Luan Aguiar almost instantly found a place to build his future at the Mount.
Entering the Mount’s DPT Program, Luan transferred to the Mount from NKU to take part in the Mount’s DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) program, and as expected for a position in such a competitive graduate program, he felt some anxiety interviewing for the position. Despite Luan’s anxiety, the interviewing process made him feel welcomed and allowed him to remain as calm as possible.
“It was very welcoming and really made me feel like the staff cared about the students' success at an individual level, and I wasn't just another GPA/GRE on their excel sheet,” says Luan.
After officially being accepted into the Physical Therapy program, Luan had to take a graduate-level Human Gross Anatomy course, an incredibly difficult and intense course for anyone entering a Physical Therapy program. With the combined stress and excitement of taking such a challenging class and entering a new program, Luan’s doubts began to speak louder. But, through hard work and determination, he was able to overcome his personal doubts and perform very well on quizzes and exams in the class. Seeing his work pay off and his grades sore was an excellent morale booster and helped eliminate any doubts Luan had about his ability to handle the challenges of the DPT program.
Thriving on And Off Campus
Fully a part of the DPT program and the Mount community, Luan became involved with CB Moves, an adaptive ballet program organized by Cincinnati Ballet for children with disabilities. Watching the progress of children in CB Moves was incredibly rewarding to Luan and an all around amazing experience. “It is truly rewarding to see their improvements either physically or personality wise,” Luan says.
Currently, Luan is designing an adaptive soccer research project for students with cerebral palsy with a group of fellow Physical Therapy students at the Mount. The project aims to analyze the impact that participating in adaptive soccer has on children with cerebral palsy, and provide a more objective understanding of how impactful physical activity is for children with disabilities. With healthcare being a field where the actions of the healthcare provider can directly and significantly impact the lives of their patients, Luan is thankful to be able to participate in this research project. “This serves as a great opportunity for me to have a more direct contact with research and I'm sure it will be a very useful experience in my professional future, since I do have an interest in being involved with more research,” Luan explains.
A Word of Thanks to the Mount Community
Luan is thankful to the Mount for the support it has provided him in accepting the challenges of taking on Physical Therapy. The Mount’s community atmosphere, he feels, makes him feel like he’s a part of something bigger – where Luan feels he can get any support he needs and be there to support others at the same time. He’s grateful to the professors at the Mount, who have provided him insight and constructive criticism when he needed help in his studies. “They always make the conversations important to you as a student and as a professional which creates many opportunities for growth,” says Luan. Luan is also grateful for all faculty and staff at the Mount for the role they play in building the community that has helped him grow so profoundly, including the administrative assistants, who he recalls have always been timely and helpful, and the custodian that supports the Physical Therapy program by keeping classrooms clean and organized.
“I have had the pleasure to have many conversations with them,” Luan recalls.
Climbing Higher
Looking forward, Luan plans to work in the Mount’s pro bono clinic, which he had the opportunity to participate in for a few hours last fall, in the coming semesters. Luan hopes to use his talents, knowledge and skills to create treatments for patients in the pro bono clinic without having to worry about insurance restrictions and limitations. In the next few years, he expects his continued hard work to guide him into a professional career in Physical Therapy, where he can help even more patients.
To Luan, climbing higher means a never ending journey towards excellence and perfection – an abstract peak that will guide him in a journey of continuous growth and improvement. “It is not about the next accomplishment, but rather the impact you have on your way towards them,” Luan states. “It is about how much you can grow as a person and use that growth towards making the life of others a better experience.”
Interested in Learning More About the Mount’s DPT Program?
Students in the DPT program seek to find new and innovative ways to help patients improve movement and manage pain. DPT students build foundational knowledge on Physical Therapy, learn to think critically and problem solve, respect the dignity of all patients, and engage in personalized and collaborative learning that prepares them to become physical therapists. Visit our Doctor of Physical Therapy page to learn more about courses and career opportunities in this program!