USD School of Health Sciences Success Spotlight: Dustin Little, DPT
By Alex Strauss
It's a big leap from the small town of Castlewood, South Dakota to San Francisco, California, but Dustin Little, DPT, has had no trouble making it.
The former director of rehabilitation for theDenver Broncos has been head athletic trainer for the San Francisco 49ers for the last fiveyears.
Little credits a big part of his success to his foundational training in physical therapy at the USDSchool of Health Sciences.
"USD PT school gave me an excellent foundation. The DPT program is an extensive and high-level program," says Little. "The best thing you can do if you want to go somewhere in yourcareer is to start with a strong foundation and don't limit yourself."
Little also made valuable connections at USD, including an eight-week rotation with SteveYoung, President of Sanford Sports and a clinical instructor in the PT department, whom Littlecalls "a great motivator." Young helped steer Little toward the skills he would need to work inprofessional sports.
"If you're doing PT only, you might not see many athletes," says Little, who also holds an MS in athletic training. "But my patients are the best athletes in the world. I really enjoy the challenge of working with people who are at the highest level and are constantly trying to improve."
Little says his well-rounded education, including his PT training at USD, enables him to confidently manage medical care for the whole team. That includes overseeing pre-and post-game therapy, handling emergencies, and coordinating care with radiologists, orthopedic specialists, neurologists, staff, and others.
"A lot of my job is being the gatekeeper," says Little. "We get players back to health. It's a biginvestment by the team, so it's important."
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