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Student and Faculty Profiles

Meet Matt...

Class: 2008
Hometown: Bristol, Connecticut
Undergrad: University of New Hampshire
Major: Kinesiology; Athletic Training
Program: M.D.

My path to medial school was a bit meandering, but the experiences and people in my life have been instrumental in giving me perspective for the rest of the path that lies ahead. I started off as chemistry major when a flare-up of an old injury landed me in the Athletic Training Department for rehab. I liked the environment and the opportunity to care for athletic injuries so much that I transferred to the Kinesiology: Athletic Training Program at the University of New Hampshire. Athletic training encompasses the prevention, management and rehabilitation of activity related injuries and illness.

While at UNH I got a taste for research and tried a year of graduate work in biomechanics and motor control, only to realize how much I missed treating and training active  individuals. I moved on to work as an athletic trainer full time for a few years. I covered high school athletics as well as working with active adults on physical rehabilitation and conditioning. While I enjoyed the work, I wanted to be able to do more. After a significant amount of  introspection I decided that medicine had all things I liked from my research and athletic training experience while allowing me the opportunity to have a greater impact on and responsibility for the care of my patients.

I count myself lucky to have so many people have had a supportive impact on the evolution of my decision to pursue a career in medicine. I owe a strong work ethic to my parents, a role model of professionalism to my first athletic training supervisor, and a belief that I can go as far in life as my desire will lead to my college mentors. Most importantly, I  have been blessed to share my life with a very understanding and supportive partner.