WesternU Doctor of Physical Therapy students present case study posters

DPT Class of 2025 students presented case study posters on Oct. 2, 2024. (Stephen Quintero, WesternU)

Doctor of Physical Therapy students in Western University of Health Sciences' College of Health Sciences showcased lessons learned and experience gained on their clinical rotations at the DPT Class of 2025 Case Study Poster Presentation Oct. 2, 2024, on the WesternU California campus.

October is Physical Therapy Month, where we advocate for the immense value of our profession, the importance of PT education, and our role in addressing the vital health care needs of our communities, said Department of Physical Therapy Education-California Chair Harsha Deoghare, PT, PhD. The DPT Class of 2025 showcased not only their clinical skills but also their ability to integrate clinical evidence into critical thinking and clinical decision-making at the Poster Presentation.

"This event is a profound reflection of the students' growth as future health care leaders, demonstrating their commitment to making informed, impactful decisions for their patients," Deoghare said. "Special thanks to WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner for his presence and steadfast support. Together, we're not just celebrating accomplishments-we're witnessing the future of health care in action."

Joshua Cameron, PhD, Executive Liaison Officer in the Office of the President, said it was a pleasure to interact with the DPT students at the event.

"They were so enthusiastic and excited to share their clinical experiences," Cameron said. "I was impressed with their level of preparation and professional demeanor. It was apparent that their clinical experiences taught them critical skills and knowledge, but also help mold and shape them as people."

DPT students Caitlyn Chin (left) and Paula Yang presented posters. (Rodney Tanaka, WesternU)

Third-year DPT student Caitlyn Chin presented a case study on a patient who tore her ACL and wanted to return to running and playing recreational soccer after surgery. Chin worked with the patient during her summer clinical rotation at a sports clinic from May to August.

"This showed me how much I can push patients rather than just doing basic, baseline exercises," Chin said. "You can choose exercises based on goals."

Tailoring an exercise program for each sport - and each position within each sport - is beneficial, she said. A soccer goalie might need lateral drills, but not as much sprinting. She enjoyed spending an extended amount of time with her patient, observing her progress from running a quarter mile to a full mile.

"I can see the results. You can tell in her face and her body she was ready to get back into everything," Chin said. "Seeing her happy and being excited to tell me she ran a mile yesterday and her knee was not hurting today, that was the greatest thing ever."

CHS Acting Dean Gail M. Evans Grayson, EdD, MA, said she is extremely proud of the scholarly contributions DPT students have made through their poster presentations.

"These presentations are not only a testament to their hard work and dedication but also highlight the innovative thinking and commitment to advancing the field of physical therapy," she said. "Their research brings fresh insights that strengthen our college's academic reputation and enhances the broader physical therapy profession. These scholars are the future leaders of health care, and their work will have a lasting impact on patient care and clinical practices."

Third-year DPT student Paula Yang conducted her 12-week clinical rotation at Casa Colina this summer. Spending an extended amount of time with a patient allowed her to see whether her interventions were working, and she could adjust based on the results. Putting together her case study poster reinforced what she learned on rotation.

"It really made me appreciate what we do for our patients. The specific interventions we give our patients have meaning and we have the research to back up why we do things," Yang said.

She appreciated the opportunity to see her classmates' work at the poster presentation event.

"It's nice to see everyone had a good experience in clinicals and they were able to bring something out of them," Yang said.

The case study presentation gives our third-year cohort the opportunity to demonstrate their growing capacity as "Movement Specialists," said Department of Physical Therapy Education Associate Chair Jeff Fairley, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT.

"The variety of cases on display is also a great example of the breadth of conditions that Physical Therapists can provide valuable interventions that impact patients' lives," he said. "We also hope this project will challenge our students to embrace a clinical researcher mentality that is willing to share unique conditions or innovative treatment approaches professionally with their peers. I would also like to acknowledge the collaboration with our clinical partners that provide these patient experiences that help shape our doctoral students."

DPT student Michael Guillen-Villa (right) talks about his case study poster. (Rodney Tanaka, WesternU)

Third-year DPT student Michael Guillen-Villa presented a case study on a patient who fell off a ladder in 2019 and slammed against a wall. His first goal was to decrease his patient's pain, Guillen-Villa said.

"By the end of six weeks, we were able to improve his functional mobility," Guillen-Villa said. "He could do much more around his house. He increased his strength around his neck and back. He told me he was grateful for what I did for him."

The poster presentation experience is designed to help the DPT students develop some of the professionalism components in our program, said Director of Clinical Education and Professor Janet Konecne, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, CSCS.

"Not only do they get a chance to dive deep into the diagnostic and intervention aspect of patient care, but this project helps them think about how they can communicate the important findings in a succinct manner, why they intervened in certain ways, and who was involved in helping in the patient recovery as a whole. These are critical skills as they embark on their clinical experiences toward becoming the professionals that they strive to be," she said. "This year, the students produced incredibly impactful, thoughtful, and high-level posters. They learned from their patients, the clinical instructors who helped guide their journey, and each other, through this educational opportunity. The students' understanding of the cases and the work that they did with our community partners was outstanding. They really performed at an exceptional level and many of them are ready to submit for state and/or national conferences. While participating in this and the many other professional and clinical development experiences that our DPT faculty create for our students, they are destined for success in this field."

Poster Presentation Awards for the DPT Class of 2025:

Most Engaging - Caitlin Chin

Most Creative - Kady Flores

Most Ready for Conference - Juma Mughrabi

Most Interesting - Emily Allen

Most Unusual PT Referral - Frank Nava

My Favorite - Diana Trannam

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