Christopher Aaron Rábago, PhD, PT, a triple graduate of UT Health San Antonio, passed away on March 10, 2021. He earned his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2009, Master of Physical Therapy in 2004, and Bachelor of Healthcare Sciences in 2002. Dr. Rábago leaves a long legacy of service and support to the UT Health San Antonio Department of Physical Therapy where he worked as a graduate assistant from 2004 through 2009 while completing his PhD at the Research Imaging Institute conducting innovative research and learning neuroimaging techniques.
Dr. Rábago served as the founding president of the Physical Therapy Alumni Association (PTAA) at UT Health. His vision and leadership developed the PTAA Endowment for Student Scholarships from its humble beginnings in 2005 with a few hundred dollars to becoming the largest endowment in the School of Health Professions. In 2010 he took a position as a research physical therapist at the Center for the Intrepid at San Antonio Military Medical Center, the premier amputee rehabilitation research facility for our U.S. military forces. In this role, he hosted annual tours for the Doctor of Physical Therapy students from UT Health San Antonio (see picture). He also served as an adjunct professor at the U.S. Army-Baylor DPT Program at Fort Sam Houston and was a faculty associate in the Long School of Medicine at UT Health. In his recent role as the chief of the Human Research Protection Office, he was dedicated to exploring local and national opportunities to launch efforts on COVID-19-related research studies.
We are grateful for Dr. Rábago’s commitment to our mission and his enduring support of the PT Department and students at UT Health San Antonio. Last year, the PTAA scholarship fund directly supported 10 physical therapy students on their journey to fulfill their dream of serving others in the San Antonio community and beyond.
To make a gift to the PT Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund in support of our physical therapy students in memory of Dr. Christopher Aaron Rábago, please complete and submit the form below. If you have any questions, please contact Anna Chowdhury, Director of Development for the School of Health Professions, by email or by phone at 210-450-7308.