The 49 students representing the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) class of 2027 at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (SPTRS) received their first white coats Feb. 27 at the University of South Florida Marshall Student Center.
The Commitment to the Profession Ceremony marks a formal welcoming of students into the physical therapy profession.
For Naples, Fla. native Dominique Dimeglio, getting her first white coat represents a promise she made while she was a physical therapy patient. She wants to bring the same level of compassionate care to her future patients that she once received herself.
“This is an exciting day for me and all my classmates,” she said. “My first white coat represents a commitment to something bigger than myself. I look forward to helping my patients get back to where they used to be and affecting long term change in their lives.”
Alexander Garvey, a native of Boyds, Md., said versatility and community are the reasons he chose to leave his home state to attend SPTRS.
“I love that this is a field where I can be part of multiple specialties and see a variety of patients,” he said. “I love the culture at USF Health. My experience has been great. I’ve met some of my best friends here and look forward to continuing this journey with them.”
The class of 2028 set new records in sponsorship and scholarship awards. More than $25,000 was raised for the school’s white coat sponsorship program and more than $75,000 in scholarships were awarded.
“This year’s record scholarship awards demonstrate our unwavering commitment to investing in our students and we couldn’t be prouder of the passion and dedication the DPT class of 2028 brings to the physical therapy profession,” said Douglas Haladay, DPT, PhD, professor and director of SPTRS.
Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, reminded the students about the responsibilities that come with wearing the white coat.
“The white coat confers unique privileges but also carries burdens,” Dr. Lockwood said. “The requirements that you always display integrity, honesty, humility and put the needs of our patients at the center of everything you do. The future belongs to you, and you will have all of the resources and support you need to leverage your talents for the betterment of humanity.”
During the ceremony, school leaders also presented awards recognizing SPTRS community and interprofessional partners. The Spirit of Interprofessionalism Award is presented to individuals who have promoted the role of physical therapists in collaborative health care teams. This year’s recipient was Patrick Murray, MD, head team physician for the USF football and soccer teams, and physician in the Morsani College of Medicine Department of Family Medicine. The Un-BULL-ieveable Clinical Partner Award, given to clinical and community partners who have provided steadfast support of the school, was presented to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of North Tampa.
The SPTRS Alumni Association Scholarship and Thomas Oxley Memorial Scholarship were two new student scholarships presented during the ceremony. The alumni association scholarship was established in 2018 on the 20th anniversary of the school’s inception to engage alumni. Nathan Schuliger, class of 2027, was the first recipient of the alumni association scholarship.
The Thomas Oxley Memorial Scholarship honors the late Thomas “Ox” Oxley, who served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head athletic trainer from 1977 to 1984. The scholarship was created by his daughter Elizabeth to honor her father by helping in the education of compassionate and skilled future physical therapists. Dylan Schmucker, class of 2027, was the inaugural recipient.
Dylan Schmucker, SPTRS class of 2027, with Ellizabeth Oxley after the Class of 2028 Commitment to the Profession Ceremony. Schmucker was the inaugural recipient of the Thomas Oxley Memorial Scholarship established by his daughter Elizabeth, to honor his memory and commitment to the field of physical therapy.
Scholarship recipients and award winners announced during the ceremony:
Betty Castor Endowed Scholarship in Physical Therapy: Christopher Catt, class of 2028
CORA Health Services, Inc. Scholarship: Devin Leath, class of 2028
Gregory R. Nicolosi Commitment to Professionalism Award: Dylan Schmucker, class of 2027
Laura Lee “Dolly” Swisher Scholarship: Andy Harrington, class of 2027
SPTRS Alumni Scholarship: Nathan Schuliger, class of 2027
Thomas Oxley Memorial Scholarship: Dylan Schmucker, class of 2027
Tiedemann Circle of Motion Scholarship: Michael Carboni, Amaryllis Cruz, Christina D’Aquila, Victoria Gentry, Lauran Gettel, Jaida Hall, Lauren Kuller, Amanda Levy, Natalie Morlock, Rosalyn Muniz, Alexus Pyles, Gabriela Williams
Vorholy Memorial Scholarship: Sofia Schemkes, class of 2027
Additional images from the ceremony
