SLU PT Alumni Spotlight: John Schaefer, PT, DPT, CSCS

SLU PT Alumni John Schaefer Incorporates Other Passions into PT 

John Schaefer, PT, DPT, CSCS (Class of 2022) had experienced much uncertainty surrounding the field of Physical Therapy throughout his time at SLU. Having other interests including marketing, entrepreneurship, and journalism, he often asked himself how he could incorporate all these different fields into a future career and if PT was the right path for him.

As a PY3, he decided to start reaching out to PT’s around the country, who were pursuing unique ventures and doing things he didn’t know were possible under the title of DPT. He began recording these conversations and now routinely releases episodes on his podcast SnackBreak, under the parent company Orthosnacks (@orthosnacks), an educational platform and social media company focused on empowering students and clinicians to make the most out of their DPT with bite sized, digestible information.

John is currently an orthopedic resident training in Houston, TX @harrishealthsystems and just released the book THE RESIDENCY PLAYBOOK: A Step By Step Guide To Mastering the RF-PTCAS and Securing A Spot in Your Dream Physical Therapy Residency with the goal of demystifying the residency application process for future applicants! You can purchase the workbook on Amazon in either paperback or kindle format, as well as listen to the audio versions for free on Spotify and Youtube.

SLU PT Students Recognized by the Foundation for Physical Therapy

Left: SLU DPT Student Caroline Lipic
Right: President Edelle Field-Fote, PT, PHD, FAPTA

Saint Louis University Program in Physical Therapy Receives National Recognition for its Contribution to the Pitt-Marquette Challenge

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research awarded the Saint Louis University Program in Physical Therapy students with an Honorable Mention for their efforts to support the Foundation through the 2018-2019 Pitt-Marquette Challenge. Altogether, the SLU Program in Physical Therapy raised over $3,000 in donations during Spirit Week of November 2018.

Top fundraising schools for the 2018-2019 Pitt Marquette Challenge
Far Left: SLU DPT Student, Caroline Lipic

Top fundraising schools, like Saint Louis University, were announced on June 13, 2019, at the Foundation’s Awards Luncheon held during the 2019 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) NEXT Conference and Exposition in Chicago. Marquette University co-hosted the luncheon which was also sponsored by the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT).

Traveling to Chicago for the APTA(NEXT) Conference, SLU DPT Student Caroline Lipic was able to accept the award on behalf of all SLU PT students involved in the campaign. Pictured at top, Edelle Field-Fote, PT, PHD, FAPTA, Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine bestows this distinguished award to SLU DPT student Caroline Lipic. Dr. Field-Fote is also President of the Foundation's Board of Trustees.

The Marquette Challenge unites PT & PTA students from across the country in a singular effort to raise money for the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research and their awardees. “There is a friendly competition between schools to see who can fundraise the most,” said McKayla Figueroa, SPT, a student coordinator for Marquette University. “But the most important thing is just to participate at any level. We’re all connected by a shared passion for helping people through physical therapy.”

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research is a national, independent nonprofit organization conferring grants, scholarships, and fellowships to leading researchers in the field. For over 40 years the Foundation has relied on the donations of individuals and institutions to fund scientifically based and clinically relevant research initiatives. Their mission is to shape the future of healthcare through physical therapy research. Incorporated as a charitable organization in 1979, the Foundation has awarded more than $17 million in grants, fellowships, and scholarships to nearly 600 researchers. Learn more about the Foundation's investments in the physical therapy profession at www.foundation4pt.org.

Story by Kristin Hrasky