My educational path was very long and arduous. I obtained my associate's, bachelor's, master's, and now my doctorate all in athletic training. When I became a certified athletic trainer, many colleagues of mine had pursued their master's degrees. I wanted to stay relevant and competitive in my field, so I chose to also pursue mine. I completed an accelerated post-professional program and it was very taxing. However, I felt it was an important step in continuing my education.

After a few years, I realized that very few individuals in athletic training received their doctorate and practiced in the secondary school setting. I had at this time fallen in love with my clinical setting, but also felt there was a discrepancy between practicing clinicians at the secondary school levels compared to other settings. It was then that I began researching how to advance my practice and become better recognized as a leader in my field.

My research led me to a few different Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) programs. Ultimately, the ATSU DAT program’s flexibility and specialty tracks are what attracted me at first. I began my journey through the DAT nearly four years ago, and I couldn't be happier. The all-star ATSU faculty combined with the unique online delivery was incredible and really fed my passion for knowledge and education, while also spurning new passions in areas I never knew I would enjoy.

Now as I end this journey, I can happily view myself as an advanced practice leader in my field and can deliver unique healthcare in the secondary school setting. I am looking forward to getting involved within state leadership and advisory committee positions to help continue to advance the AT profession and optimize healthcare.