For many student-athletes, balancing the demands of NCAA Division I competition with rigorous academic study is a full-time commitment. For Megan Bertrands, it was simply the foundation of a global career dedicated to healthcare, movement science, and international service.
From her home country of Belgium to the classrooms of UAB, the lecture halls of Ireland, and the clinics of New Zealand, Bertrands path has spanned multiple continents.
Laying the Groundwork at UAB
Megan Bertrands arrived at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from Belgium as a student-athlete on the UAB Women’s Tennis team in August 2017. While competing on the courts, she pursued a major in Kinesiology / Exercise Physiology (KIN/Ex Phys), driven by a deep interest in human movement and rehabilitation.
Beyond the tennis court and coursework, Bertrands distinguished herself through undergraduate honors research. Under close faculty mentorship in the lab with Dr. Gordon Fisher, she conducted research that bridged theoretical exercise science with practical clinical applications.
"Conducting honors research at UAB gave me a completely different perspective on physical therapy," Bertrands shared. "It taught me how to critically evaluate scientific literature and apply evidence-based practice, skills that became essential when I stepped into graduate school and global clinics."
Advanced Studies in Dublin and Practice in New Zealand
After graduating from UAB with a 4.0 GPA, Bertrands took her passion for rehabilitation across the Atlantic to Dublin, Ireland, enrolling in the Physical Therapy program at University College Dublin (UCD). Studying in Ireland exposed her to a European healthcare model and refined her clinical diagnostic and manual therapy skills.
Upon completing her PT degree in 2023, Bertrands moved to New Zealand, entering clinical practice as a licensed physical therapist. Working with diverse patient populations ranging from acute sports injuries to neurological rehabilitation, she gained valuable experience navigating different cultural contexts and patient care systems.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Blazers
Looking back on her trajectory, Bertrands points to her time at UAB as the spark that ignited her global ambitions.
"To current UAB student-athletes and exercise science students: don't limit your horizons," says Bertrands. "The habits you build in the lab and in training… discipline, adaptability, and curiosity… can take you anywhere in the world."
Her former faculty mentors and lab colleagues continue to track her progress with pride, seeing her transition from an undergraduate honors researcher to an international healthcare practitioner as a prime example of what UAB students can achieve.
