Former BGSU athlete draws parallels between training for 2024 U.S. Olympic trials 和 pursuing an 加速 physical therapy degree

瑞秋Walny ‘17, ‘21 relies on self-discipline 和 determination for both

作者:Laren Kowalczyk '07

No one forces 瑞秋Walny ‘17, ‘21 to run 8 to 10 miles a day, six days a week.

她决心获得2024年美国奥运会的参赛资格.S. Olympic trials 和 knows the training 和 preparation required to reach that goal.

沃尔尼正在接近 物理治疗博士项目 鲍灵格林州立大学的学生也抱着同样的心态.

“As a runner, you have to be a self-starter 和 extremely disciplined,” she said. “在幕后有很多工作, 和 you really have to enjoy putting your head down 和 doing the work. 这个项目也是一样. You have to have the self-discipline 和 focus to do what you need 和 get it done in the limited amount of time we have.”

The University’s 物理治疗博士项目 is Ohio’s first 和 only public, 加速, 混合DPT程序, 和 Walny is among 96 students in the first cohort – the largest in the state – that began last fall. 这将是沃尔尼在波士顿州立大学的第四个学位, 她还是田径和越野赛的佼佼者.

Dr. 谢丽尔·奥布雷根，临床助理教授 物理治疗学院 在BGSU, 沃尔尼想要成功的动力从一开始就很明显, 无论是在课堂上还是在她作为团队领导者的角色上. 学生 were grouped into teams of 10 at the beginning of the semester to provide each other support throughout the program.

“She’s already demonstrating skills of being the kind of leader who pushes people to be the best versions of themselves,奥布雷根说. "She leads by example 和 creates a path of trust with her colleagues in the cohort. I expect she’ll carry that into the future when interacting with her patients.

“她工作很努力, 勤奋的, purposeful 和 gets the job done no matter what obstacle is in front of her.” 

沃尔尼有学士学位 运动科学 和双硕士学位 运动机能学 和 食物和营养 从BGSU. 作为一名本科生, 她在田径和越野比赛中创造了许多记录, 包括五公里赛跑的学校纪录, 6K, 5,室内1000米和10米,000米在户外.

Walny also is the only BGSU athlete selected to the NCAA Division I All-Region 越野 team during all four years of her eligibility. 

2021年从波士顿州立大学毕业并获得硕士学位后, 沃尔尼说她不确定自己的前进道路. Pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy had always been a thought, 但她也考虑过从事营养学方面的职业.

Then, the University announced its new 混合DPT程序, 和 Walny said she took it as a sign.

“When they announced the program, I thought it sounded perfect,” she said. “I had such a good academic experience 在BGSU that I felt this program would be a natural fit.”

Walny, 和她的大多数同龄人一样, lives out of state 和 travels to BGSU twice a semester for h和s-on clinical practice. 以及项目的要求, she works part-time at a local running store in Clinton Township, 密歇根, 在她家附近.

She said the flexibility of the hybrid model has been crucial to managing it all.

“It’s definitely a lot of work with it being an 加速 program, but the hybrid aspect really provides us with such an advantage because we can complete our classes from anywhere,沃尔尼说 as she sat in the Clinton-Macomb Public Library between classes. “我可以根据课程和学习时间来安排我的一周.”

因为她参与了大学电子游戏平台网址大全, Walny said she’s interested in a career in sports physical therapy.

She said she’d like to combine her knowledge of physical therapy with her background in nutrition to provide athletes with a holistic approach to their performance.

“很多次, nutrition is not something that’s considered in the world of physical therapy,沃尔尼说. “但是将营养与物理治疗相结合, 尤其是对运动员来说, 是他们全面健康所必需的吗.”

沃尔尼正在训练，以获得参加美国奥运会的资格.S. Olympic marathon trials - a race that, even as a seasoned runner, she hasn’t run. 当事情变得困难时，她说她会专注于自己的目标.

“有些跑步肯定比其他的更难，”沃尔尼说. “当我需要坚持下去的时候, I think about the goals I’m training for 和 how grateful I am for the opportunity. 我以同样的心态对待DPT项目. I stay focused on my goals 和 push forward even when it’s difficult.”