College of Health and Human Services
School of Physical Therapy
Fiscal Year 2024-2025
Dear Donor,
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program’s mission is to advance the health and function of the people of California, and the global community, by generating new knowledge and preparing physical therapists for general practice who are experts in the human movement system. Our vision is to become recognized as a regional and national leader in physical therapy education, research, and service to the profession and community.
On behalf of the School of Physical Therapy, I appreciate your interest and support—your kindness and generosity profoundly impact our vision. Through your contributions, we are able to enhance the program, scholarships, and student organization opportunities to help participants pursue their education and become the next generation of physical therapists.
Your support also helps our faculty pursue cutting-edge research to further improve the health of the region as well as the nation.
Thank you for your encouragement of our students, faculty, and staf and your belief in the program.
Mitchell J. Rauh, P.T., Ph.D., M.P.H., FACSM Professor and Director School of Physical Therapy College of Health and Human Services
Thriving in the Aztec Experience
Camryn Larwill, Class of 2025 Class Level: Graduate Student
College: College of Health and Human Services
Major: Physical Therapy
Camryn graduated in May with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.
During her second year in the program, she served as the community coordinator for the DPT Student Association, where she partnered with local San Diego organizations to promote student involvement in community events. She accumulated over 100 volunteer hours through activities such as youth adaptive sports, prosthetic running clinics, and resource fairs. Her commitment earned her frst place in the California Outreach Challenge and the program’s Community Service Award.
Camryn also worked as an instructional student assistant for the program’s clinical anatomy classes. In this role, she assisted students during dissection labs and developed comprehensive course manuals to enhance their learning experience. Additionally, she contributed to faculty-led research examining pelvic foor dysfunction and access to pelvic foor physical therapy among breast cancer survivors.
Camryn is passionate about working with children and plans to pursue a career as a pediatric physical therapist in a children’s hospital.
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Camryn led community outreach, assisted in anatomy labs, and contributed to research—all fueled by her passion for pediatric physical therapy.
Adyson Colburn, Class of 2025 Class Level: Graduate Student College: College of Health and Human Services Major: Doctor of Physical Therapy
Adyson Colburn graduated from the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at SDSU in May 2025. Originally from Santa Barbara, her journey began at age 16 when a sports medicine class sparked her interest in the feld. That initial spark led her to earn a degree in applied health science at Point Loma Nazarene University, followed by a doctorate at SDSU.
She has always enjoyed being active—playing volleyball, running, surfng, hiking, and doing just about anything outdoors. That lifestyle exposed her to both injury and recovery, fueling her desire to help others through similar experiences. Adyson described her passion: “What I love most about physical therapy is getting to be a part of someone’s journey ... walking alongside them through times of physical hardship to help them reclaim their quality of life.”
Through clinical experiences in rural settings and with individuals with low health literacy, she developed a strong passion for advocacy and coordinated care. She was awarded the Cohort 11 Award for Clinical Excellence, nominated by instructors and faculty for her dedication, empathy, and ability to connect with patients. Adyson looks forward to continuing to improve lives as a physical therapist.
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What I love most about physical therapy is getting to be a part of someone’s journey ... walking alongside them through times of physical hardship to help them reclaim their quality of life.
Chris Lum, Class of 2027
Class Level: Graduate Student College: College of Health and Human Services
Major: Doctor of Physical Therapy
Chris was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i. In 2023, he graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a B.S. in applied health science, with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. In 2024, he had the privilege and opportunity to be accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at SDSU.
Chris is currently a second-year student physical therapist (SPT) and, as of May 2025, serves as the president of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Association (DPTSA). His passion for physical therapy is deeply rooted in his Native Hawaiian heritage and family legacy. He believes he has a kūleana (responsibility) to give back to the kānaka (people) who have molded him into who he is today.
Chris’ primary interests in physical therapy include sports, outpatient orthopedics, neurology, and pediatrics. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends and exploring San Diego.
“While the DPT program at SDSU is rigorous and challenging, it prepares you to become an excellent healthcare practitioner. The faculty are among the best in the nation and equip you with all the tools necessary to succeed. Above all, SDSU’s DPT program is a family to me.” – Chris
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While the DPT program at SDSU is rigorous and challenging, it prepares you to become an excellent healthcare practitioner.
Celebrating Shared Success
Recent Rankings
SDSU's DPT program is ranked #50 among all Doctor of Physical Therapy programs nationwide.
Statistics of Interest
Doctor of Physical Therapy – 37 Degrees Awarded in 2025
#1 DPT Program in California for Cumulative Student Hours in Community Service
100% Employment Rate (within 6 months of licensure)
Last Five Years:
99.3% Graduation Rate
93.6% First-Time Licensure Pass Rate
100% Ultimate Licensure Pass Rate
Top Third Nationally on Licensure Exam
Recent Highlights
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program has become an independent School of Physical Therapy within the College of Health and Human Services. This change brings SDSU into alignment with other California State University institutions that have independent schools, including Fresno, Long Beach, Northridge, San Francisco, USC, and others. #50
Ranked #50 nationally, SDSU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program stands among the top DPT programs in the U.S., refecting its excellence in education and clinical training.
SDSU’s DPT program—now an independent School—boasts 100% employment, top-tier licensure pass rates, and leads California in student community service hours.
Faculty Achievements
Katrina Monroe and Sara Gombatto, PT, Ph.D.
Title: Professor
College: College of Health and Human Services
Achievement: Drs. Monroe and Gombatto were awarded an NIH R01 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
This fve-year project aims to increase physical therapy referral and attendance rates among Hispanic patients seeking care for neck or back pain at a Federally Qualifed Health Center serving low-income communities in San Diego.
The STEPPT (Salud de Tu Espalda: Primary Care to Physical Therapy) intervention will educate healthcare providers and patients about the benefts of early referral to physical therapy and provide enhanced care navigation to support appointment attendance. The project will develop scalable, sustainable methods to better engage culturally and linguistically diverse patients in non-pharmacological pain treatments.
Drs. Monroe and Gombatto, licensed physical therapists and clinical research scientists in the School of Physical Therapy, both earned Ph.D.s in movement science from Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Monroe studies neurobiological mechanisms and psychologically informed interventions for stress-related chronic pain. Dr. Gombatto focuses on posture and movement in the development and persistence of low back pain.
In 2017, they partnered with Family Health Centers of San Diego to address the need for accessible, high-quality pain care in underserved communities. Together, they have served as project investigators or faculty mentors on over 25 National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and other federally funded research and training grants, and have authored 75 peer-reviewed publications in the feld of pain rehabilitation.
Pictured right: Dr. Katrina Monroe (top), and Dr. Sara Gombatto (bottom)
