How Rehabilitation Science is Preparing Me for Chiropractic School

Tara Dean is completing her first year in the Rehabilitation Science program at Pitt. After graduating in 2027, Dean plans to attend chiropractic school and will apply to the Pitt Doctor of Chiropractic program.

Read on to learn more about Dean’s experience in the Rehabilitation Science program and how it is preparing her for a career in chiropractic care.

Choosing the Rehabilitation Science Program

I heard about the Rehabilitation Science program through word of mouth. I was drawn to the program when I began taking classes in SHRS before I was accepted, such as Introduction to Athletic Training and the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. When I took these classes, it was clear to me that the level of experience and professionalism in SHRS is unlike any other school at Pitt. I became more excited to apply once I learned about the opportunities I would encounter here as an SHRS student. The most valuable opportunity has been meeting professionals in the field who are my professors and guest lecturers. There are so many networking opportunities in SHRS that I’ve been grateful to take advantage of.

My interest in chiropractic came about during my first semester in the Rehabilitation Science program. When I was taking the Introduction to Rehabilitation Science course, Dr. Michael Schneider gave a lecture about the field and Pitt’s new Doctor of Chiropractic program. I was inspired by the research-intensive approach to chiropractic offered here at Pitt, and coupled with my experience as a chiropractic patient, I decided to switch my focus from physical therapy to chiropractic. The Rehabilitation Science program provides a strong foundation for this career because of its emphasis on hands-on learning and experiential learning, which is essential to be a successful chiropractic provider.

A woman with brown curled hair wearing a Pitt cheerleading uniform and holding yellow pom poms while sitting on a football field. — Tara Dean (BS ‘27) on the football field at Acrisure Stadium cheering on the Pitt Panthers.

Rehabilitation Science Coursework

My favorite course was my Emergency Medical Technician course, which is actually in the Emergency Medicine program, and I was able to take as an elective. I love to work hands-on and the EMT lab fulfilled everything I could have asked for in that respect. My lab instructor Robbie Charles was amazing and did everything he could to prepare us to work as EMTs. Our lecture instructor Sheldon Williams, an assistant professor from the Emergency Medicine program and the City of Pittsburgh director of public safety, also made a huge impression on me with the stories he told about working in the field. He made the dense material manageable for me, and it inspired me to work as an EMT the following summer.

Additionally, a Rehabilitation Science course that surprised me was Issues in Healthcare. What I loved about it was how each week a different health professional came into our classroom to lecture about a specific topic of issue in the health care system. I learned more from hearing the professionals speak candidly than I think I ever would have from a book.

Pathokinesiology Certificate

I am pursuing the Pathokinesiology in Rehabilitation certificate. I think the certificate will give me crucial foundational knowledge about musculoskeletal conditions and will help improve my diagnostic skills as a provider. I knew that the certificate would apply to all my areas of interest, and I was able to fit it into my schedule with the help of my advisor.

A woman with brown hair pulled back wearing a royal blue tank top and black shorts. — Tara Dean (BS ‘27) in the Pitt Recreation and Wellness Center working as a fitness instructor.

Involvements Outside of the Program

I currently work as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor in the Recreation and Wellness Center at Pitt. I am a certified EMT and have worked on an ambulance for several months. This summer I will be working as a personal trainer at one of the fastest growing Genesis Health Club locations in the country and shadowing chiropractors in my local community. I was also awarded a fellowship for my health literacy research with the Humanities Center at Pitt to conduct research over the summer, which I will complete and present in the fall.

A woman with light brown hair wearing an EMT uniform standing in front of a helicopter. — Tara Dean (BS ‘27) on shift working as an EMT in Wall Township, New Jersey.

Faculty Connections

There are so many outstanding faculty members in the Rehabilitation Science program. My favorite instructor has been Kharthik Harihan, who teaches Human Anatomy to all Rehabilitation Science students. This was the first class I took that gave me an idea of what graduate level classes would be like. He spoke to us like health professionals and gave incredibly relevant and interesting examples in class. I have a rock-solid foundation of understanding for human anatomy because of him.

Preparing for Chiropractic School

The Rehabilitation Science program included every requisite I needed to be a competitive applicant for graduate school. I was happy to have my curriculum planned out for me in a way that gave me the flexibility to follow my interests and the structure to keep me on track with graduate school prerequisites. I always say this is a pre-professional program; SHRS school does a lot of work to make sure that students feel prepared for their next level of education.

Most RS students move on to a health-related graduate program, and since everyone applies in a similar window, there is a lot of peer conversation outside of the classroom surrounding the topic of grad school. It always made me feel better that other students were going through the same thing as me and I didn’t have to be alone in what can be a struggling academic time.

A group of adult women and young girls wearing summer outfits standing together. — Tara Dean (BS ‘27, first from left) on vacation with her mom, sister, nieces and nephew.

The advice I would give to a prospective student is to trust yourself and follow your interests. Take an SHRS class the semester before you apply! I wasn’t sure if SHRS was right for me until I did that. It can feel like there is a lot of pressure to pick a track and stick with it, but I personally changed my mind about grad school three times before I finally felt comfortable with my choice to pursue chiropractic school. I thought I wanted to be an athletic trainer, then I took Introduction to Athletic Training and decided that it wasn’t the career for me. That class was not a waste of my time because learning what you don’t want is just as important as learning what you do want.

Trust that you will ultimately find the best path for you, and don’t be afraid to try something new. Every success I’ve had in this school is because I followed up on something that interested me, and it can be surprising how far curiosity alone can take you. If you are the type of student who is curious and likes to take on new challenges, Rehabilitation Science is the major for you.