The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
What is your hometown?
I grew up in Milford, Iowa so I guess I would consider Milford "Home". My wife and I currently live in Des Moines.
How or when did you become interested in medicine or science?
That’s a funny question because I bet nearly every physical therapists (PT) you ask is going to give you a similar answer; "I love science, I love working with people, and I got injured one time and my physical therapist really helped me make it through a rough time in my life."
That more or less sums up my experience. I’ve always had a great interest in the sciences— biology, anatomy, physiology, etc. I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career that would give me the opportunity to foster personal and caring relationships with the patients I work with.
The experience that convinced me that I wanted to be a PT came when I sustained a sports related injury. Completing my rehabilitation under the expert guidance of a physical therapist allowed me to see first hand the powerful effect these professionals can have on the lives of their patients. Physical therapists guide their patients through rehabilitation and through what can often be a rather difficult time in the patient’s life.
How or why did you choose the University of Iowa?
I knew that I wanted to practice in Iowa following graduation and knew that the U of I carried a reputation for training excellent clinicians. The Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science is nationally renowned for the efforts of it’s faculty in advancing the science of our profession. I felt that learning directly from these talented individuals would best prepare me for a career in which evidence based practice serves an increasingly prominent role in clinical practice.
Is there a teacher, mentor or UI Carver College of Medicine faculty member who has helped shape your education?
Through their research, clinical practice, and numerous other scholarly efforts program faculty are working to shape the future of our profession every day. It would be hard to spend any length of time in an environment like this and not be inspired. Every member of the faculty has played a role in shaping me as a student and a clinician. Our program director, Dr. Shields has certainly inspired my fellow classmates as he exemplifies excellence in scientific research, clinical practice and in educating future PTs.
What kind opportunities or advantages does being a student at Iowa provide? What about challenges?
As I’ve said, as a student at the University of Iowa I’ve had the opportunity to learn directly from our faculty who are all leaders in the field. I feel that our program also attracts outstanding students allowing me to learn alongside some of the brightest and most talented students in the country. Although I have had to work harder over the past two years than I have at any other point in my life, learning from the best alongside the best has made me a better student than I could have ever imagined.
What are your professional goals and interests?
My interests and future goals continue to take shape. It’s difficult for me to commit to one specific area as our field offers opportunities to practice in a tremendous array of clinical settings with wide range of patient populations.
Following graduation I plan to practice in an outpatient orthopedic setting. I hope to specialize in geriatrics in the future. I have been involved in state and national professional activities with the Iowa Physical Therapy Association (IPTA) and American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as a student and plan to continue my involvement as a young professional.
What are your outside interests?
Spending time with my wife and family. I also enjoy participating in any activity that gives me an excuse to enjoy the outdoors including running, biking, disc golf, and geocaching. My exploits on the barbeque grill have won me the acclaim of family and friends. I have also recently discovered a love for baking. I am currently involved in an effort to bake the perfect chocolate cake (from scratch, of course, multiple layers with cream cheese chocolate frosting).
What community service/outreach projects do you participate in?
As a student, I participated in a number of service activities donating my time to community organizations including Pathways Adult Day Health Center, and Miracles in Motion. These experiences allowed me to see that our obligations as students and as professionals are not as important as the obligation we have as citizens, neighbors, and human beings to help people around us when they need it.
What is your insight or philosophy that guides your work?
I’ve always found great joy in the feeling of complete and utter exhaustion that comes with a hard days work. I try to give everything I can to patients in terms of my time, my knowledge, my clinical skills, and my compassion.
So far the days that have ended with me collapsing at my desk feeling like I have nothing left to give have been my most productive, fulfilling, and memorable. I don’t know if that qualifies as a guiding philosophy and it certainly isn’t all that insightful. Perhaps it’s more of a mantra.
If you could change one thing about the world (or the world of medicine), what would it be?
Typically, people only enter the healthcare system when they have a health problem. I would change the focus more to one of wellness, getting people thinking about their health before they have a healthcare problem.
What advice you would give to students who are interested in your field?
Embrace the challenges you will face as a PT student. Seek out situations that get you outside of your comfort zone because this is where most of your learning will take place.
You shouldn’t feel confident and comfortable all the time. You shouldn’t always know the right answer.
Don’t worry about grades, I think I have learned more from the questions I answered wrong than those that I answered right. Relish the opportunity you have as a student to make mistakes and learn from them. That way you’ll get it right in the clinic when it really counts.
What do you see as the future of medicine?
Preventative medicine. Keeping well people well.