David Smith, '97 MSPT, '07 DPT

An exercise in leadership: active duty in Afghanistan

David Smith is a physical therapist. He's also a captain in the United States Army Reserves. He says he's just a regular guy, but in 2005 he was the first physical therapist ever to be assigned with a combat unit in Afghanistan. As if that weren't special enough, he continued his doctoral studies in PT online while serving there.

"I wasn't sure I would be able to continue with the DPT Bridge program when I was called to active duty," explains Smith. "But the program was flexible and the courses were online. My schedule in Afghanistan became somewhat routine — morning visits to combat units, afternoon appointments with on-site patients, and on call at night for any emergencies. Quiet evenings became predictable and I decided I could pursue my studies during that time. I enrolled in two online courses in the DPT Bridge program over my course of duty. I found the online courses to be as challenging and informative as when I completed my Masters in PT at Simmons in the late 90s."

To be the first physical therapist on active duty with a combat unit during the war in Afghanistan proved to be an amazing opportunity, says Smith. "I was able to help write the standard operating procedures for how the PT job would be done. I was given guidelines from the Chief of the Army Reserves physical therapists, but it was left up to me to be aggressive in getting the program up and running, letting those I was assigned to know what I had to offer and what I could do."

And what he could do was plenty. "The Army approach to PT is everything the DPT at Simmons is all about. I diagnosed cases, I ordered diagnostic tests, I prescribed meds. I was often the highest ranking medical officer at the camp or forward operating base at which I was working. The program at Simmons is designed to create PT leaders and my time in Afghanistan proved that it works."

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