By CHRISTOPHER SARACHILLI ’14

Walking to the examination room, Dr. Aedel Brodie ’13DPT felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. Though she was one of more than 500 aspiring physical therapists in Israel who had gathered to take the licensure test, Brodie’s test was a bit different from most others: It was translated from Hebrew to English, and no one had passed the translated test on the first try.

After graduating from Arcadia’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, Brodie had decided that it was the ideal time to pursue her dream of living in Israel and practicing as a physical therapist. Though she had completed a State Licensure Exam, she discovered that she needed to pass a second exam in order to practice in Israel. Every graduate of Arcadia’s program had gained licensure in his or her state of choice, but Brodie faced an entirely different country.

Still, she felt confident. She arrived prepared. As part of Arcadia’s integrative clinical-based curriculum, she had performed live-patient labs, participated in community wellness programs, and interned at Lehigh Valley Health Network. Moreover, she had spent the summer after graduation working pro bono at a Neuro-Rehab hospital in Israel.

In studying for the licensing test in Israel, Brodie drew upon the techniques Arcadia faculty had instilled in her when she’d prepare for unit exams at Arcadia—building a study schedule, sticking with it, and focusing on each individual unit while still keeping in mind the end goal of becoming licensed—and helping patients move forward.

“Each professor challenged me to grow in a supporting manner,” said Brodie, who hopes to bring that dynamic to her work with patients.

But first, she needed to pass the exam. Five weeks after taking the test, the results came.

She passed.

Now licensed in Israel, Brodie hopes to continue her Neuro-Rehab work. She expressed gratitude to Arcadia faculty for her time in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and her training.

“When you have a faculty that is committed to helping the student be successful,” she said, “it’s going to graduate stronger clinicians.”