Waves

Dr. Katie Franklin is a physical therapist working in a NICU setting, which may seem like a strange place for a PT to be, but Katie, whose Twitter handle is @neonatalPT, helps break it down for us.

Along the way, she talks about the highs and lows of working with the littlest humans, being a part of the larger APTA community, and how we may not remember last night, but we will always remember the Alamo.

APTA Academy of Leadership and Innovation

PT in the Community

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks

Do you know what APTA House of Delegates does? Do you know who your delegates? Do you know how many delegates Michigan has? (Thirteen.) 

We learned all of this and more after talking with delegates Mackenzie Sebesta, SPT, Dr. Cameron Faller, and chief delegate Dr. Caroline Gwaltney ahead of this year's House of Delegates in Washington DC.

Many PT students dream about working with elite athletes, but few actually make that dream a reality. Dr. Kristen Schuyten is one of those few. She is a clinician, an educator, and a physiotherapist for Team USA figure skating. She talked with us about her career path and how glamorous it is (or isn't) working at the international level for sports competitions.

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks.

Physical therapists are great at evaluating and treating functional movement impairments and disorders, but we may feel less confident about handling the icky, gooey, intangible, "human" side of things. The sadness, anger, aloofness, or "non-compliance" that we see in many of our patients. Dr. Kenneth Miller is studying trauma-informed care and the importance of teaching our DPT students about the affective domain in the hopes of better preparing these learners to become more effective and empathic clinicians.

SAMHSA's "Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma-Informed Care Implementation"

ACEs Aware Training

Mental Health First Aid Training

Music by Andy Wicks and Mark Joesting

Dr. Dan Steventon, also known as PT Dan or The Kid's Cancer PT, works in an arena of care that may seem too daunting, too draining, too much for everyday folks. Pediatric oncologic rehabilitation is no laughing matter, but PT Dan seems to find a way to bring smiles and joy to his patients during some of their darkest times. He spoke to us about his work, about the realities of the hard days, and the joys of the every days.

We conclude our interview with Dr. Devra Sheldon by talking about the importance of good interpreters, the social communication model of pain, and dinosaurs with gait abnormalities. It was a hoot.

Co-hosted by Dr. Katharine Cline and Dr. Andy Wicks.

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks.

Produced by Andy Wicks.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for a patient is to dip your feet in the pool or paint a watercolor with them. I may be oversimplifying things, but Dr. Devra Sheldon has some unique and effective methods for working with people who have chronic pain, sensory disorganization, and many other impairments. She is a such a passionate advocate for her patients that we had to split her interview into two parts.

Dr. Sheldon can be found on Twitter and at her website.

Co-hosted by Dr. Katharine Cline and Dr. Andy Wicks.

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks.

Have you ever wondered what it's like at one of APTA Michigan's annual events? Our roving reporter and president of APTA Michigan, Dr. Edward Mathis, sent in this dispatch to keep you informed. Guests included:

Abigail Skallerud, APTA Michigan Legislative Director

David Harris, PTA, MBA: Chief Delegate, PTA Caucus

Kevin Barclay, PT, ATC, SCS, CSCS, Co-Owner and CEO of Orthopedic Rehabilitation Specialists

Calley Lonier, SPT, president of APTA Michigan Student SIG

Kathleen Walworth, PT, DPT, GCS, A-CEEAA, chair of MPT-PAC

Brian Scherff, PT, founder of The Multiple Applications Table

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks

Physical therapists work in a wide variety of settings, from the outpatient clinic to the hospital to the school, to name just a few. But did you know that they can commute by bush plane? 

Dr. Rachel Jermann is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist who works on Kodiak Island, Alaska. She tells us about what life is like in a rural, isolated community and about some of the unique challenges she faces. And she is looking for a co-worker! If this sounds like your cup of tea, find her on Twitter or via email at [email protected].

Despite being a few months into 2022, we wanted to bring you the annual State of the State message from the president of APTA Michigan, Dr. Edward Mathis. He talks about what was accomplished in 2021, what is in the works for 2022 (like the physical therapy licensure compact), why he doesn't like prime rib, and why he needs Windex to stay socially appropriate.

Music by Mark Joesting and Andy Wicks.