Clay Moughiman - Class of 2009
Clay Moughiman has the distinction of being a member of the Walsh University’s first Doctorate of Physical Therapy class. Moughiman received his bachelor’s degree from Mount Union College in 2006 and his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Walsh University in 2009. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and was named Athletic Trainer of the Year at Mount Union. While at Walsh, Clay received the Peer Recognition Award, an award voted on by Clay's classmates in Walsh's DPT program, and received the Academic Excellence Award. Among his many accomplishments since leaving Walsh, he was awarded the Ohio Physical Therapy Association’s 2015 Clinical Educator of the Year distinction.
When I look back on being one of the first students in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at Walsh, I think I was shaped well by the faculty. They really preached professionalism. I had excellent experiences in the clinics and was able to treat some great patients. I was taught by some of the best PTs in the field, so that helped me tremendously to hit the ground running when I graduated.
It was a lot of hard work and many hours in the classroom, but my biggest memory comes from my classmates. The nice thing was that we were with the same group for three years so we were all very close. I still speak with many on a weekly basis. We kept things light, had a lot of fun and enjoyed what we did. Graduation day was special as well. I was able to graduate with 20 people who had been there for me. It was nice to go up there, receive a doctorate, and be part of something that special.
The program presented good opportunities for my clinical experience. Many of my classmates traveled to attend PT clinics around the country and spent 8-12 weeks away to learn on the job. Therefore, when I did a clinical at a VA hospital in Dayton, OH, I was not sure what I was in for. When I got down there, I felt comfortable and I really enjoyed working with veterans. It’s very rewarding. You get to give back to a lot of men and women who gave a lot to us. It is challenging at times. You have to be a people person. However, when you are able to help people feel better, it really affects their daily lives. It is a pretty special job. I'm glad I picked this field. I think I am going to be happy for years to come.