More than Medicine 

Daemen University’s Physical Therapy program not only focuses on a mind and body connection, but also takes a holistic approach to physical therapy among both the patient and therapist. 

Jennifer Bugolski, PT, DPT shared how Daemen’s PT curriculum and department are implementing this holistic approach to physical therapy. 

“Our program uses current best evidence to teach our students about the most up to date approaches to treat patients for dysfunction across the lifespan. With the changes in healthcare now moving away from pharmacologic intervention as the first line of defense against pain and disability, physical therapy and complementary and alternative medicine practices are key to the successful future of healthcare.” 

The PT program incorporates holistic approaches to treatment through complementary and alternative medicine. There are several courses that instruct different holistic techniques to treatment, including: 

• Physical Agents –  students learn massage techniques and tool assisted soft tissue mobilization.
• Physiology of Exercise – students learn about nutrition and education, appropriate referral for nutritional supplementation, and recommendations on proper eating.
• Health Promotion and Wellness – students learn about meditation/mindfulness/relaxation techniques, health promotion and prevention topics, sleep (positioning, support) and sleep hygiene.
• Motor Control and Motor Learning – students learn about mental practice and guided imagery.

Aside from these courses, students have the opportunity to participate in the annual Interprofessional Education event. This brings together students and faculty from various schools and health care disciplines across New York State to analyze a patient in a small group setting. With great discussion and collaboration, students can learn from one another and grow in their knowledge of best practices.  

This event, among the curriculum, internships, research, faculty, and more at Daemen are what lead our students to their successful careers within PT.  We continue to evolve and work with our students to ensure our program fosters connections and experiences so that they are best prepared for their careers. 

To find out more on our PT program at Daemen, visit us at one of our events on campus.