Falguni Patel, '99 BS in Biopsychology, '04 DPT

Physical Therapist and Clinical Instructor, Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, Braintree, Mass.

Recognizing the rewards of teamwork, communication, and flexibility

Falguni Patel was born and lived in Mumbai, India, until the age of 10 when her father moved her family to America. "Dad wanted my sister and me to attend school. Higher education was not encouraged for women back in India. I'm proud to be the first woman in my family to graduate from college."

Patel says after finishing high school her father "pushed" her to attend Simmons because he had heard good things about the college. "It was a �push' in the right direction," she laughs. Her experience as an undergraduate at Simmons was so positive she had no question about returning for her doctorate in physical therapy.

"The faculty and staff at the School of Health Sciences are dedicated to providing a comprehensive, patient-centered education. The class sizes are small. The professors are among the best and the brightest in their respective fields. I found the program to be challenging; it brought out the best in me."

As part of securing her doctorate in PT, Patel completed an eight-month clinical internship at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital. Four months into the internship, the hospital offered her a full-time position. She is now one of six physical therapists on the orthopedic and medically complex floor where she works with a team of health care providers, including occupational and speech therapists, case managers, nurses, physiatrists, and orthopedists.

"Having worked for two years now, I have come to appreciate the concepts of teamwork, communication, and flexibility that my professors emphasized in the program. The SHS is committed to providing not only advancing knowledge in the field of physical therapy but also to encouraging students to embrace change and focus on inter-professional collaboration."

Patel also serves as a clinical instructor at the hospital working with PT students. "It's incredibly rewarding," she says. "When I work with Simmons PT students in particular, I know I can expect prepared and enthusiastic professionals-in-training. It's a privilege to pass along to them what I know and have learned as a working physical therapist."