Sept. 11, 2020

This is part of a New Faculty Spotlight series in which we introduce all new faculty members for the 2020-2021 academic year. See the full list of new faculty. 

What is your title with Health Professions?

Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Health Sciences

What classes are you teaching this semester?

I am co-teaching HS 1000, Introduction to the Health Professions. I am also teaching HS 4400- Culture and Health Literacy for the Health Professions

What do you love about teaching?

I love being able to utilize my knowledge from working in the clinical sports medicine setting the past ten years to give real life examples for students to learn from. I believe this helps to connect what they are reading from a text to how it translates in today’s clinical setting. I also enjoy helping students find their passions, and help them to navigate their path to successfully accomplish their educational and career goals. The mentorship and interaction with these young professionals is very important to me, as several of my college professors made a huge impact on my life and remain my professional mentors. I hope that I can be as impactful of a mentor to others as they were to me.

Tell us a bit about yourself! What’s your background?

I am originally from North Carolina. I received my Bachelor’s of Athletic Training from High Point University, in High Point, NC. I then worked in college athletics and private practice as a certified athletic trainer for a few years. I also worked with several collegiate and professional sports teams during that time. I decided to pursue my Doctorate of Chiropractic and Master’s of Sports Science and Rehabilitation from Logan University in St. Louis, MO. I continue to maintain my athletic training license & certification, and earned my Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician certification in 2016. I opened a private practice, Columbia Chiropractic Group, in 2015 here in Columbia.  I began working with MIZZOU Athletics as an athletic trainer in 2014, and in 2016 I transitioned to team chiropractor alongside my husband, Dr. José Ramirez. (He is a chiropractor at Missouri Orthopedic Institute, and with Mizzou Athletics). I then began teaching in a clinical role with Logan University (2016), overseeing chiropractic students as they learn to work in the college sports medicine setting here at MIZZOU.

As you can see, my professional career has been immersed in the sports medicine setting. Being able to incorporate my love of athletics with my passion for my medical career has been an incredible opportunity that I am very grateful for.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Working in the athletics department here at MU may be considered work, but my husband and I genuinely enjoy watching the athletes compete in all sports here at MU. We spend a lot of our “free time” actually on the field or with the teams.  We have an amazing 8 month old daughter (Isabela) and a black Labrador (Duke). My husband and I dedicate all of our time to enjoying the outdoors and being with them. We really enjoy traveling, especially to watch other college and professional sports teams or back to our home towns in North Carolina and Puerto Rico

What brought you to Mizzou?

I met my husband while I was in chiropractic school, just a few weeks before he moved to Columbia to for his job as a team chiropractor in the MU athletics department. Upon my graduation I moved here to be with him, also working in MU athletics as an athletic trainer while I opened my private practice. We really enjoy living in Columbia, and are excited to raise our daughter here.

Tell us about your research interests/area of focus. What made you interested in this area within your field?

I am not on a tenure track, however I enjoy the clinical practice and rehabilitation areas of the chiropractic and athletic training field. I particularly enjoy research on the effects of myofascial treatments (such as dry needling) as a treatment for specific musculoskeletal conditions, and developing treatment protocols for specific conditions in athletes, such as a spondylolisthesis. My interests began after seeing athletes become sidelined or pulled from playing due to these types of injuries, and we began to look at different treatment options to help speed up their return to play through specific treatments and rehabilitation protocols.

What are you most excited about in regards to the upcoming semester/working at Mizzou/your research?

I just completed my two year term as the chair for the MU Department of Health Sciences Advisory Board. During my time as Chair I was fortunate to meet some incredible individuals who work in this department, and those who contribute to the School of Health Profession’s success. I am excited to work alongside these individuals and grow as an educator. I am also looking forward to switching gears and teaching the future healthcare professionals who are seeking careers in both the clinical and non-clinical setting.