Tracy Moody BS Mathematics, 2006 Wheeling Jesuit University Will graduate with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree in August 2008 Wheeling Jesuit University Student Physical Therapist

Growing up in rural Ohio, I learned the benefits of hard work, which led to my love for math.  To elaborate, math has always been a challenge for me, which has only attracted me to it even more.  My desire to be involved in challenging events, led me to Wheeling Jesuit University.  Here I competed against fellow student for a scholarship in math, and upon winning the scholarship became a math major.  During my undergraduate years at Wheeling Jesuit, I learned the true beauty of math.  I came to admire the artistic quality it had.  I fell in love with Escher's mathematical patterns.  I was even intrigued by statistics, which is where I focused my attention for my senior thesis. However, my true desire in life has been to help others.  I decided the best way I could do this was through a career as a physical therapist.  Many people cannot seem to fathom how math and physical therapy overlap.  Well, one of the obvious things is that physical therapists use statistics to see if new treatments work.  However, the main thing I bring as a mathematician to my graduate studies is my ability to problem solve.  A degree in mathematics taught me how to look at a problem from several angles. Furthermore one of the main classes that carried over into my career choice is, believe it or not, real analysis.  I can remember working with my fellow classmates on problems for hours.  However, through this process, I learned the importance of perseverance, and I learned how to communicate the problem and solutions in several ways.   This helps me now because I am enrolled in a problem based learning program.  In this program, the students teach each other and look up the information on their own.  Because of my experience as a math major, I can explain a problem/solution in several angles.  I can look at a problem from another person's perspective.  This will all carry over into the clinic setting.  I will be able to see things from a patient's perspective and better explain everything.  Finally, my problem solving skills will help me to perform differential diagnoses for my patients.  In conclusion, math has given me the challenge I desire and has had a huge carry over into my career choice as a physical therapist.