For Bryan Hurd, DPT ‘24, he knew his calling as a physical therapist very early on. He first toured St. Ambrose University as a sophomore at Bettendorf High School, eager to get a jump on college visits during a holiday break.
“I was thinking about physical therapy at that time and got a tour of campus and really enjoyed the facilities. And on every college visit I went on afterwards, I realized that I was constantly comparing back to Ambrose. That was the gold standard that I had been looking for,” Bryan said.
During the admissions process, Bryan became the recipient of the Ambrose Advantage Scholarship, offering tuition-free education during his time as an undergrad on campus. He still remembers the moment his admissions counselor reached out to share the news with him.
“I was jumping up and down the middle of the locker bay when I found out that I got the Ambrose Scholar award, and my locker mate was very confused. I had to tell her quickly and through normal voice tone what was happening,” Bryan said. “But it was for lack of a better term, life changing.”
Bryan started at St. Ambrose in 2019 as an exercise science major on the track one physical therapy program. In 2022, he transitioned into the physical therapy program, with that year counting toward both his undergraduate and graduate studies.
During his first semester of college, he was in a class for pre-physical therapy courses called Biology 199. For this course, he attended supplemental study sessions, and it was there that he made a lot of strong friendships and learned to navigate the academic landscape of his major.
“I got closer with some of my classmates. I did really well in that class because of it, and it set me up for succeeding in college in general. Supplemental instruction for that class really was the thing that helped me get across the stage and make some good friends that I still have,” Bryan said.
Bryan carried those lessons forward when he became a graduate assistant for the Student Success Center, a role he held for two years. Inspired by the support he had received, he dedicated himself to helping other students thrive. As an academic probation success coach, Bryan worked closely with students, checking in weekly and helping them overcome challenges.
“I was more than happy to help out with them, and it was a great experience because I was doing a lot of tutoring for students,” Bryan said.
When Bryan was at Ambrose, a friend recommended that he apply for a position at Rock Valley Physical Therapy in Davenport, IA. For him, this was one of the first steps down the path to becoming a physical therapist. He worked for Rock Valley for two years and gained plenty of firsthand experience along the way.
“Rock Valley is mostly outpatient orthopedics, so I got a lot of experience there, just witnessing what it was like. And I already knew I liked physical therapy, and it made me enjoy it even more,” Bryan said.
After working at Rock Valley, Bryan was able to gain clinical experience at multiple different locations. However, outpatient therapy continued to resonate with him.
“You're trying to figure out what's going on with the patient, how to get them better, and you develop a long relationship with them. They're coming in there for weeks to months at a time, so you get that real connection,” Bryan said.
Bryan’s plans for the future have been informed both by his work as a mentor in the past and his positive experiences being mentored. He looks forward to connecting with patients and following them on their healing journeys as well as preparing other students for the physical therapy field as well.
“I would love to be a mentor for other students through becoming a clinical instructor. I would take students for a while and help them grow until they are ready to enter field just like I did,” Bryan said.
