Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree

Student Interview

Our graduates are the best resource for answers about our program, our courses, our instructors, and the distance education experience, itself. Here you will find a student interview with Vincent Puccio, a September 2005 graduate. If you find you have unanswered questions, we also have regular distance education chats with our graduates. Contact your Admissions Representative to receive your login information.

• Why did you choose to pursue a degree through a distance education program?
  "Operating a business, having a family, and being active in the community are very time consuming activities. Turning the desire to pursue a doctoral degree into a reality is a difficult task. However, a distance education program offers a solution to this problem. For this reason I chose to obtain my degree through Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College's distance education program."
  
  
• What made you choose the Boston University distance education program as opposed to other universities?
  "Boston University is a prestigious university known throughout the United States. The faculty are pioneers in their fields and staff is comprised of accomplished individuals. Being part of this community speaks volumes for any individual for the rest of their life."
  
  
• How does this distance education program compare with a traditional academic degree program?
  "The distance education program stands side by side with the traditional academic programs. The technology used to deliver the course allows for students with various learning needs to maximize their learning experience. I had a particular situation where I was put 'on the spot' in front of local government, a national health organization, a city agency, and a president of a large corporation. The knowledge that I had gained through the BU Sargent College's program allowed me to handle the situation both professionally and intellectually. The result of the meeting exceeded my expectations. Without the knowledge and skills acquired through the distance education program I would not have achieved my goals."
  
  
• How does this program compare to your expectations?
  "The distance education program went beyond my expectations. I assimilated the information at a level that I did not expect to achieve."
  
  
• Are there any particular challenges you've encountered?
  "Any challenges that I encountered were quickly addressed by immediate responses by school personnel."
  
  
• Do you think there is a profile that fits most distance education degree candidates?
  "I do believe a profile exists for distance education candidates. I find that clinically experienced and mature individuals are most appropriate. I feel that clinical experience brings a higher level of learning to the program and maturity is required to dedicate the appropriate amount of time and effort into the learning process. This is important during team assignments. After attending the on site residency it is obvious that BU Sargent College does an excellent job in choosing prospective students. It was a pleasure to be among so many intellectual and dedicated colleagues."
  
  
• What would you say to professionals considering taking a distance education degree program?
  "I would tell anyone thinking of taking a distance education degree program to ask themselves the following questions. Do I have the time to dedicate to this learning process? Am I prepared for a challenging doctoral level program? Do I want to be at the forefront of my profession? If the answers to these questions are yes, then I would suggest choosing an outstanding program that is respected across the country, is delivered by state of the art technology, and has staff dedicated to advancing the physical therapy profession into the future. Choose BU Sargent College's transitional DPT Program."