Is a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Worth It? If you’re dreaming about helping patients restore their mobility and quality of life, and you’re exploring what it would take to become a physical therapist, you may be wondering, “Is a degree in physical therapy worth it?” The answer to this question depends, of course, on your personal career goals. Some people choose to become physical therapist assistants because only a two-year associate degree is required. It’s true that pursuing a doctorate takes time and effort; however, there are countless advantages to earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. To that end, let’s look at some of the factors that make a Doctor in Physical Therapy (DPT) degree the best first step on an exceptional career Read more
Kellan Quigley MS, OTR/L, is an Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at USAHS. Kellan was the Lead Occupational Therapist and Clinical Coordinator for multidisciplinary rehabilitation services at Strive! Rehabilitation/Ocala Health in Ocala, Florida.
Upon graduating in 2012 from Western Michigan University with his Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Kellan relocated to Gainesville, Florida and initiated his career in acute inpatient rehabilitation. Within a year, Kellan transitioned to a newly developing trauma therapy team at Ocala Regional Medical Center as a contracted employee with Strive! Rehabilitation. This particular clinical environment allowed Kellan to advance and accelerate in acute traumatology, geriatrics, bariatrics, orthopedic and stoke rehabilitation. Within the acute setting, Kellan served as Lead Occupational Therapist whose responsibilities included: new graduate training, protocol development, clinical instruction/clinical coordination, as well as collaboration with interdisciplinary medical services to maximize patient outcomes.
In addition, Kellan’s clinical time was focused on specialized treatment of the upper extremity under the mentorship of well-established Certified Hand Therapists. In conjunction with his outpatient practices, Kellan had the opportunity to become certified in Functional Capacity Evaluation completing his training through Ergoscience.
