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  • Michael Buckmire

Michael Buckmire

Physical Therapy Program Class of 2025
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Michael Buckmire poses for a picture while wearing a white lab coat

Where are you from?

I am originally from Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, a town right outside of Philadelphia. (Go Birds!)

Describe your path to the Emory Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

My path to Emory’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program originated from my lifelong passion for sports and science. Throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to play and try many different sports and be on various teams. However, academically, I have always been extremely interested in all of my science classes. While I had previously heard of the terms “sports science” and “sports medicine” on TV, I never knew exactly how the two could be intertwined together.

During my junior season of high school basketball, I sustained a stress fracture in my foot that required me to do extensive rehabilitation. While I was recovering, I worked one-on-one with my school’s trainer, developing a close personal relationship with him and seeing how he used his clinical expertise to develop, progress, and alter my treatment. It was a foundational experience that I still carry with me today, and it was my first time interacting with a sports clinician who was not a medical doctor.

A year later, I attended Duke University and played for the men’s basketball team. Not only did this challenge me to grow as a student-athlete and teammate surrounded by world-renowned coaches and future professional players, but it also gave me the experience of being a part of a program with incredibly vast resources, especially for sports medicine. As a player, I interacted daily with our licensed physical therapist, Dr. Nick Potter. I saw how he integrated his clinical knowledge in the training room, weight room, and on the court while collaborating with other staff members. This helped me grow—not only as a basketball player and person—but also exposed me to the field of sports medicine that I had not considered before. I attribute much of my passion and interest today to my time at Duke, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who crossed my path.

After graduating with a biology degree from Duke, I wanted to be involved in athletics while using science and research. Sports physical therapy allowed me to harness these two passions. Even though athletics has continued to be my focus, I also wanted to become a true holistic clinician and challenge myself to be well-versed in many different topics in this profession. I am pleased with the knowledge and growth I have gained over my three years in Emory’s DPT program. I’m excited to continue chasing my passions for rehabilitation and sports medicine in the future.

What field do you plan to pursue post-graduation?

My ultimate goal is to continue to work with high-level athletes in a collegiate or professional team setting in the future. After graduation, I plan to start at the University of Delaware’s Sports Residency Program, working with multiple Division I sports teams and their outpatient orthopedic population.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in physical therapy and come to Emory?

I decided to pursue this career because I felt physical therapy—specifically sports PT—would allow me to experience the perfect mixture of treating and helping patients in sports settings while being more hands-on daily.

In undergrad, I was on the pre-med track, hoping to work in orthopedics or surgery. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit in 2020 that I had the chance to reflect and ask myself if pre-med was my true calling. At that point, I decided to look for alternative routes that would allow me to treat as a clinician while being more hands-on with patients outside of a hospital setting. I soon met with the undergraduate liaison from the DPT program at Duke and learned more about the possibilities that physical therapy had to offer. I could see how my passions for science and athletics overlapped.

After graduating from undergrad, I took a gap year where I participated in two internships. The first was with the medical staff for Duke’s basketball team. And the second was with a sports science lab called P3 in Atlanta. This extra year of experience fully confirmed my passion and excitement for this field and gave me an incredible introduction to life in Atlanta. Once it came to applying for schools, I had already circled Emory as the top pick I was interested in attending and was lucky enough to be accepted into the DPT program.

What would you want others to know about your years in the Emory Doctor of Physical Therapy Program?

I feel incredibly prepared to start treating patients and take on the “real world” after coming to Emory. This is in large part due to my professors, classmates, and family, who have supported my growth along the way. My years at Emory allowed me to chase my passions in sports PT and research while academically challenging and molding me into the clinician and person I am today. I know I could not have gone on this journey without so many people in my corner supporting me, and I hope to make them proud every day.

What did you like most about living in Atlanta?

After living outside of Philadelphia my whole life and attending undergrad in the small college town of Durham, North Carolina, I prioritized living in a bigger city when looking at DPT programs. Atlanta is an incredibly vibrant city offering everything from food to music and outdoor events. I have loved being in Atlanta during my three years here and have gotten to experience so many fun and exciting moments both through Emory and on my own. Although it is not where I’m originally from, I have enjoyed being part of the southern culture and experiencing the city’s food and hospitality while making Atlanta my second home these last three years.


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    • Match Day 2025
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