Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT

Activated Body. Sharp Mind. Ignited Spirit. Adaptive Sport & Fitness Advocate | Doctor of Physical Therapy | PhD Student @udpt | Coach | Dreamer |

[Tom Bowman @TGBowmanATC]

Do you provide medical care for parasport athletes?  We want to hear from you!  Please take 10 minutes to help us learn how you handle the continuum of concussion care in parasport athletes.  https://t.co/bfVybHfb2s

[Andrew Akbashev @Andrew_Akbashev]

Your PhD is about the evolution of your mindset.

It proceeds through personal research experience, mentorship and development of key skills.

This is why PhD in STEM:

- is NOT about a thesis (very few people will read it)
- is NOT about finish your advisor’s project
- is NOT about attending new courses
- is NOT to learn how to use cool instruments (although it might be handy, it is of little help in a long run)

Yes, some of it will help you get hired. BUT PhD should not be about this.

▫️

PhD is about personal development, creativity and problem solving in a highly dynamic research environment.

First of all, it is about:

- Becoming a highly critical and creative thinker
- Learning how to think independently (against the local or global mainstream)
- Learning how to “jump-start” a project and bring it to perfection
- Discovering your strengths and weaknesses as a future leader
- Learning from massive number of mistakes without big consequences
- Learning how to accept failures and move on
- Understanding the value of teamwork and collaboration
- Publishing important studies and making discoveries (especially if you plan to stay in academia)

▫️

Of course, there are some “perks” that come with it:

1. Getting a good expertise in some field
2. Getting some idea about the world of academia and how things work there
3. Learning how to use fancy tools (microscopes, spectrometers, etc)
4. Learning how to write papers, etc etc

But these are only bonuses. They should not be why you are pursuing PhD.

▫️

As a prospective PhD student, do NOT look for a supervisor who will be simply assigning tasks to you and tracking your project.

Look for a good mentor and advisor who can help you develop YOUR leadership skills.

A proper research environment and inspiration to pursue your dreams are the key ingredients.

#AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter #phdchat

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

Grateful for this Foundation for PT Research award! It was a BIG (mostly Twitter-less) Team effort to bring this proposal together. Mostly, I’m just excited to do this science!! 🤝🏽🤓 @DarcyReisman @UDelaware @UDelawarePT #strokerehab

[Foundation4PT @Foundation4PT]

Congratulations to PODS I recipient Kiersten McCartney, DPT, of the University of Delaware, is the recipient of the Charlene Mae Nelson Award! McCartney’s project is supported by the Charlene Mae Nelson Fund

https://t.co/6dI2OmysVO

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

@Sandy_REACHLab Data & exercise & quality conversations - three of my loves 🥰🥰🥰 #SCIENCE

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

Pinch myself on the reg that I get to be a part of this team. HIT take ✌🏼, let’s roll!!!

[Sandra Billinger @Sandy_REACHLab]

I’m so pleased to share that our HIT Stroke team received the NIH R01 renewal notice last week. Cheers 🍻 to another 5 years of collaboration & #teamwork with PierceBoyne (PI) and @DarcyReisman. #stroke #recovery #HIIT #exercise #gait

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

@justwsports what do we need to do to get a Special Snacks Series ft. Sam Mewis & Becky Sauerbrunn that recaps games throughout the World Cup? 👀👀 @USWNT @sammymewy @lynnraenie @beckysauerbrunn

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

Excited for this Symposium on CV Contributions to Brain Aging! #ACSM23 @Sandy_REACHLab

[Sandra Billinger @Sandy_REACHLab]

#Stroke #recovery colleagues- ✅ it out👇🏻Finally our #Multisite #RCT on #HIT, #intensity, #duration, #walking, & #stroke is published in @JAMANeuro! #PierceBoyne led a great trial w/ @DarcyReisman! Thanks to @KUMedCenter team. We rocked it🌟 https://t.co/S8xgb4n436

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

@APTAtweets, nearly impossible to hear speakers in the platform sessions. Intermittent clapping throughout, noise from all 4-5 platform speakers blending together, planes flying overhead, etc. Provide a better space for your speakers.

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

Cannot wait to talk Adaptive CrossFit at APTA CSM on Saturday! #physicaltherapy

[Adaptive Sports SIG -AASPT @AdaptiveSportPT]

#APTACSM Great info with awesome people that you don’t want to miss! #csm2023 #apta #adaptiveathlete #adaptivesports #adaptivecrossfit #AdaptiveSportsSIG

[Adaptive Sports SIG -AASPT @AdaptiveSportPT]

• want to learn more about our SIG!? Join us this Friday at #aptacsm for our Adaptive Sports SIG business meeting. We would love to meet you and tell you more about our group 🦾

#adaptive #adaptivesports #apta #physicaltherapy

[World Athletics @WorldAthletics]

WORLD RECORD ‼️

2:01:09 🤯

KING-CHOGE 👑

#BerlinMarathon

[Jen Heemstra @jenheemstra]

This time of year is PhD advisor selection time for many, so it’s a great time to remember that 5 years is a long time and no matter how cool the research, having a good PhD experience will be about finding a mentor whose approach fits your needs and lab where you feel supported.

[Sandra Billinger @Sandy_REACHLab]

Looking 👀for an exciting opportunity in #research? Have #leadership skills, #exercisephysiology experience and want to be a part of #brainhealth #vascular #exercise studies & work with outstanding #teams in #stroke #AlzheimersDisease #BrainAging? ✅👇👇 https://t.co/UytDHjqt86

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

@MelSmithDPT Feel free to reach out. I just started Year ✌🏼 PhD today!

[University of Delaware Physical Therapy @UDelawarePT]

#APTACSM Smith & McCartney discuss how "PTs have a responsibility to prepare their patients along each stage of rehab enabling them to successfully pursue long-term fitness opportunities beyond the clinic." @runyourdays #udpt

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

The first (small) step towards the broader work surrounding testing aerobic capacity & its role in programming aerobic interventions in people with chronic stroke, I’m working on in my PhD at @UDelawarePT! Come check it out 1-3 tomorrow #APTACSM #neuroPT

[University of Delaware Physical Therapy @UDelawarePT]

#APTACSM McCartney et al found that "Overall co-morbidity burden and not just cardiopulmonary conditions need to be considered when planning aerobic interventions to improve cardiorespiratory fitness in those post-stroke." @runyourdays #udpt

[Justin Moore @policy4pt]

Joe Burrow found and thanked his physical therapist right after AFC title win https://t.co/RZD3VfwcWp via @thebengalswire

[Kiersten McCartney, PT, DPT @runyourdays]

Great presentation today from @kgSilbernagel at @UDelawarePT on the path of her research on Tendon Health and trajectory moving forward!! Great things coming from the @UDtendongroup & especially loved this as the big take-away. @DarcyReisman