Professor brings wealth of experience in health sciences

Ryan Dombkowski

Trine University - Brooks College of Health Professions
B.A. -  Wabash College, Ph.D. - University of Notre Dame
260.203.2695 | email

While initially considering a career in health care, I found a passion for education while I was in graduate school at the University of Notre Dame.  I spent my time in graduate school learning about the breadth and depth of the world of anatomy and physiology while honing my skills as an instructor working with medical students.  After graduation, I taught mostly anatomy and physiology to nursing students and biology majors at Saint Mary’s College and medical students at the South Bend branch campus of the Indiana University School of Medicine.  After about 14 years in South Bend (if you count both graduate school and my time at Saint Mary’s), I was delighted by the idea of working permanently with graduate schools at Trine’s new Doctor of Physical Therapy program.  I joined in 2014 as one of the founding faculty members and I have been here loving it ever since. 

Here at Trine, I enjoy the opportunity to teach both future physical therapists and physician assistants about my passion for anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience.  Although I am not a clinician myself, I appreciate the opportunity to teach students the type of scientific problem solving necessary to be accomplished in the skills of differential diagnosis and clinical decision making.  While I was primarily a “bench scientist” prior to Trine, I have since shifted the focus of my research to include student success initiatives such as program retention, student performance, and licensure exam success.

Outside of Trine, I enjoy loading up in the family RV with my wife and four children to either go on a new adventure or to watch my children participate in athletic events.