From passion to purpose: Karmeal Fairley’s undergraduate and DPT journey
Growing up, Karmeal Fairley developed a deep passion for exercise and helping others. She grew up in a culture where women were discouraged from pursuing a career in sports, which sparked her curiosity of the human body. Initially, Fairley followed family expectations and pursued nursing school. Fairley eventually took a gap year and reflected on what she wanted for herself, realizing her true calling was physical therapy. Through physical therapy, Fairley felt she could combine her interest in the human body with her passion for connecting with people and helping them overcome challenges.
When looking for a major that better supported her physical therapy plans, Fairley experienced a pivotal moment when she learned about the Human Movement Pathways Program (HMPP) through a friend. She learned the program offered valuable human movement training and supported individuals with diverse backgrounds.
“I saw the program as an opportunity to contribute to advancements in human movement through experiments, data collection, and collaboration with researchers. My genuine interest in understanding and analyzing human movement, along with the courses I had taken over the past year to prepare for a career in physical therapy, reinforced my belief that this program would allow me to explore the field in greater depth.”
Fairley was admitted to the HMPP, which also allowed her to complete a kinesiology major within the School of Kinesiology. This major provided her with a strong foundation that helped her be admitted to the doctoral physical therapy (DPT) program at the University of Minnesota. In the kinesiology major, she felt the courses in biomechanics and motor control helped her understand how the body moves and functions. Fairley also appreciated the ability to have hands-on lab experiences, which enhanced her ability to analyze movement patterns.
Besides her academic coursework, Fairley also learned that building a strong network now and taking time to explore different opportunities is beneficial. She also believes starting observation hours during your sophomore and junior years of undergraduate can help students build their network in time for physical therapy program applications.
Fairley’s experience in the kinesiology BS program and the HMPP helped her be admitted to the University of Minnesota’s DPT program. She felt her undergraduate experiences were challenging but rewarding, especially with the support of her peers and instructors. While not a completely straightforward journey, Fairley has combined her passion and purpose into her dream career at the University of Minnesota.
