joys and challenges as PT students who have gone before us. We have braved systems screening exams, explored the world of neuroscience, and practiced the essential skills of therapy. It’s really helpful to see how all of our classes build on one another and inter-relate. Looking back, we’ve learned so much in our coursework so far, and it’s exciting to see how much more there is to learn. If we haven’t learned a concept yet, one of our favorite phrases is, “it’s coming” (a Dr. Hogan classic). Going out on ICE experiences and helping in the Pro Bono Clinic has allowed us to see and do some great things, and has us even more excited for our first six-week clinical rotation coming up in July. In between all the studying, we’ve had time to practice our Benedictine value of community in the form of fun! Whether it be basketball, volleyball, soccer, or spikeball, people are staying active at the University of Mary fieldhouse. We celebrated Halloween by dressing up for the PT themed costume party and added some Christmas cheer by decorating our classroom for the holiday season. We’ve also been growing in the value of service through volunteer opportunities within the program and in the community. Some of the events included volunteering at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch for Designer Genes, Day of Service, and interview days for future PT students. One of our favorites was Racetrack Heroes, an adaptive track and field event for kids with disabilities. What a year it’s been so far — we look forward to continued growth as future PTs!

PT School During a Global Pandemic

An Opportunity to Exercise Resilience on the Path to Becoming an Excellent Physical Therapist

The University of Mary Class of 2022 encountered a unique set of circumstances on their journeys to become physical therapists. We are so proud of the resiliency, grit, and attestation to the University of Mary mission and Benedictine values that these students showed. We know great things exist for them and the patients they will serve. PT school during a global pandemic created challenges but also opportunities.

Reflection by Jordyn Wendorff

Becoming a physical therapist has always been one of my dreams, but I never imagined I would be doing it during a global pandemic. When COVID-19 first hit, we were in the midst of our first year and just beginning to practice our hands-on skills. I went home for an undetermined amount of time and started taking videos of myself working on my family members, fumbling around, and hoping I was performing the skills right. As my first clinical experience approached, I was overcome with a sense of gratitude. I was so incredibly grateful that I would still be able to partake in four weeks of clinical education at the height of a pandemic. Our program is so unbelievably lucky to have fantastic relationships with our clinical partners who chose to take students in when everything was so unknown. Our professors told us time and time again, “thank you for your flexibility,” but they were the flexible ones. They had to completely alter our curriculum when their kids were transitioning to online home school. Each professor took the time to teach us as best they could while working at home to teach their kids too. Some moments that stick out to me are Dr. Hogan working on fractions with his son while also teaching us on Zoom. I’ll never forget watching Dr. Allen with his whiteboard in the front lobby of the Rosser building filming neuroanatomy lectures and drawing all over a virtual whiteboard on Zoom for us. And how could we forget Dr. Lundeen with her virtual University of Mary backgrounds teaching us gait from her bedroom while she was battling breast cancer? The COVID-19 pandemic may have been incredibly frustrating and testing, but some positives came from it. Personal connection is huge. Talking virtually with professors or classmates is not the same as connecting in person. After we were able to return to in-person instruction, I took every opportunity to connect with professors and classmates. I hadn’t realized how much I missed true human connection. This can relate to our patients too … everybody missed out on that crucial part of life. If we can take the time to listen to our patients, it just means that much more to them. Learning and practicing physical therapy during the pandemic has made me truly appreciate every moment spent in patient care. Not that I didn’t love working on my family members but working with a “real-life” patient was priceless. A huge positive impact the pandemic has had is that it has helped us all be able to relate to those around us, including clinicians and patients. Everybody was affected by the pandemic in some way, shape, or form. As we all know, building rapport is a crucial component of treating our patients. COVID-19 is just another way to do this and truly connect with our patients. Now I am on my final clinical experience in Oregon, and I am so thankful for the ability to travel and complete my clinical experience as normal as possible. I am soaking up every chance to learn before I am in the “real world” as a physical therapist. I truly am so grateful and appreciative of my professors and my classmates for helping me to become the best PT I can be in the midst of a global pandemic.

Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences Dean Update

Who says you can’t go home? There’s only one place they call me one of their own. Just a hometown boy born a rollin’ stone. Who says you can’t go home? Who says you can’t go back? Been all around the world and as a matter of fact, There’s only one place left I wanna go. Who says you can’t go home? – Bon Jovi

I was very fortunate recently to travel to the gorgeous state of Utah and take in some beautiful state and national parks. While I love to travel and experience new activities and breathtaking scenery, there is always something comforting about returning home. The dictionary defines home as “relating to the place one lives;” however, I look at “home” in a more holistic way. Home to me is where you feel safe, comfortable, and at peace — the place where you can truly be yourself. My great hope is that all of you feel that the University of Mary was your home while you were enrolled in your undergraduate and/or graduate studies and will remain a place you will always feel comfortable calling home.

For those of you who have been following the university’s trajectory in growth (enrollment, programs, buildings, and space), I hope you have felt a sense of personal pride in what has been accomplished over the past decade and what is being considered for the future. In a time in which many universities have experienced declines in enrollment, budget cuts, and even closures, the University of Mary is well on its way to successfully completing its very exciting Vision 2030 strategic goals. A large part of these goals has focused on the health professions, including facilities and growth.

This coming fall provides two special opportunities to which all of you are invited to return home and share in the successes and dreams of our school. October 4, 2022 would have marked Saint Gianna Beretta Molla’s 100th birthday and is a day we will officially proclaim our school’s name as the Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences (SGSHS) to the public. If you have not yet heard her story, I encourage you to learn more about her to understand why we chose to take the unique path of naming our school after a Saint. The day will include a Catholic Medical Conference with nationally and internationally recognized speakers and a ribbon cutting of the newly renovated health professions’ space that will begin to house physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, speech language pathology, biomechanics, and exercise science beginning fall 2022 — all in an interactive and collaborative space. Information will be available soon and I encourage early registration as I expect this to be a sold-out event.

If October 4, 2022 doesn’t fit in to your schedule, or even better if you are able to return twice, we are looking at making this year’s homecoming weekend extra special. While several individual

Dr. Mary Dockter, PT, PhD

education programs will plan separate events on Friday night, October 21, 2022, we will hold an open house/progressive brunch for all SGSHS students in the new space prior to tailgating and attending the football game on Saturday, October 22, 2022. Start contacting classmates and begin planning what could be a fantastic weekend of fun and fellowship. For those of you who have not been back on campus for some time, you will be amazed at all the changes!

There is nothing more rewarding to me than to hear from alumni — accomplishments, family, work, and life updates. I am thrilled that your gifts and talents are being used to improve the lives of people across the US in diverse settings and locations. But in the lyrics sung by Bon Jovi, you always have a place to call home, and I sincerely hope that one of those places is the University of Mary.

Alumni Updates

Mandy Johnson

My husband, Brent, and I got married in October 2021. Welcomed our first little girl in May 2021 ... continuing that pelvic health journey. Class of 2017

Chloe Sandberg

My husband, Nathan, and I welcomed our second child, a boy named Ethan on July 17. He joins big sister Leigha, age 2. Class of 2018

Jenny Johnson

My husband, Brock, and I welcomed our daughter, Jersey Joyce, on 1/31/22. She joins big brother, Rylee (age 2), and big sister, Bria (age 3). Class of 2009

Lacey Brown Schulte

We had our second little girl, Elodie, born 10/18, joining big sister Haddie, who is 2! Also, I started a new job in January in pediatrics at Milestones Therapy in Bismarck. Class of 2017

Kayla Hansen Lambrecht

Owner of and started 360 Physical Therapy in Minot, ND in August of 2021. Class of 2011

Shannon Harms

I don’t think I mentioned it last year, but I opened my own private practice, “Empower Physical Therapy,” in January 2020.

Jordan Tesch

I married my wife, Paige, on June 11, 2021. We are expecting our first child in March. I also have received my level 1 dry needling certification and will be taking level 2 this summer. Class of 2020

Brendon Ehrlich

I got married to my wife, Alyssa, October 2020. I’ve gotten level 1 and 2 dry needling certification and plan to apply for the SCS certification this fall! Class of 2020

Emma Nienaber

I married my husband, Stephen, on October 15, 2021. Class of 2020

Caitlin Tschritter

My husband, John, and I welcomed our first son, Jordy, on August 4. Class of 2017

Krystal Schoch

We welcomed our fourth little one this past year, Arabella Greta, on 5/5/21. Class of 2017

Amber Swanson Patzlaff

I opened my own PT practice in August 2021, Sozo Physical Therapy. Class of 2010

Kaari Pieper

My husband, Jack, and I welcomed our first daughter, Sloane, on 4/14/21. I joined Prairie Grit Therapy in Minot, ND in January where I work with children and assist with our adaptive sports program. Class of 2018

Megin Sabo John

I became a USA Gymnastics PT in 2021 and will be covering two world competitions in Portugal and Italy this May. Class of 2011

Carly Baker

My husband, Ben, and I welcomed our first born! Our daughter, Haven Raye, was born on 8/14/21. I also switched jobs in February 2021 to Baptist Health & Rehab (SNF setting) in Bismarck! Class of 2019

Megan Stamstad

My husband, Nathan, and I welcomed our second daughter, Claire, on 3/26/21. She joins her big sister, Olivia, who will be 3 in May! Class of 2016

Tiffany Moriarity

I switched from SNF to being the k-12 PT at Hopkins Public School district in MN. It’s .5 FTE which is perfect for me because it’s my first consistent position since having a hemorrhagic stroke in 2018.

Brian Rodriquez

My wife, Claire, and I welcomed our first son, Emmitt Michael Rodriguez, on 3/10/21. Class of 2016

Brooke Larson

My husband, Will, and I welcomed our second child, a girl named Gabrielle on July 21, 2021. She is sure loved by her big brother, Barrett, age 2! Class of 2019

Jasmin Carlblom

My husband, Nicholas, and I welcomed our daughter, Lily, in August 2021! Class of 2016

Don Nguyen

I started a residency/fellowship manual therapy program at the Institute of Athlete Regeneration, and am now going full time at my own private practice, Pure Motion, Physical Therapy and Wellness. Class of 2020

Tori Witowic

I received my OCS certification, was promoted to Major in the USAF for Biomedical Science Corp for PT, and recently got engaged. Class of 2016

Alexa Miesbauer

My husband, Chuck, and I welcomed our third girl, Hannah Grace, in September 2021. I continue to work for Summit Orthopedics in MN and also have a part time telehealth job treating mostly pelvic health conditions. I completed my pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist certification (PCES). Class of 2015

Ryan Pope

My wife, Erica, and I welcomed our third girl of six kiddos, Medora Anne, born 3/9/21. Class of 2002

Nicole Halderman

I recently accepted the supervisor position at the Sanford OccMed Clinic in Bismarck. Class of 2016

Jenna Maher

I married my husband, Dustin, in May 2021! Class of 2018

Brady Martin

My wife and I took a big step and opened our private practice outpatient PT clinic, Genuine Physical Therapy, in Dickinson on June 1, 2021! It has been a dream come true for us! We also welcomed our first little one, Dani Kaye Martin, on December 23, 2021. It was a year full of excitement!

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