Daemen College : Admissions : Meet our Students : Elise Bailey
Elise Bailey
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Elise Bailey came to Daemen College from the upper reaches of the Adirondack Mountains in order to take advantage of the wealth of clinical experience offered as part of Daemen’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Entering her fifth year of the six-year program, Elise is looking ahead to her future as a practicing physical therapist.
Would you recommend the program to others?
I would highly recommend the physical therapy program at Daemen College to students seeking out a career in this field. The curriculum has been strategically organized to provide students with the best possible experience to prepare them for success as a respected entry-level physical therapist. My favorite part of the physical therapy program is the amount of opportunities we are given to participate in a clinical-based practice setting. We completed 120 hours of observation prior to the professional phase of the program. During professional phase we have clinical exposure two hours a week where we co-treat patients with the faculty. The professional phase also includes four, nine week clinical internships which prepares us to confidently practice as entry level doctors of physical therapists.
Do you have any advice for prospective students entering your program?
The best advice I can provide to prospective students is to expose themselves to the field of physical therapy through observation prior to committing to the professional phase of the program.
Why did you choose Daemen?
I chose Daemen College because of the great reputation of the physical therapy department. It was important to me to attend a college that would provide me with an education that would truly be an investment in my future as a health care professional. I also chose Daemen College because of the small student-to-faculty ratio which provides a more intimate learning experience which suited my personality.
What are your personal and professional goals?
My goals include eventually starting a family of my own while working full-time as a physical therapist. I also plan on practicing for a couple of years before seeking out further opportunities to become certified in a specialty area of practice, possibly orthopedics.
Have you had an internship during your time at Daemen? Where?
I have completed one clinical internship thus far during my experience in the professional phase of the physical therapy program. I went to Eastern Niagara Hospital in Newfane, NY in the outpatient physical therapy department. I cared for patients with a variety of musculoskeletal pathologies during my nine weeks at the facility in the summer of 2009. I am currently preparing for my second nine -week internship which will take place in the summer of 2010 at the Cantalician Learning Center in Buffalo, NY. This internship will focus on pediatric neuromuscular rehabilitation with children ages 5-21 years old. Following that internship I will have two more nine-week internships during my last semester as a student at Daemen College for a total of 36 weeks of clinical internships.
Are you involved in any activities on campus?
I have been involved with the Learning Center on several occasions over the course of my five years at Daemen College. I have been a writing coach and a teaching assistant during my time here. I am honored to have been given these opportunities to help my peers. It is very rewarding to have played a role in their academic success.
What will be your lasting memory of Daemen?
My lasting memories of Daemen College will be of the good friends I have made during times of laughing and crying through school and knowing that we have all made it though together successfully after so much hard work and dedication.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years I hope to be a well-established professional physical therapist that is trusted and well-respected within my community. I hope to have grown into a well-rounded individual who values the balance between the personal, professional, and social aspects of life. No matter where I end up, I know that the time I have invested in my education is priceless and as long as I am happy, success will find me, and the rest will fall into place.