Students Make a Real-World Impact from Day One in the MUSC CARES Therapy Clinic

At the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door—it extends into the heart of the community through the CARES Therapy Clinic. This student-run, pro bono clinic offers students the chance to apply their skills in a meaningful way, providing care to underserved populations while gaining invaluable hands-on experience.

In this spotlight series, we’re proud to introduce four members of the DPT Class of 2027—Mallory Hobday, Kayden Douglas, Will Bishop, and Emily Clark—who are already making a difference through their work in CARES. From helping patients regain mobility to discovering the joy of connecting classroom knowledge with real-life healing, these students embody the compassion, dedication, and excellence that define MUSC’s physical therapy program.

 

 

Name: Mallory Hobday
Program: Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Class: Class of 2027

 

Why MUSC?

"I chose MUSC because of the great staff and learning environment. I loved the idea of being surrounded by other medical professionals that would push me to work hard. The most important reason I chose MUSC is the pro bono clinic, CARES, which gives us student the opportunity to get real work in clinic experience while also providing healthcare to those who may not have had access previously.

Why do you enjoy spending your time in CARES?
"I enjoy spending my time in CARES as l am constantly learning and growing as a future physical therapist. love getting to know the patients that come in while also learning from professors and second year physical therapy students."

Do you have a favorite memory something you learned in CARES?
"My favorite memory from CARES so far was my most recent time in the clinic. My patient showed lots of progress and seemed extremely appreciative for our time.
Additionally, I got to apply my knowledge of assistive devices trom my Biomechanical Analysis class that I had learned a tew weeks prior to the patient. It was really school to see what I learned in the classroom being applied in the clinic in real time! Plus, I got to take control and help a patient learn how to properly use crutches!!"

Why DPT?
"I chose Physical Therapy because I wanted to help people become their best self while also spreading positivity. I grew up dancing and continued in college so I was constantly surrounded by injured athletes whether it was minor muscle strain or a major injury such as an ACL tear. I want the ability to help people not only recover from these injuries, but come out stronger!"

 

 

Name: Kayden Douglas
Program: Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Class: Class of 2027

 

Why MUSC?

"I chose MUSC because of the interaction with patients we get early on in our graduate studies. Not only do we get to help patients in the CARES therapy clinic, we have patients come into our classes to see real life examples of what we are learning.”

Why do you enjoy spending your time in CARES?
"I enjoy the clinical side of my studies the most. For me, I feel like I learn the most through the hands on treatment with CARES. CARES gives me the opportunity to put to practice the skills I am learning in the classroom.”

Do you have a favorite memory/something you learned in CARES?
"I think the most rewarding thing from CARES is getting positive feedback from the PT faculty who are there to supervise and answer any questions we may have. To me, it's reassuring to hear the positive feedback because I know I am being set up for success."

Why DPT?
"I chose PT because I was a dancer growing up and experienced injuries of my own where I had to go to PT. The care and compassion I received from PTs that treated me opened my eyes to this career path. Once I started teaching dance during my undergraduate career, I was able to put to practice what I had learned in my exercise science courses and P| experiences and help dancers avoid injuries to the best of my ability."

 

 

Name: Will Bishop
Program: Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Class: Class of 2027

 

Why MUSC?

"MUSC has so many unique opportunities and partnerships with clinical sites to allow students to get the true experience they want. Each professor is dedicated to making you the best physical therapist you can be. If there is ever something you may not understand that well, they make it their goal to provide you with as many resources needed to grasp the concept. An additional bonus is that they have one of the best campuses across the country.”

Why do you enjoy spending your time in CARES?
"CARES give you the opportunity to practice what you ve been learning throughout lecture and lab. For me, I think it provides the best opportunity to see what limitations or weaknesses a patient truly has compared to your classmates who are generally all healthy. Having the CAREs clinic allows for student to put the puzzle pieces together to improve their clinical reasoning before they get to their clinicals.”

Do you have a favorite memory/something you learned in CARES?
"My favorite memory from CARES was having a patient who loved to play basketball and could not participate due to a recent injury. Even though the patient wasn’t able to participate in playing basketball, I focused on thinking of treatments where we could work on with the involvement of a basketball. Just by adding this component of relating to a patient's personal interests made him truly enjoy our treatment rather than just going through the motions. Hearing the patient say they enjoyed adding the basketball into treatment shows the impact that physical therapist (even as students) have on a patients well-being through relating to personal interests.”

Why DPT?
This is an interesting question because before coming to PT school I never went to physical therapy for any injuries. However, I was given the opportunity throughout undergraduate school to explore multiple different types of fields by shadowing. Seeing the impact that PT's have on a wide variety of patients is amazing. Visualizing yourself helping someone recover from a total knee replacement or a stroke while tracking their improvements overtime and seeing the impact you have on their quality of life was something that I wanted to be apart for my future career.”

 

 

Name: Emily Clark
Program: Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Class: Class of 2027

 

Why MUSC?

"I chose MUSC because of opportunities like CARES which allow me to enhance my skills and feel more confident going into clinicals and the workforce. I also chose MUSC because of the opportunities it provides for interprofessional connections and learning opportunities. I also love MUSC's campus and how our classes are scattered throughout campus!"

Why do you enjoy spending your time in CARES?
"As a student it's easy to get caught up in studying, but CARES is a great reminder of why ! tell in love with the profession of physical therapy. CARES gives purpose to my classes and allows me to enhance the skills I'm learning in class while also making a positive impact on people's lives."

Do you have a favorite memory/something you learned in CARES?
"My favorite memory in CARES is when a patient I was working with told me how she thought she'd never get better and would never be able to play with her grandchildren again but coming to CARES had changed her lite. She talked about how she started to feel better than she had felt in a long time and that she was finally able to take her grandchildren to the park. Moments like this gives so much purpose to what we do as therapists."

Why DPT?
"Physical activity has a huge impact on our physical and mental well-being and when someone's body isn't able to function like it should, it can have detrimental impacts in many aspects of their life. Physical therapy is about getting people back to doing what they love and getting people physically and mentally healthy. Being able to see people get back to doing what they love and gain so much more happiness and confidence through physical therapy is what I love about it. I also love getting to spend time with patients and learn about who they are as a person and their story."