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A
letter from a Former Kinesiology Student - Brandi Smith (brangym@hotmail.com)
Dear Dr. Sanborn,
I graduated from the Kinesiology program at
TWU May 2003. I am currently getting my masters in Physical Therapy at
Texas State University in San Marcos. I have just completed my first year
and have managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA, which I had also achieved at TWU. I
was also part of the TWU gymnastics 7 time national championship team. Just
to give a little background about my self.
I am e-mailing you to let you know what a
wonderful job the TWU Kinesiology program, curriculum, and staff have done
in preparing me for Physical Therapy School.
16
out of the 32 students remaining in my class are Kinesiology majors from
various schools such as (Texas A & M, University of Texas, Texas State, St.
Edward's, University of North Texas, TWU, etc). In discussing with them
their experience in undergrad I discovered how much more we got to do. None
of them had actually done hydrostatic weighing, VO2 max and submax testing,
they had never calibrated a metabolic cart, were not very familiar with a
QRS wave and the meaning of it which was apparent on a pop quiz, much less
knew how to read an ECG strip, and very few were even good at taking resting
blood pressure and none had ever done an exercising BP.
We just recently finished our research
proposal. My group proposal was 39 pages long. Out of that me and another
TWU Kinesiology student (Carmece Cunningham) wrote 27 pages and lead the
group in the research process. None of them had written a paper of that
caliber before. Thanks to Dr. Ben Ezra and our huge research paper, the
research project and paper required in the Exercise phys. lab with VO2 max
and submax testing, as well as the research project, with proposal, final
paper, and poster presentation in mammalian physiology I was very
prepared. When we turned in drafts to our research chair and committee
chair the parts done by the two TWU students had almost no corrections or
comments other than well written. Where as the other two in our group had
many corrections and missed the concept of formal writing (Both Kinesiology
majors at UT and Tx state). When we began looking at data analysis with our
research the others in our group had never used an SPSS system. Luckily in
measurement and Eval Dr. Goode had us use the system and it came in very
helpful for our group.
And though I at the time felt it was
unnecessary to take a sports coaching class, it actually came in handy. The
goal writing process in that class is exactly the same as the goal writing
process in PT which was presented to us in a patient management class. We
also discussed teaching styles such as Pedagogical Learning and Androgocal
learning. Continually in the PT program we have referred to Blooms taxonomy
and the Gentile's Classification which were presented in the first
kinesiology classes...I think they changed the class to 1583.
I greatly appreciate Dr. Ben Ezra and Dr.
Biggerstaff and all their work they have down with Exercise Physiology and
Advance Exercise Physiology lectures and labs. Through out our program the
ACSM guidelines for exercise and contraindications to exercise as well as
such formulas as HR=SV * CO and (220 - age)* 0.65 to 0.75 = exercise HR have
been referred to and many of my class act as if they are learning it for the
first time. We as PT's must know the appropriate exercise parameters for
patients, especially the elderly and all their co morbidities. Once again
the exercise physiology curriculum prepared us well. I especially feel that
the lab experience was one of the greatest things I have gotten in my
education that others have not had the opportunity to have.
The silver hearts and silver fins (Senior
adult fitness class) has been helpful in many ways. Many of the testing we
did with Josh Wooten and the seniors (6 min walk, 6 RM, 10 RM, timed up and
go, etc) has come up continually in our pT program. It has been nice that I
have already administered these test, making being tested on them easier.
The internships, also proved to be very
beneficial to reinforce what Dr. Ben Ezra and Dr. Biggerstaff taught. None
of my classmates experienced that, which also contributes to their lack of
taking BP, reading ECG strips, and knowing proper parameters to exercise a
patient.
The Adapted physical education classes were
great in introducing me to children with disabilities and what kind of
activities to do with them. None of my classmates had that opportunity
through their curriculum. It came in very helpful when I had a child that I
saw for sensory integration difficulties and delayed motor development.
With the combination of the creativity I learned in the adapted PE class and
the therapeutic/ developmental techniques I have learned in PT school we got
her walking on her own. Dr. Huettig is one of the
most dedicated women I know with a heart the size of the world. Her
teaching and the chance to participate in the project I.N.S.P.I.R.E has
impacted my life forever, as well as participating with Dr. Sulliman-French
with the Denton ISD kids.
The biomechanics program and lab is also
wonderful. I only wish we had more time in the lab to learn the equipment
better. That lab is wonderful. Some classmates of mine are running into
huge problems with their research because they are analyzing the mechanics
of the knee in landing. But the lab at tx state is so obsolete that they
have had to do everything from making up software to doing things manually.
I know they wished they had a lab like TWU's.
As you can tell
my heart and loyalty will always belong to TWU and the Kinesiology
department (as well as the gymnastics program). My experience at TWU was an
excellent experience and one of, if not the wisest decision I have ever made
in my life. I just want you to know what an amazing, dedicated, and
intellectual staff you have and that your curriculum has paid off for me. I
think that the small class size, the caliber and the attitude of the
professors, and the curriculum have given me the education basis I needed to
enter into a masters physical therapy program. The professors in my
experience were always there to answer the numerous questions I had and even
if I had a lot, they would still take the time to make sure I understood
everything I was confused about. Thank you to all of my professors and all
those behind the scenes that get the program together.
Top
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Dr.
Kyle Biggerstaff (Protege) and Dr. Barney Sanborn (Mentor) were honored as
the 2003-2004 Chancellor's Research Fellows (CRF) during the 7th Annual
Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium. The CRF program identifies
faculty that have strong potential for obtaining external research funding
and pairs them with experienced mentors who have a successful track record
of research productivity and external funding. They were among the 10
Fellows selected for the academic year 2003-2004.
Robbie
Reid, Dept. Secretary,