Community, Care, and the Future of Physical Therapy
Amanuel Nigatu is a second-year physical therapy student at the University of Minnesota and a Minneapolis native. Rooted in his East African heritage, he is committed to expanding awareness and access to physical therapy in communities where the field is less familiar. He is passionate about serving as a bridge between culturally grounded needs and PT care. Denzel Godwin, also a second-year physical therapy student who completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, has a similar approach to his work, integrating family, personal growth, academics, and community. He similarly strives to broaden PT services and ensure that more communities benefit from high-quality, accessible physical therapy resources. Together, they represent a new generation of physical therapy professionals committed to culturally informed care and community-centered service.
What motivated you to choose this particular UMN program?
Amanuel: I am a Minnesota native, and I went to the University of Minnesota for undergrad. I like the mission it carries and the role it plays in our community and in our state. The University is heavily involved in the community, and that is something I value. I also value being close to home. I was born and raised on the West Bank, so being able to attend school in my community, live at home, and stay in my neighborhood is a big draw of being at the University.
I also feel that UMN's health sciences and health education programs are really centered on serving the whole state of Minnesota and improving our state's and our communities' health and wellness. That is something I align with and value about being at the University.
It goes further. Growing up, most of my clinics, dentists, and eye doctors were all through the University, including the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC). The University has played a significant role in my community and in my personal life, which makes it even stronger. It feels full circle.
Denzel: I went to the University for undergrad, so the network definitely played a big role in my decision when choosing a program. I took a gap year, intentionally because, first, I wanted to take a break from school. We all need that sometimes. We get stuck in the system and do not always realize how long we have been in something until we are finished, or how much we need to see the real environment for what it is, and get a taste of the real world. I had to consider that grad school is an investment, and if I wanted to go back to school. Do I really want to pursue this? Do I want to devote my career and my life to this? You can be more than just one thing in your life, but I still had to decide whether I wanted to devote everything to this.
I networked with the program director before I even got in. I did research under her in my junior year, and through that, I saw the support available. Dr. Briana Partee, who was the DEI coordinator at the time and has been my mentor, took me under her wing when I was an undergrad and helped me meet everyone within the program. I saw an opportunity to grow and make connections, and that helped a lot.
What aspects of the program do you particularly appreciate?
Amanuel: I really appreciate how committed the faculty and staff are. They are dedicated to ensuring students have the best learning experience. They truly listen to students and incorporate our feedback, desires, and interests into the curriculum. They have consistently made an effort to do that from the time I started the program to now, and I really value it.
I also really appreciate the practical learning we do, like things directly related to what you actually do on the job. We simulate real physical therapy cases and scenarios, and that is incredibly beneficial for learning. We are being taught and prepared with the tools we need to be practitioners right out of the gate.
I also value the many extracurricular opportunities there are in our program. We can volunteer in physical therapy-related settings outside the classroom, such as the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic, a free local clinic. We have also had opportunities at places like the Diabetic Food Clinic. Being able to get involved in the community while we are still learning and while we are still students is great for our development, and it allows us to give back and work with real people.
Denzel: I appreciate how much effort the program puts into training students to become the best clinical health professionals they can be. The University of Minnesota is an R1 school, so research comes first, and not every school has that. Even as physical therapy students, not researchers, we still do research, and everyone is devoted to learning something and diving into a niche subject.
You get so much information from the professors, and they do their best to give you what they know without overreaching. A single course might run over a 13-week semester, but different professors come in throughout. That may be hard for some people, but in retrospect, you are getting the best information because every person who teaches you is sharing what they have dedicated their life to. And it shows. They want you to succeed.
How is the program preparing you for your career goals?
Amanuel: I would say the volunteering and extracurricular opportunities have definitely influenced my career trajectory. Working at a free clinic in a local community near my home, where I grew up, has contributed to my desire to serve people who are under-resourced, who are not familiar with the profession, and who are not getting the care they should from a physical therapy perspective. That experience has motivated me to think about the kind of clientele I want to work with in the future.
Another way the program is preparing me is through exposure to many different fields within physical therapy. Our faculty come from a wide range of specialties and clinical backgrounds, and that has been really beneficial for my learning. It has expanded the number of fields I am exposed to and am considering for my future career. We have a good mix of specialties among our faculty, and I really value that.
Denzel: I had experience in business, clinical research, and customer service before coming into the program, but I came across a lot of opportunities in my first year to get involved in advocacy, representing the profession at the state and national level, and being a voice for my peers. I currently work for the school in the DEI sector, and with everything going on in that space, our work is becoming even more important. That is something I want to continue carrying with me as I move forward.
Through my involvement, I have built a foundation in advocacy. I am working under Allyson Sutkowi-Hemstreet, PT, DPT, CCS, one of our professors and the program's point person for DEI. She replaced my previous mentor, who first took me under her wing when I came to the school. Now, part of my role involves giving back to undergraduate students and speaking at high schools. Over the next few months, I will be speaking to undergrads about what physical therapy is.
So I would say advocacy and the connections I have made have helped me a lot. I am always thinking about whom I can learn from, who is doing the work I imagine myself doing, not to emulate it exactly, but to learn from their experiences and tailor what I gain to my own passions and goals.
What does a typical week look like for you?
Amanuel: Usually, I spend the morning in class, and I might try to get a workout in before class or later in the day. After class, there are a lot of things we're involved in through the program. I might have some of the volunteering, either working at the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic or other volunteer activities I do through my church.
I may also have school-related meetings. We have research groups that meet regularly to work on faculty projects, so I often have work to do for that. I am also a peer tutor, so I tutor students. I am also an interpreter and work at a clinic. Then, of course, there is time spent studying, maybe a few hours a day. It is a good mix of things spread out across the week, and somewhere in there, I spend time with family and friends. Time with my fiancée and walking my dog might be part of it, too.
Denzel: It can vary, but on a normal day, I usually have school in the morning from about 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. I have come to realize that the best way to optimize your productivity is to be a morning person.
Now, I get up early, and I train. Right now, twice a day because I have a competition next month. I train before class because it is how I take care of myself. That is my sanity. From about 4:30 a.m. until 8:00 a.m., it is all about doing what I need to keep myself in the best shape possible, mentally and physically, so I can receive and absorb the information in class. You are not just waking up, brushing your teeth, and running to class; you have already done something for yourself. I think that empowers you.
After class ends, I like to study. Ideally, I want to separate school and home. When you are a grad student, it is basically a nine-to-five, so you have to treat school as work and home as home.
What are your plans after completing your program?
Amanuel: I will be hoping to pass my licensure exam and start working as a physical therapist in a role where I can work within my community and have a positive impact. I also hope to gain mentorship as an early clinician, guidance from the place where I work to help me grow and develop my skills right away. That is something I really look forward to.
I also want to stay involved in more ways, giving back to students who are coming up. That might take different forms, as I am involved in several things now that I would like to continue. As an adult and a professional, I feel like I can have an even bigger impact by serving alongside my clinical practice.
Denzel: I have aspirations to be more than just a clinician, and I can confidently say that. I have a small business, and I would like to continue building that as well. Right now, it is primarily personal training with a rehab–fitness component. I cannot give advice as a physical therapist because I am not one yet, but I focus on holistic wellness, diet, fitness, sleep, and the intangibles that help someone live a long and healthy life.
What advice would you give to a prospective student?
Amanuel: I would tell anyone interested in physical therapy to start by exposing themselves to the field and immersing themselves in it as much as they can. I would encourage people to shadow different physical therapists in different settings and really get an idea of what the day-to-day job is like, because I feel that is the most valuable thing you can learn when considering any profession.
I would also encourage them to get connected with others who share the same interests. That could mean joining pre-physical therapy clubs at the University or other schools, or getting in touch with students like myself or my peers who are open to talking about the field, like Denzel, for example, who works in outreach. Those are the main things I would recommend.
Denzel: I would say seek advice from those who have actually been in the situation. Do not seek your friends' opinions, and do not rely on people who have not experienced the aspirations you have for yourself.
For many people, especially those like me who are the first in their family to pursue graduate studies, it can feel easier to choose a different path because the support is not always there. Representation only gets smaller at this level. So you have to be your own fire. You have to light your own flame at times because no one can do it for you.
You will not know until you try. Trying is everything. Observe, shadow, network, and serve the community.
What do you like best about learning, living, and potentially practicing in Minnesota?
Amanuel: I would say, first, I really like being in Minnesota because we have policy and leadership that feel very people-driven. I feel like Minnesota prioritizes its people's well-being, health, and safety more than a lot of places. That makes you feel supported by the government. I have a good level of trust in Minnesota's leadership.
I also really appreciate the diversity of the Twin Cities and how many strong, vibrant communities exist here. My own Ethiopian community is strong and active, along with so many other East African, immigrant, and communities of color. People from many backgrounds build really solid support networks here, and it feels very welcoming. Another thing I like about living and working in Minnesota is that it has everything you need without being too overwhelming.
Denzel: Learning, living, and potentially practicing here all connect for me. One of the reasons I came back and did not stay in Chicago is that there are fewer distractions here. Minnesota is not too busy a city, and it has a good balance. The city has enough resources and things to do, but it is not overwhelming the way Chicago can be.
Since I have lived here most of my life, it is not a new environment that would pull my mind away from school. Once winter comes, everyone focuses on what they need to do because we are inside anyway. It is usually calm out here; a very calm environment where you can focus on yourself. I think it is a place where you can really develop. That is why I think Minnesota is a good place to prepare yourself for the next level of your life.
