117. Choosing to Focus on Work You Love with Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Stephanie Di Stasi

Photo of Dr. Stephanie Di Stasi, Madam Athlete Podcast episode #117

Introducing Stephanie Di Stasi

Today I’m talking to Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Stephanie Di Stasi about choosing to focus on work you love and where it feels like you can have the most impact.

Her Career Journey

Steph was a three-sport athlete growing up and knew early on she wanted to go into physical therapy. She went to Springfield College where she played soccer and earned her Bachelors in Pre-Physical Therapy followed by her Masters in Physical Therapy. 

After her Masters, Steph initially went the clinical route. But she quickly realized she had more questions and wanted to know more. After talking with an advisor she decided to pursue her PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science at the University of Delaware. During her PhD she fell in love with research.

Currently Dr. Di Stasi is an Associate Professor in the Division of Physical Therapy at The Ohio State University and a Research Scientist at the Sports Medicine Research Institute at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Choosing to Focus on Work You Love

Steph didn’t initially plan to do research, but by keeping an open an curious mind, she ended up in a PhD program and fell in love. Early on in her career, Steph was a triple threat doing clinical work, teaching, and research. But as she was heading up for tenure, she had to face difficult choices and ultimately decided to forgo her clinical practice. Steph talks about choosing to focus on work you love and are passionate about rather than doing it all. For Steph, that meant focusing on mentorship and research. So even though she loved her clinical work, she felt she could make the biggest impact by having more time dedicated to her mentorship work and research.

Inside this episode:

    • Stephanie always knew she wanted to be a physical therapist but only realized later that a career in academia was the perfect fit for her.
    • Having mentors and peer relationships to support your career is incredibly beneficial and Steph shares how some mentors and peers have helped her.
    • Giving feedback is an artform, but so is receiving feedback. And deciding how you choose to interpret and utilize others feedback thoughtfully, rather than taking everything personally, is an important skill.
    • Choosing to focus on work you love and where you feel like you can best serve and have the most impact is a gift. Even though there’s pressure to do it all and sometimes you might actually love it all, choosing to focus can be difficult but rewarding.
    • Steph’s attitude towards learners and those early in their careers is the opposite of all the angry “kids these days” complaints. Steph is excited about the next generation and keeps a positive attitude. Rather than trying to shape learners into her exact mold, she loves to encourage and support them to follow their own passions and bring their unique gifts to the table.
    • Steph shares how she conquered the mom guilt even when a late night meeting takes her away from her kids.
    • Being proud of asking for help when you need it is next freaking level empowered.

Resources

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