Empowering Patients as a Physical Therapist

Welcome to a new series highlighting everyday women who love their jobs. Learn what a day in the life looks like, and discover how God has led them to where they are today.

What three words would a close friend or family member use to describe you?

Kind, silly, driven (a fourth word would probably be stubborn, ha!)

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be?

I was 10 years old when the 1996 Olympics were in Atlanta (where I'm from) and I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast after watching the Olympics.

What led you to what you’re doing now?

I actually became interested in physical therapy at a fairly young age. My best friend's mom was a Physical Therapist and she brought us to work with her on one of those, "Take Your Daughter to Work" days.

I remember seeing her walk a patient and the patient started crying because she hadn't been able to walk since she had been in the hospital. It made me realize I wanted to do something where I was directly helping people.

I majored in Exercise Science in college and I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in graduate school. I've been a Physical Therapist for nine years, and I've worked in an inpatient rehabilitation facility for the last five years.

What do you love most about your job?

I love getting to work directly with people. I am not made to do a desk job (I would probably get fired due to falling asleep at my desk every day). And I also love getting to show my patients (I work primarily with stroke survivors) what all they can do and to give them confidence that they can get home and still have a good quality of life.

What are the challenging aspects of your job?

When you work with people, you will always encounter difficult people at times. The most challenging is when I have patients that aren't motivated to improve. I can always see the potential in my patients, and it can be really frustrating and disappointing when I can see so much potential in a patient, but they have no motivation and aren't willing to put in the hard work.

What is one advice you would give to someone who is interested in doing what you are doing?

Physical therapy is an AMAZING field to work in! It is incredibly rewarding to see people achieving their goals every day and know that you helped them get there.

I have always wanted to work in the medical field, and physical therapy is just so great because you get to see your patients on a daily or weekly basis (depending on what area you work in) and really form a relationship with them.

What specific skills or educational background are needed for someone to be successful in this role?

You need a bachelor's degree, and the most common majors are Exercise Science, Health Sciences, or even Pre-Physical Therapy. Any of those types of majors will help you meet all of your prerequisites for Physical Therapy school.

Physical Therapy school is anywhere from 3-3.5 years long (depends on the program) and you will earn your Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Some good skills to have to be successful in this field would be: a high work ethic, an interest in science and medicine, and an outgoing personality.

Has your faith played a role in your professional journey? If so, how?

Yes, this might sound weird, but I have to put my hands on my patients when I am working with them (i.e., using my hands to help a person advance their leg when walking). I feel like in a small way I am able to touch my patients with the Holy Spirit and just being able to show them that I care for them, and this is only possible because I have the Holy Spirit inside of me.

What do you wish you had known before you started in this field/industry?

I learned this in Physical Therapy school, but I wish I had realized how many different areas there are to work as a Physical Therapist (outpatient, acute care, inpatient rehab, schools, pediatrics, wound care, home health, military branches, sports, to name a few).

If you are married with children, have you experienced any positives and challenges of growing your professional career as a wife and a mother? If so, what?

My husband has always been supportive of my career. We started dating when I was in my first year of graduate school, so he saw firsthand all of the hours of work and studying I put in to be successful in school and the workforce.

The major challenge for me was to be able to set better boundaries with work once we adopted our son two years ago. It can be easy to overwork in this field, but you can absolutely excel and do everything you need to do for your patients in a typical workday.

I try to set boundaries where I leave work by 5 pm at the latest so that I have time to play and spend time with my son at home before he goes to bed.

What is one thing you are looking forward to about your professional career this year?

I'm looking forward to meeting all of the patients that will come to my rehab facility this year and figuring out ways to help them meet their goals and get back home safely.