Meet Dr. Rosie Canizares, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS

Rosie Canizares, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS
The Performing Arts Special Interest Group (PASIG) would like to spotlight Rosie Canizares (@icheer04duke), PT, DPT, OCS, SCS and Vice President of the PASIG.

I work at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and am board-certified in both orthopaedics and sports physical therapy. I see patients at the Duke Student Health and the Duke Dancer Wellness Clinic. Besides being the PASIG VP, I am the Coordinator of Alumni Engagement at Duke for their DPT program, Advisor for the Duke DPT Performing Arts Club, and a Mentor through the AOPT Mentorship Program.

I graduated from Duke Physical Therapy School, a baker's dozen years ago… Go Duke! #foreverDuke I love being part of the PASIG because I have, literally, been dancing ballet as soon I was out of diapers-at age 2 and a half!! And, I also played the piano growing up, and was a Duke Cheerleader in college. I attribute my decision to pursue the physical therapy profession to my background in dance!

Now that I am in my second term as Vice-President of the PASIG, I have found that I really enjoy working with the other PASIG leaders, as well as collaborating with other AOPT SIGs and APTA Academies to offer educational programming. PASIG has allowed me some very interesting experiences, having previously served on the Nominating Committee, and also allowed us a platform to host a 'New Practitioner Q&A' on Zoom this summer. I was also excited to find out that my AOPT Mentee has a strong interest in Performing Arts. Knowing this is very important to me.

Daily, I have been able to connect Duke DPT alums with current Duke DPT students and we were able to host fellow Duke DPT alum and PASIG Membership Chairperson, Jessica Waters (@waters_jm), as a speaker - even from several states away via Zoom!

FUN FACT: While COVID has canceled many things at Duke this year (most notably for me would be the American Dance Festival), I'm most thankful that my niece has been able to move onto campus as a freshman and will be here all year with me! She is following in my footsteps as a performer, a violinist, in Duke's chamber music program!