Mega Doctor News
By Selene Rodriguez
South Texas College alumnus and staff member Zachary Garza is one step closer to realizing his lifelong dream of becoming a third-generation military service member with a focus on health care, after recently earning his Doctorate in Physical Therapy and being proudly accepted into the Air Force.
At 30 years old, Garza’s journey, driven by a passion for healing and alleviating pain, began when he enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program in 2017.
“It wasn’t until I was in the program at STC that I truly understood what it takes to be part of this field, how to make a real difference in people’s lives,” he said. “The impact of my choices in rehabilitation, and the way I can help patients heal, became clear. It was during my first rotation that I realized this is my calling.”
Garza had prior experience with physical therapy when he shadowed therapists as part of his bachelor’s program in Kinesiology at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
His journey was accelerated, thanks to STC’s dual credit program, which allowed him to earn an associate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2013 before graduating from Thomas Jefferson Early College High School.
He then applied to several doctoral programs in 2015 but was unsuccessful, a setback that brought him back home to the Rio Grande Valley, where he explored other opportunities.
“I began working as a personal trainer and a physical therapy technician at DHR Health, where I met several STC graduates who spoke highly of the program,” he shared. “I didn’t even know we had this opportunity locally, so I thought, ‘I already have a bachelor’s degree, how hard could earning another associate degree be?’”
He would soon discover that STC’s program would challenge him with a new way of learning through critical thinking and hands-on skills, requiring his full dedication.
“Yes, you have to know the definitions and the information, but the real challenge is how you take that knowledge and use it to help your patient,” he explained. “It’s a new way of thinking—one that no other degree, in many fields, forces you to adopt. It requires a greater depth of understanding and critical thinking. It’s not about an associate versus a bachelor’s, but rather a traditional education versus a method of hands-on learning that prepares you for the unpredictable nature of the medical field.”
Upon graduating in 2019, he was immediately hired by DHR Health as a physical therapist assistant and, after gaining valuable experience, he returned to STC in 2021 as a lab assistant, eager to share his knowledge with future professionals.
“One of the best parts of physical therapy is the wide scope of opportunities and areas you can explore,” he said. “By this point, I had worked in both a private clinic and a hospital, but I was still curious about the field of education. I ended up loving it.”
While still practicing in the field and working at STC, Garza took his career to the next level by reapplying to the doctoral program at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, one of the schools that had previously denied him.
As an STC graduate, Garza was eligible to apply for a partnership program with UTMB, which selects two top graduates from each STC cohort annually. This two-year, four-month hybrid program, with minimal on-campus requirements, allows PTAs to become physical therapists without having to leave home.
“I actually applied through the traditional route, but being part of STC definitely helped me get in,” he said. “Throughout every job and my doctoral program, everyone at STC has been incredibly supportive. Even when I started to feel overwhelmed, I wouldn’t leave STC. I love this institution for helping me discover my true passion.”
Before graduating from the doctoral program in August, Garza completed an internship with the Army in El Paso, which reignited his goal of following his family’s legacy into the Air Force. He was ranked No. 12 out of hundreds of applicants nationwide for a position as a physical therapist, with only 10 spots available.
“It’s quite ironic. I had always wanted to join the Air Force, but my parents encouraged me to get a degree,” he said. “Now, I get to do that, but as a professional, which is a whole other world. I’ve met some therapists from the RGV who went on to work in the military, but never one in the Air Force. It would be such an honor if I became the first.”
Currently pursuing an orthopedic specialization, Garza recently received the news that he will officially join next August. However, he has no plans to leave STC until then.
“I would love to serve for more than 20 years like my relatives did, but who knows? If that doesn’t happen, I would always want to come back to STC and keep giving back,” he said. “It reignites the passion. When you start feeling burnt out, the energy of these eager students reminds you why we do what we do.”
Garza added that as he moves forward in his career, he’s most excited to continue helping people and relieving pain, an incredibly rewarding feeling shared by those in the physical therapy discipline.
“I’ve only been a therapist for a few months, but I’ve had years of experience, and I can say that we’re all here because we want to be a part of something bigger,” he added. “What I love most about helping people is seeing them come in with pain or limitations, believing this is how their life will always be, and then helping them change that. Whether you’re a physical therapist or PTA, you play a crucial role in getting them there, and there’s no better feeling.”
For more information on STC’s Physical Therapist Assistant program or other Nursing and Allied Health programs, visit nah.southtexascollege.edu/ or call 956-872-3100.
