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Pirate's Eye On... Tasha Nicklous

Student Tasha Nicklous

Current student Tasha Nicklous was applying to medical school after earning a B.S. in Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2003 when she was diagnosed with chondromalacia, an irritation of the undersurface of the kneecap. She nervously set foot into a physical therapy office, but was quickly put at ease.

“My physical therapist made me feel comfortable and showed me what to do to strengthen my knee and prevent future injury,” she says. “The experience got me thinking about what I wanted to accomplish as a healthcare professional.”

While on the road to recovery, Nicklous worked as a rehabilitation technician and volunteered in the orthopaedics unit at Valley Hospital, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. “I saw so many options in the profession,” she shares, “and felt I could make an impact as a physical therapist.”

Nicklous applied to one school: Seton Hall’s School of Graduate Medical Education (SGME). “The School offered a top-notch, professional, entry-level program,” she says. “At Open House, I met with faculty and was impressed with their commitment to students.”

The breath and depth of the curriculum convinced Nicklous that she would gain the skills to work in the PT field. “The program prepares you to critically analyze and convey information to patients,” she notes. “The number of field experiences [clinical work] is what truly builds your confidence.”

Beginning in her second year of the program, Nicklous participated in a once-a-week clinical experience in an outpatient orthopaedic setting that then turned into a full-time, six-week affiliation. “During the weekly visit, I became familiar with the patients and their injuries,” she says. “By the time I started my six-week affiliation, I was confident in the skills and knowledge I had acquired.”

Currently finishing her second fieldwork experience at a school-based pediatric facility, Nicklous works with children ages 7-13 who have cognitive and behavioral impairments such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Downs Syndrome. “The children keep me on my toes,” she notes. “I have to be creative with my exercise programs because children don’t like to do the same things over and over; they get bored. My clinical instructors challenge me to come up with innovative programs that keep the patient’s interest.”

To be sure she’s bridging the gap between coursework and clinical practice, Nicklous shares her syllabus with clinical instructors so they can better connect classroom work with the real world. “Clinical experiences are as worthwhile as you want them to be. It’s about what you put into them,” she stresses.

After she graduates and passes the National Physical Therapist Licensure Examination, Nicklous wants to work in a pediatric school-based setting by day and an orthopaedic setting at night. “I love to see how excited children get when they execute a task,” she says. “That joy lets me know I’m accomplishing something. And orthopaedics just feels natural to me since I’m an athlete myself.”

For Nicklous, her soon-to-be-career isn’t work at all. “This is what I enjoy,” she says. “I want to help others see that physical therapy is more than rehabilitating an injury, it’s also about prevention and wellness.”

Learn more about the School of Graduate Medical Education