Physical therapy student from Round Rock Campus breaks barriers

For Erika Nicole Gonzalez, a Texas State University Health Professions student, her journey to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree has been inspired by the hard work of her family and the desire to help the Spanish-speaking community.    

Gonzalez, who is set to graduate in 2024, is a recipient of the Crest Scholarship from the Rizing Tide Foundation, a group dedicated to creating a more racially diverse and inclusive physical therapy workforce. In 2020, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science. She is also the co-founder and co-president of the Hispanic Student Physical Therapy Association (HSPTA). 

“I started the Hispanic Student PT Association to be a pioneer of change within my community. The HSPTA provides culturally enriching events for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic members. In addition to this, we offer medical Spanish resources for all ability levels. My goal is to promote diversity in the PT field by expanding the impact of the organization to become a state and nationally recognized body,” she said.

In her first summer semester as a DPT student, Gonzalez volunteered on a research study under the direction of Dr. Mark Lester, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. “The study involved placing electrodes on a majority of the joints of my body to explore how turning-related movement characteristics during walking influence fall risk in adults. My prior experience in research fueled my desire to participate and continue to volunteer,” Gonzalez said.

She also worked at the Community Access Clinic as a translator for Spanish-speaking patients. “Participating in the student clinic during my first year in the program was a unique opportunity that allowed me to gain more insight into how second-year students treat patients. Despite the workload from the physical therapy program, I managed to be present with the patient as well as my colleagues, which provided me with a deep sense of accomplishment and gratitude after each session.

“Most importantly, the patient expressed her appreciation for my help translating and began to feel comfortable practicing her English with us. At the end of the semester, we both developed our language skills even more and gained the confidence to express ourselves in our non-native languages.

A native of Harlingen who grew up in Austin, Gonzalez said she comes from a family of immigrants, and they are her inspiration. 

“My grandmother is from Mexico and worked in tomato fields in the United States throughout her first pregnancy. She was only 16 and had a third-grade education, but she had the foresight to see that a future in the United States would provide more opportunities for her children. Her wisdom resulted in my father being born a United States citizen and she encouraged him to pursue higher education despite her lack of one.

“Initially, my father struggled with the idea that a college degree would open doors to higher-paying jobs because he did not know anyone who had done so. Instead, he attended what he calls ‘the school of hard knocks’ for several years before realizing he was not able to climb the same ladder to success. Eventually, he realized that a college degree was more than a piece of paper and has now earned a master's degree. The struggles and experiences of my family inspire me to continue doing the necessary work to accomplish my goals,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez suggested that students should consider volunteering or shadowing in a variety of PT settings before applying to the DPT program. “Personally, working as a rehabilitation technician in a hospital was a pivotal experience in my path to becoming a physical therapist. PT school can be extremely demanding mentally and emotionally. It is important to establish a strong support system as an incoming doctoral student,” she said.

In recognition of her many achievements, Gonzalez was awarded a highly competitive scholarship from the Rizing Tide Foundation to subsidize her tuition, room and board, books or fees with  opportunity to renew annually until graduation.  Rizing Tide  recently announced the second cohort of recipients for its Crest scholarship program. Five graduate students from underrepresented racial or ethnic backgrounds enrolled in U.S.-based DPT programs were selected to receive full Crest scholarships to help further their education. Additionally, five Crest “Rizing Star” recipients were chosen to receive partial scholarships.  

“Rizing Tide was born out of a passion to fill the void of workforce diversity in the physical therapy profession. With more than 230 outstanding applications for this year's Crest scholarship, the need for student support is clear,” said Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, founder of Rizing Tide. “Although the selection process was brutal, I am even more inspired and convinced that the future of the industry is bright. We are excited to add these remarkable scholars to the Rizing Tide community.” 

The DPT is one of the two graduate programs in the College of Health Professions, the program admits 40 students per year into a cohort-based program. The DPT is a nine semester, three-year, full-time graduate program. The program is located in Willow Hall on the Round Rock Campus.