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William Paterson University’s exercise physiology graduates can be found throughout the region’s hospitals and rehabilitation centers. That impact became deeply personal for Professor Michael Figueroa, who teaches in the undergraduate and graduate exercise physiology programs, and serves as graduate program director. His own recovery was guided by former students whose education at William Paterson prepared them to care for him at one of the most vulnerable moments of his life.
In spring 2024, a routine echocardiogram—meant to monitor a mitral valve heart murmur Figueroa had lived with since childhood—revealed a life-threatening cardiac condition. Open-heart surgery was imperative.
What made the diagnosis especially unsettling was how normal the professor felt at the time.
“That's what was scary,” he says. “I didn’t have any outward signs or symptoms.”
As a professor who teaches the warning signs of cardiac abnormalities, the irony was not lost on him.
In courses such as Graded Exercise Testing and Prescription (GXT), Figueroa trains students in cardiovascular testing and exercise-based interventions—skills that translate directly into clinical care.
That classroom-to-clinic pipeline came into sharp focus when Figueroa arrived at The Valley Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey for his pre-surgical evaluation.
Taught at WP, Trusted in the Hospital
When Figueroa arrived at The Valley Hospital, he was introduced to a familiar face as part of the acute care cardiac rehabilitation team: Bethann Kiely, MS ’19, one of his former students.
“I think she was a little nervous at first,” Figueroa says with a laugh. “I told her, ‘I’m your patient now. You tell me what to do,’ and I wiped my hands clean.”
The day after the three-hour surgery—during which the left side of his heart was reconstructed—his former student was at his bedside, helping him get up and walk.
“It was a full-circle experience,” Figueroa says. “This is who I teach, who I’ve taught through this program, and my student was there to help me. I felt comfortable, at peace –like I’d rather be here with people I know than with people I don’t know.”
Kiely had the same “full circle” feeling, she says.
“William Paterson is the reason I’m in this field. I hadn’t even heard of cardiac rehab before I started my master’s there,” she adds. Kiely has worked in cardiac rehabilitation at Valley for the past eight years; she was hired there through connections she made at two internships secured through the University. Figueroa was her internship seminar instructor.
“Dr. Figueroa really enjoyed hearing us speak in class and asked us questions to push us a little further, to think a little further,” Kiely says, reflecting on her time as his student.
Following his discharge, Figueroa completed a 12-week outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program at Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center, where he was supervised by senior exercise physiologist Christine Dorenbush ’97.
“She was a huge part of my recovery,” Professor Figueroa says. “And once again, her education started at William Paterson. If you go within a 20- or 30-mile radius of our campus for some kind of allied healthcare, one of our alumni is working at or running those facilities.”
“William Paterson University paved my way to success here at Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center, not only through the exceptional and challenging curriculum, but most importantly the hands-on experience,” Dorenbush says. She has been at Atlantic Health Chilton for 28 years – since she graduated – and remains connected to WP. She helps with exercise lab activities on campus and hosts students for cardiac rehab internships. “Having the opportunity to work with WP during my career here at Atlantic Health Chilton has allowed me to continue to grow professionally and personally,” she adds.
This month, American Heart Month, Figueroa reflects on his time as both a patient and an educator – shaped not only by life-saving care, but by the success of the students he has trained.
“This whole experience made me have a greater appreciation for everything we do in this field, as professors and clinicians,” he says.
Beyond Pioneer pride, Figueroa hopes his story encourages others to take their health seriously—even when they feel fine.
“Had I not gotten my heart checked, I wouldn’t be here today,” he says. “I freely share this information with my students and use myself as a case study to assist them in learning the material.”
