For Ronald De Vera Barredo, PT, DPT, EdD, FAPTA, transitions were never an obstacle to stop him in his path, but with a life full of them, he learned to press forward, work hard, and care for others.
Born and raised in the Philippines, earned his undergraduate degree in physical therapy from the University of the Philippines in 1990. After working for two years, a staffing company in the United States matched his skills with the needs of a Tennessee hospital, so De Vera Barredo packed up and moved to the states.
To practice and take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in the states, De Vera Barredo had to undergo an educational credentials evaluation to ensure that his education was comparable to a US-trained graduate. After taking this test, the Tennessee hospital sponsored De Vera Barredo to work in the country until he had his green card and citizenship about a decade later.
When talking about the difficulties of this transition, De Vera Barredo shared, “The difficult part is being homesick during the first few months and also during the holidays. But as I gained friends and widened my professional and personal circles, my transition became smoother.”
De Vera Barredo had to transition again when the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) changed its entry-level degree to Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). De Vera Barredo wanted to have degree parity with new graduates and wished to obtain his transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT). Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) became his first choice since he worked as a visiting faculty and was already familiar with the program.
After graduation, De Vera Barredo rose through the ranks at Tennessee State University, becoming a full professor and eventually the Dean of the College of Health Sciences. Looking back on it now, De Vera Barredo is very grateful for his education. “My education at RMUoHP has enhanced my role as a clinician by ensuring that my clinical decisions are guided by research evidence. My education has also allowed me to question habituated thoughts and practices to become more effective and efficient in clinical practice.”
While his college houses eight departments and 17 programs keeping De Vera Barredo very busy, he still finds time to give back to his professional community. He currently serves on the RMUoHP Alumni Association Board, American Physical Therapy Association, the Foreign Credentialing Commission in Physical Therapy, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, and the Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy.
In 2018 De Vera Barredo received the Outstanding Alumni Award from RMUoHP. In 2019 he received the distinction of being a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association.
To those interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy, De Vera Barredo says, “have a strong passion for the human body and a genuine concern for the welfare of others.”
Just as the Tennessee hospital had a genuine concern for De Vera Barredo and sponsored him before he had his citizenship, De Vera Barredo has a genuine concern for his students, colleagues and fellow alumni. He supports and advocates for them through all avenues available to him.
