March 19, 2026

Torn ligaments, strained muscles, and tendonitis are among the most common injuries in sports. Athletes are injured all the time. But behind every great comeback story is a clinician guiding every step of the return to greatness.

Across the country, there are more than 310,000 physical therapists with active licenses to help support that work. Third-year exercise science student Jahlil Gary hopes to join the growing number of physical therapists in athletics. Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed professionals with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) who work with patients affected by disease, injury, and movement dysfunction. They enhance the quality of life by improving patients' mobility and function. (APTA)

For Gary, reaching his goals begins with obtaining his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Drexel University.

Gary grew up playing baseball and basketball but later found an interest in exercise science after his own experience with related injuries. That time away from competing sparked a fascination with an anatomy course in high school that solidified his love for the science. That eventually led Gary to choose the exercise science program at the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP), but he added a minor in sport management to broaden his understanding of the business side of his field.

“[Those experiences] made me curious about how the body recovers and how exercise can help with rehabilitation. I’ve always had a passion for staying active and helping others whenever I can, so pursuing a career where I can contribute to health improvements and staying active felt like the perfect fit for me. Those experiences ultimately led me to exercise science,” he explained.

Gary’s co-op experience with Ivy Rehab was the moment his path became clear. On his six-month co-op as a physical therapy aide, he assisted physical therapists with patients and performed various tasks around the clinic. This training, he says, greatly influenced his post-grad plans.

“Being able to work directly in a physical therapy setting and assist patients gave me a real-world experience and solidified my plans post-grad. Before this co-op, I was only considering DPT school, but now I know for sure that I will pursue it,” he revealed. He also credited the support he gets from faculty and staff as another source of inspiration.

CNHP’s exercise science program is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately in careers in fitness and rehabilitation in clinical health settings, but it also satisfies prerequisites for advanced degrees in exercise physiology, clinical exercise physiology, kinesiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and public health.

For those who know graduate studies are along their paths, the college offers a BS/DPT bridge program that allows students to earn both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) in just six years as well as traditional DPT, occupational therapy, and orthotics and prosthetics programs.

The Philadelphia native is currently a member of The Exercise Science Initiative, where he works with faculty and students to promote exercise science initiatives across campus. When he’s not studying, you can typically find him at the Daskalakis Athletic Center (DAC) playing basketball with friends or working out.

With a solid academic path and a growing passion for rehabilitation, Gary looks ahead to attending a DPT program post-grad, where he aspires to work as a physical therapist on a professional sports team.

Written by Myleah Herbert '25