School of Rehabilitation Sciences - Student Life

Student Diversity

Diversity in physical therapy is essential to being able to treat patients of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Our student body uniquely reflects the diverse population living here in San Antonio, TX, and on a much bigger scale, the United States. Promoting equal opportunity for students of all backgrounds, UIW strives to lift and encourage students to respect, care for and provide humility for all individuals who seek physical therapy.

Volunteer and Service Opportunities

Missions Trips Abroad

For a week before their last clinical experience, students have the opportunity to join staff and professors from the SRS on a mission trip treating hundreds of patients a day. Students can also enjoy their time here by exploring the area they are in and experience another unique culture alongside staff.

Special Olympics

Special Olympics and the SRS have been close partners for a long period of time. Special Olympics is held here in San Antonio, needing over 300 volunteers. Our students take responsibility and joy in attending this event yearly while assisting in a variety of ways!

Kinetic Kids

The students host and organize a Halloween and Easter fair at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences once a semester for the Kinetic Kids organization. This event runs until mid-day, as we welcome families into our house for a few hours of fun and games with our students!

Go Baby Go

It is a nonprofit organization that allows our students to get creative in building small motorized cars specifically unique for each child who experiences limited mobility.

Organizations

Student Special Interest Groups

Society of Therapeutic Rehabilitative Students:

STRS is an organization hosted on UIW’s main campus location. The club consists of a body of undergraduate health professional students who seek acceptance into a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. STRS connects closely with UIW’s School of Rehabilitation Sciences to learn how to become a competitive applicant. They visit the SRS at least twice a year to conduct mock interviews with our staff and students in the program.

Class Officer Positions

There is a class government organization for each year in the program. Students are strongly encouraged to run for office.

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

All students are granted an APTA membership throughout the program. Being a part of Ais beneficial in allowing students to constantly keep up to date with the latest research, hot topics, and advocacy issues occurring within the field. Through APTA, students are encouraged and welcomed to join any special interest groups or chapters within the United States to get more information on the field they are most interested in. Special interest groups help the student network and create lifelong connections.

Amber Trevino '18 and Sterling Gierczak '15 were among 270 physical therapists and students from 48 states who converged on Capitol Hill to advocate for issues that impact professionals, students, and patients at the 2018 APTA Federal Affairs Forum.

Student Activities and Special Events

The Academic Success and Student Affairs team provides academic support, offers student programming, coordinates special events and serves as the liaison between students and other university resources.

"The academic success and student affairs team has put on so many fun events for students this semester like Big/Little game days, de-stress fairs, a Halloween costume contest and a Thanksgiving potluck. With our busy schedules, these have been such fun opportunities to interact with classmates, professors and faculty to build a stronger community here at the School of Physical Therapy!" - Sarah McMillan '21

Intramural Sports

Our students sign up to join our UIW SRS intramurals teams to compete locally against other graduate programs nearby! These fun and competitive events occur on week-day nights, allowing our students to participate in social events to get to know their classmates and the class below them better.

Available Intramural Sports: Volleyball, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, Softball and Basketball.

PT Olympics

PT Olympics is a once-a-year event that takes place in San Antonio! Our students love to participate in this event yearly, giving the cohorts another opportunity to grow together and as a family.

Upper-level students host tryouts and practices for several different sports and events that PT Olympics hosts, such as 8-ball, Cornhole, Long-distance running, Soccer, Softball, Basketball and Dance.