December 2011

“The End Is Here”

I just finished reviewing old school notes in preparation for an in-service I will be giving for the therapists I work with, and it was very reminiscent going through the power-point slides, reading over the comments I wrote in by the slides, and remembering how important school had been for the last 3 years.  As I finish this final blog, my hope is that I have been able to convey what an amazing experience physical therapy school can be (both with the ups and downs), and that for me, going to Regis helped strengthen that experience.

For those considering applying to Regis, I guarantee that you can’t find a former student at Regis who felt going there was a terrible experience.  As I have spoken with different PTs, I have realized that all programs have their pros and cons, and I hope over the last year and a half of writing these blogs, you can get a better idea if Regis is the right place for you, because it was right for me.  I won’t re-hash things I have already mentioned, but in summary, Regis was the right fit for me because:

1)      I liked the diversity of my class:  we were from different parts of the country (primarily west and mid-west parts) with different educational and personal backgrounds

2)      I liked how personal the teachers were:  calling teachers by their first names and being able to have conversations about things other than school made it more real; plus being assigned to one of them as your faculty mentors was very helpful for me

3)      I liked the service learning and leadership opportunities: this is something very unique to Regis and it attracts people who are interested in those things

4)      Denver is a pretty cool city with lots to do:  enough said

With that in mind, I wish anyone who is reading this the best of luck with their decisions.  I still remember Spring 2008 and deciding to go to Regis.  I was extremely outside my family and my comfort zone, but it was a great experience.  Now, it’s time to start another phase of our lives.  My wife, Ashley, will be delivering a baby girl sometime in April.  We’re all excited, especially Spencer.  Work is going great; I’m learning new things every day.

I would like to thank Regis and especially Alison Campbell (from admissions) for giving me the opportunity of writing this blog. I’m telling you, as you start to take a look at Regis, you’ll soon learn that Alison is one of the greatest assets the program has; she was a big part of the reason why I gave Regis a closer look initially.  Her constant willingness to answer questions and her friendly demeanor made my transition to Regis so much smoother.  So, if you’re really serious about Regis, just let Alison know; she’s great at letting you know everything you need to.

In short, it was fun to be able to reflect and give my 5 cents about one of the greatest experiences of my life.  Best of luck to you if you so choose Regis.  Thank you.

Here's Ashley at 21 weeks. Due date: April 13th. As of now, we have "Elizabeth Joy" picked out for the name.

Ashley and I went to Tran Siberian Orchestra last night here in CO Springs. Yes, it was loud, and yes, it was awesome.

 

Here was an attempt at a self-portrait for our Christmas card. You gotta love Spencer's cowboy boots.

 

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October 2011

Magic Hands or the School of Pain?

                It has been a little over 24 hours since I performed an initial evaluation on a woman with bilateral TKAs.  In my mind, I was very gentle and conservative in the treatment methods and so I thought I’d give her a call to see how great she was probably feeling after I used my magic hands to assist with her recovery.  I was a little shocked, then, to hear how little she slept because of the pain, how she somewhat regretted coming (after all, home health PT wasn’t that bad), and how she was considering never coming back.  Well there goes the confidence I had been building since graduating back in May; a big stack of cards tumbling to the ground.  I collected my thoughts and did every type of encouragement and support I could muster to get her back for one more try.  Don’t give up on me, I said.  I want to help get you better.

                Later that day, I mentioned the above conversation with the front desk gal, to which she smiled and said, “Well yeah.  A lot of the patients that leave this clinic seem to be hurting more than when they arrived.  I tell them that the physical therapists are trying to restore some motion. . . and sometimes it can hurt for a little bit.  In those situations, when asked what university theses PTs went to, I tell them the ‘school of pain.’  There’s a reason why I don’t let you guys touch me when I’m hurting.”

                Well that made me feel better.  Thanks a lot.  That night, I kept running through my head all the stuff I learned at Regis, about how to help patients cope with pain, about not pushing past their limits, about how to help patients progress.  I have made patients hurt temporarily, but I suppose I had it in my mind that my magic hands could do no wrong.  Also, it’s funny how during internships, you’ve got your clinical instructor to “blame” stuff on, but now there’s no one to blame but yourself. . . .  and the weather, of course J

                The good thing is, the lady with the bilateral TKAs has come back.  We’ve modified her treatment regime and she is doing much better with pain.  It’s so easy for me to base my performance and skill as a PT on just 1 patient, but I have to keep reminding myself of the countless patients who feel significantly better after receiving our services and they are able to return to activities that they otherwise would not be doing had they not come in.  I love at the beginning of each evaluation, asking patients what they hope to get from physical therapy.  I love setting goals with a patient and then helping them achieve them.

                The ultimate test will be when the front desk gal will trust me into treating her sometime.. . . We’ll see if that ever happens.

I coached Spencer's soccer team this fall. 4-5 year olds, co-ed. Tons of fun. I think Spencer had more fun catching rain-drops than chasing the ball, but it was a great experience.

 

Up and to the right of this picture is Pike's Peak. We have a beautiful view of the mountains. We love this area of Colorado Springs in Old Colorado City.

 

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September 2011

Hello to another month.  Fall is approaching, and it feels really weird not being back in school.  Spencer started pre-school last week, so I guess I get to be part of it all second hand.  With less time needed for studying, I decided to be Spencer’s soccer coach this fall.  We’ve had 3 games so far, and although nobody is officially keeping score (except for all those competitive parents. . . yes,
including me), we’re 3-0.  Oh yeah.

I contacted a former Regis classmate and friend, Brian Briggs, to share his thoughts about the student government that the Regis DPT program has.  Brian, or “Briggles” as he is better known,was our class president, and I felt his insights might be helpful for any prospective student considering the leadership opportunities Regis has to offer.  Thanks Briggles.

Here's a picture of Briggles. He's currently doing the Sports Residency Program for OSU.

“One of the great advantages of being a physical therapy student at Regis is the vast array of opportunities to get involved
within the PT community both locally as well as nationally. If you take the time to research each of the Regis faculty, one of the most common factors you’ll see is there involvement within the Colorado American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) chapter as well as the APTA itself as whole.  This enthusiasm to be an active member of the APTA is encouraged for every PT student at Regis. For example, one great and easy way to become involved is by becoming a member of the class governance
system. 

I had the pleasure of being elected class president for the graduating class of 2011. I decided to run for class president because I wanted to have an active role in my education and as how my class participated within the DPT program.  I had no previous governance experience before becoming elected so it became a great opportunity for me to work on my leadership skills and see how an organization ought to run. For those not wanting the spotlight of class president there are several other opportunities to become involved through the electoral process as well as with several committees that can be established within each class (i.e. party planning committee, fundraising committee).

My experience of being apart the student governmental body has made my leadership qualities much more defined and
established as it has given me the confidence and desire to be more involved within the APTA in pursuing my interests.
Thus, it has afforded me the ability to connect with clinicians and researchers from across the globe in which these opportunities would have been much harder for me to come across if I didn’t have the exposure that I had at Regis. I highly encourage all students to be active participants within and among their class, as it will only benefit you in enriching your experience.”  

When Spencer isn't jumping on the tramp, going on bike rides, playing soccer or at school, he and Daisy like to play dress-up. . . . Or at least, Spencer likes to play dress-up.

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August 2011

 

While working these last few months, I’ve gotten to know one of the PT Aides who is about to go to PT school at Regis at the end of this month.  It’s strange, thinking back 3 years when I was in his shoes.  Although I am already missing winter and spring breaks, I am glad to be done with PT school and would be able to do it again.  Once is enough for me.  However, we got talking several times about what to expect, and it seemed that we frequently spoke about the professors.  They are great at Regis, each one unique in their own way.  There are some fun things they shared with us over the last three years that may be useful to someone about “conversational starters” with one of them, as well as learning a bit about the people who are teaching you.  I don’t think they mind me sharing these things; it’s a combination of my observations and the stuff they shared with our whole class from time to time.

Amy S Hammerich:  She’s currently the CO APTA Chapter president (about to finish up her term, though), so she’s really involved with the APTA.  She is also doing her PhD work on spinal stenosis.  Her biggest joy, I believe, comes from her 18 month old daughter, Lucy.  She was my faculty advisor and continues to be a great mentor.

 

During the 1st semester of school, everyone is given a faculty mentor/advisor. You meet at least every transfer to go over goals, see how things are going, and basically make sure you're doing okay. My advisor was Amy Hammerich. She was very helpful during all of the rollercoaster ride(s) of PT school and life and we continue to keep in contact. For me, the mentoring program was very beneficial.

Cheryl Footer:  She was a collegiate triple jumper, but it took a while to get it out of her.  Her PT passions are pediatrics and the neuro side of therapy. . . and of course, her 3 boys usually end up in a lecture here and there.  If she gives you a nickname because she can’t remember your real one, take it as a compliment. 

Cliff Barnes:  He’s the only non-PT in our program; we all loved him.  He teaches Anatomy and Neuro-Anatomy.  Although he’s practically a genius when it comes to the anatomy of the body, he’s very down to earth and loves his horses and his tractor.  You can talk to Cliff about pretty much anything.

Heidi Eigste:  She is very passionate about pediatrics, but especially newborns.  She is very passionate about what she teaches, and her piercing eyes sometimes seemed to bore into your soul, discerning whether or not you read the material for that lecture, so my advice would be to come prepared.  J Her three kids are teens and so she always has a fun story to tell.  Also, when we were finishing up coursework, she was really getting into running.

Erika Nelson-Wong:  She came on board near the end of our schooling, but she is extremely passionate about statistics and biomechanics.  She also loves bike riding (we’d get weekly emails about group bike rides around town).  If she becomes your research advisor, you are very fortunate.  She gets you very involved in the research world.

Ira Gorman:  He is our “health care policy” go-to.  That is his passion, and he’d be happy to talk health care reform/politics all day long.  He used to live in NY and his accent will come out from time to time.  Plus, he used to be a cab driver for a while.

Larisa Hoffman:  She is another of the Pediatrics and Neuro PTs.  She recently had her 3^rd child and was very passionate about making sure we understood the information.  Also, although extremely busy, she always made time to sit and just talk about life in general.

Laura Krum:  She was voted as our “teacher of the year.”  She is very approachable and always has great advice, not just related to PT.  Her passions are women’s health and orthopedics.  She’s got 2 kids and they are the light of her life.

Marcia Smith:  She is very passionate about the neuro side of therapy.  Although she is the director, she helps out with all the neuro-management series and you’ll be seeing plenty of her.  Look forward to her snoopy/Charlie Brown power point slides when you have semester “director time.”  Remember, the school code is “no flip flops” for PT students, and so if you’re going to stretch that rule, she’s bound to catch you.  J

Mary Christensen:  She is very passionate about service learning and just got by from Ethiopia this spring with several of my classmates.  She had a few dogs when I was at school and always enjoys talking about dog stories.

Mike Keirns:  He’s a big Michigan fan.  Expect a sports score question on every one of his quizzes.  He’s really passionate about the shoulder, sports, and service learning.  He has headed up providing physical therapy services to Arrupe High School Athletics.  Absolutely worth getting involved in.  Expect emails from him between the hours of 2 am and 5 am.  He’s very passionate about what he does.

Tim Noteboom:  He’s the technology guy.  If it’s new and involves computers, he’s always trying to make class-work and PT more efficient and better.  He’s got 2 girls (pre-teens, I think).  He also is/was the director of the tDPT program, so he’s pretty busy with that.

Tom McPoil:  When I graduated, he was still Vice President of the Orthopedics Section of the APTA.  He is very passionate about research, especially with regards to the foot.  He was formerly at NAU in Arizona and just recently came to Denver to be closer to his grandchildren.  A word to the wise:  it’s pretty much impossible to B.S. your way through his class.  Know your stuff or admit that you don’t.  He has extremely high expectations and he always brings his “A” game, so make sure you do to.  Regis is very fortunate to have him in our program.

Wendy Anamaet:  She is very passionate about wound care, geriatrics, exercise prescription, and actually, a bit of everything.  She has funny stories about working with rats during her PhD work.  She was one of the professors that if we had a question about anything PT related, either she’d tell us right then and there or she’d find the answer and source for us.  She’s extremely passionate about PT.  She also has a mini-farm with horses, chickens, rabbits, a dog (I may be missing something) for her teenage daughter.

 

Here's the first "harvest" of our little garden. Spencer was especially excited about it because he helped plant it.

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July 2011

 I believe one of the best things right now about being out of school is finally getting a paycheck.  I have forgotten what those are like, so it has been nice not being reliant on school loans and getting into the working life.  Each day is full of it’s own challenges and fun experiences.  For example, just recently, I have seen a very broad spectrum of both people and emotions.  For example, just on Thursday, while helping my first patient, an older gentleman, lie on his back for a moist heat back, he asked me to wait while he grabbed his “concealed weapon,” a pistol hand-gun (without a holster, so he just had it tucked into his pants), and put it on the table.  “Why’d you bring that in?”  I asked.  “Well, I’ve heard you guys torture patients.  I don’t want you to get any ideas with me.”  🙂

 Later that morning, I had a new evaluation from a middle-aged woman with back pain.  As soon as we sat down in the treatment room to get her history, the flood-gates opened.  The pain has been taken a major toll on her quality of life.  We spent the majority of the treatment just talking about coping mechanisms and the nature of her diagnosis (when she received recent imaging, she wasn’t told anything more than the name, and she had been terrified since then).  Before she left, she gave me a hug and thanked me for my services.  I look forward to working with her.

 Right before lunch, I had another new evaluation for a lady with knee pain.  I had her warm up on a bike and was about to explain some foundation exercises when her eyes got wide and said, “I am feeling a migraine coming on.  I occasionally pass out for a while due to my blood pressure dropping.  If it happens, do not call 911.  They can’t do anything for me.”  Within a minute, her words came true.  I sat by her and took her blood pressure every few minutes.  She was able to sit up after about 15 minutes, and with some help of a mountain dew, I was able to help her out to her husband’s car.  Thank goodness she told me what to expect or perhaps I may have ended up on the ground with her.

 These are a few of dozens of stories I have experienced in the first 2 months of my career.  It has its ups and downs, but I am loving my career choice as a physical therapist.  I get satisfaction out of helping people get back to what they enjoy doing, and I am grateful for the education and training I received at Regis University, especially when it comes to helping others cope or deal with what’s going on.  During 3^rd semester, we had a class called Psychosocial Aspects of Healthcare (or something to that effect).  We were taught how we can be more sensitive to the needs (and not just physical needs) of the people we work with.  The training has been very helpful as I meet with patients every day.

Spencer picked out his own outfit (and accessories) for July 4th.  CO Springs was full of festivities that day.  We first got to meet “Abe Lincoln” at Rock Ledge Living History Farm (we live about a mile from it).  Then it was off to Woodland Park that night for the fireworks.  I had to work the next morning, so we didn’t stay up too late, though.

It has been so nice not having homework or upcoming tests.  Now our evenings are spent going on bike rides and spending time outside.  This bike attachment was for Spencer’s birthday.  He loves it.

Ashley and Spencer were such a support for me during the last 3 years of graduate school.  It was one big rollercoaster ride.  Spencer was such a good sport through it all.  Grandma got this for him and I put it together while they were visiting Utah.  He is always on it now.  No broken bones. . . . yet.

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June 2011

Here I sit at my computer in Colorado Springs, CO, about an hour south of Denver.  It’s crazy to think how much has happened in the last month.  After loading everything into a 20 foot U-haul and pulling my car over Vail pass (I was flying up that hill, maxing out at 35 mph), it took a few weeks to get settled into the home we are renting.  I started working the day after moving to the Springs, doing Physical Therapist Assistant work (up until yesterday).

In the meantime, I was trying to find studying time for the national boards, which I took last Monday.  After 5 hours and 250 questions on a computer, my brain seemed to be oozing out of my ears.  However, the next morning at 6 am I found out that I passed.  What a relief.  After taking the exam, in retrospect, I was very pleased with my educational experiences at Regis.  I felt very prepared, and although I had a few panic moments during the test, I left the testing center feeling that I had done alright.  About 7 other classmates have taking the exam as well so far, and all of them have passed.  I think that says something about the program.

So now it’s official.  I am Cody Butler, PT, DPT.  I suppose real world starts now.  I work at Orthopedic Rehab Associates, an outpatient orthopedic clinic.  I am the floater position, so I go between the 3 clinics and cover for PTs who are sick or on vacation.  I like the diversity of it so far, and I really enjoy meeting and learning from different therapists, several of which are former Regis graduates. Most of all, however, I enjoy the rest from no more hard core studying.  Instead, I get to watch Spencer play t-ball this summer and go on bike rides over to Garden of the Gods and the countless parks in the area.

Here we are the Colorado Springs Zoo. You can actually pet these giraffes and give them crackers. Spencer wasn't too impressed with their 18 inch tongues.

Here is Spencer's birthday present, a cockatiel named Zoe. She has been lots of fun.

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May 2011

It is official.  I have graduated.  Doctor of Physical Therapy.  The last month has certainly been a blur.  After returning to Denver, we had 2 ½ weeks to wrap things up.  First off, our research group was meeting daily to get our presentation ready and finalize our paper (we plan on submitting it to a professional journal sometime later this summer).  “Research Night” is where each research group presents a 15 minute powerpoint about their project.  It was meant to be highly professional, so. . . . you can say it was pretty bland.  However, it was a great experience to see everyone’s hard work.  After each group presented, 5 minutes was allotted for questioning (primarily from faculty, of course).  After sweating bullets for a bit and trying to answer as slowly as possible to run your time out J, you were done.  2 ½ years into 20 minutes.  Not bad.

The other time-consumer was getting our “capstone presentations” ready.  This project was to be a culminating presentation of how we have matured and changed while being in graduate school at Regis University.  It took a lot more time than I expected, in part due to trying to find school documents/assignments and adding them to the presentation as examples of this growth.  It was a very rewarding experience to be able to see how much we have grown over the last 3 years and is something unique to Regis University.

Those presentations done, and after a “sad lecture by the financial aid department about how loan repayment occurs” (aka the 25 year plan), we finally graduated.  Friday night was just for the DPT program.  It was a really nice ceremony; we were all hooded by our faculty advisors.  Awards were given out for outstanding service-person, research night reward, and outstanding clinical student.  It was fun to be together.  Spencer, of course, was all dressed up and enjoyed the ceremony . . . . for the most part.

Here's before the hooding ceremony Friday evening. Spencer thought my graduation outfit looked funny.

Here we are after the hooding. This was as much Ashley and Spencer's accomplishment as it was mine.

Our research group received the "Outstanding Research Award." Our topic was: Student Analysis of Practice--Acute Care and Vital Sign Monitoring.

Saturday morning, all the graduate programs had their ceremony outside.  Although we were thankful it was bright and sunny, I regretted not having my sun glasses for the occasion.  Regardless, another memory to add to the experiences at Regis University.

All 54 of us after the hooding. It's crazy to think that I won't ever see some of them again. 3 years of being in classes and labs for hours on end brings a group really close.

Now, I’m back in my home-town of Price, UT.  I accepted a job in Colorado Springs, CO.  I start next Thursday, which means we have to pack up everything sometime this weekend and get everything out there.  We found a home to rent the other day, so now I’m just hanging out with family and trying to motivate myself to study for the national boards; I’ll be taking them on June 6^th.  Before then, though, we’ve got my birthday this week (I turn 27), Ashley’s birthday next week (she turns 28), and Spencer’s birthday right before I take the test (he turns 4, and we plan on getting him a bird and a tramp; he deserves it for all the things he has had to go through the last 3 years).  Another adventure begins.

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April 2011

Good morning.  Here I am, on the last day of my last internship inPortland,OR.  I’m organizing all the finishing touches of the paperwork, and lucky me, I notice on my schedule my last patient will be a new evaluation.  Then, tonight will be spent packing a small U-haul trailer in preparation to head back toDenver. 

Although graduation isn’t until May 6^th, we need to get back together in our research groups to get everything ready before presenting on “Research Night” in 2 weeks to the faculty, all 3 DPT classes, and people from the community.  We also have to present our “capstones,” which is short for a collection/culmination of our work at Regis that demonstrates to our faculty advisors that we have embraced the Regis mission of service learning, that we have grown in our leadership skills, and that we are appropriate to be called graduates of Regis University.

In addition to all this fun school stuff, I’ve spoken with classmates and many have been interviewing for jobs left and right.  Many have focused on jobs that offer residency programs.  They are fairly new but are popping up all over the country.  They are similar to medical residencies where one would get specialized training (pediatrics, manual therapy, women’s health, etc) as well as some class-work to refine one’s skills.  I’ve gotten 2 job offers up in Washington but I’m still waiting to hear from my the clinic where I did my 3^rd internship in my home-town.  I should know by next week where we will be living.  Who knows.

Other than that, I’m just trying to brace myself for the long trip back through Utah and eventually into Denver.  Spencer has his portable DVD player on his lap and Daisy May right by his side, so that helps.  We even got him a new movie, Tangled, so he can watch that as much as he wants since he has his earphones.  When you hear from me again, I will be graduated, know where I’ll be working, and preparing to take the national boards. 

On our last weekend in Portland, we went to Cannon Beach. . . . .and there was actually some sun. We were able to walk out and feel the cold water. Spencer loved it.

The fate of a 3 year old boy's dog. She didn't seem to mind, though.

It has been quite an experience up here in the NorthWest. Although it was always cloudy and frequently raining, we had a blast up here. This next month is going to be very interesting, from graduating to deciding on a job. Who knows where we'll be.

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March 2011

Another month has come and gone.  Yes, it is still raining here in Portland.  No, I have not yet hit clinical depression. . . . yet :).  With my Clinical Instructor having her baby last week, I’m sort of bouncing between 2 therapists.  It has been nice in the sense of I have been given full responsibility of the patients we were seeing together, and starting this week, I am at a full case load with as little supervision as is legally possible (depending on the insurance).  It has been great so far.  One more month of clinical internship before heading back to Denver for final wrap-up and graduation on May 6^th-7^th. 

Being so close to the coast, we decided to take a short trip down Highway 101. All I can say is that the Oregon coast is amazing. It was great.

I just had to include this picture. His smile is perfect. He loved throwing rocks into the roaring ocean. How can a little boy's smile look so angelic and devilish at the same time? It's called being three years old.

While at school, I have been asking on several occasions about the strengths of Regis.  Now that we are out on clinicals and are using the “stuff” we have learned, I asked a few classmates to share their thoughts on the specific site they are at:  pediatric, neurological, and manual therapy.                      

Hannah

Here are Hannah’s thoughts about the “pediatric” side of physical therapy and our education at Regis.  She is currently on internship at Children’s Hospital in Denver, CO:

Coming into Regis, I had a strong inclination that I wanted to someday work in pediatric physical therapy. Before attending Miami University for undergrad, I spent some time volunteering at The Children’s Hospital of Cincinnati in their inpatient and outpatient physical therapy department. But I decided to keep an open mind to the many other areas of PT I would be exposed to and not keep myself in the kiddie corner if any other interest developed.

After surviving the first year of PT school, we got into the Neuro Management series, where an entire way of thinking about impairments and how to figure out their components was introduced to our class. I remember thinking how futile it seemed to break down every skill into these little bitty pieces and find ways to address whatever was going wrong. I think we all thought they were just out to give us loads of busy work and weren’t actually convinced we were learning anything all that beneficial. I suppose you could say that I “saw the light” after my second clinical affiliation, when I realized how nice it was to have the ability to dissect movement and perform a good task analysis of a patient’s gait, sit to stand, rolling pattern, and overall posture. I remember giving a case study presentation about a pediatric patient I worked with during my second rotation, and being asked whether I felt prepared to work with her through our curriculum thus far. And before I could even think about it, my knee jerk reaction was an affirmative. Though I had not taken Neuro Managment II or my pediatric elective yet, I felt as though I had a strong foundation in how to THINK about treating this population. Kids can be very complicated and not necessarily tell you or their parents everything that is going on or holding them back, which is where the invaluable tool of refined observation comes into play to guide your interventions and treatment strategies.

So here I am, about to graduate, and on my last affiliation at a satellite clinic of The Children’s Hospital of Denver. Yes, I learn an immense amount weekly, and am challenged by my clinical instructors to take the foundational knowledge provided by Regis to the next level with every treatment session. Yes, I still struggle to identify ALL that is going on with many of my patients, especially the children who have severe cerebral palsy and are compensated and recompensated 20 times over. And yes, I wear colorful socks everyday and attempt to avoid spit up and little sneezes at all costs. But what can I say…I think I like it!

Through it all, I believe the kiddo-oriented classmates and I have been generally very satisfied with the way in which the DPT faculty prepared us. We received a good foundation from the beginning of normal development, observing both videos and real life babies and children in lab. It was terrific to have equipment vendors and guest lecturers from various organizations come in to speak about content that a simple power-point cannot accurately convey. I know it was sometimes a bother to those who weren’t extremely interested in peds, but I enjoyed having a little bit of pediatric content in every class. If I hadn’t, there would be no way to absorb it all in one short elective course. Heidi (one of our professors) did a great job with the elective course, bringing in excellent guest lecturers, setting up worth while field trips, and bringing tons of little ones into our class to work on handling techniques and administering standardized assessments.

The only area in which I felt slightly uncomfortable with regard to Regis’ pediatric curriculum was related to specific intervention strategies to target impairments, with a pediatric flair! Which is understandable, given the limited number of toys, balls, and other kid friendly equipment available to the department, and the fact that every clinic is diverse, and these things are easily learned on the job once you know what you want to accomplish during a session. This flows into the lack of actual handling practice we received, which also comes with experience and specialized courses, which will take years for me to develop.

So if you enjoy swings, hide and seek, and tickle fights like I do, Regis is a great place for you to be. The faculty draws upon their vast clinical knowledge and passion for the field to really teach what is most useful to the new pediatric therapist grad. They present the most current/available research to empower their students to impact the lives of children and their families.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Hannah Nawaz
Regis DPT 2011
nawaz344@regis.edu

Krystle and her dog, Packer

Now, here are Krystle’s thoughts on the “neurological” side of physical therapy at Regis.  She is currently at Craig Hospital in Denver, CO, where they specialize in spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions:

When making the decision of whether or not to attend Regis University for physical therapy, one of my main deterrents was that I did not know the strength or weakness of the neurological section of the curriculum. Regis is well known for having a strong orthopedic component. The staff at Regis has done a great job at consolidating the tremendous amount of information needed to learn regarding complex neurological diseases or injuries.  I would comfortably say that the curriculum exposes you to common impairments related to common neurological diseases.

With that said, as a soon-to-be graduate, if I saw that I had a patient with Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy on my schedule, I wouldn’t be apprehensive about treating them. Reluctance in evaluation and treatment would be because of lack of interaction with patients of neurologic symptoms. One of the weaknesses of Regis neurological section is that you do not get a lot of information on intervention on patients with neurological impairments. Regis University does have a great clinical education team that can place you in clinical rotations that are more specific to your area of interest so that you are able to capture the information that you would like to during your time as a student. If you have a specific interest in spinal cord injuries (SCI) or traumatic brain injuries (TBI), I would highly recommend attending Regis. They have developed a relationship with Craig Hospital which is a model system for SCI and TBI.  Besides Colorado University, Regis is the only school to have a continuous relationship with Craig Hospital. New graduates that have interned at Craig have also accepted positions as PT staff. Other rotations that have been available include TEAR hospital in Texas.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each physical therapy program. As a soon-to-be graduate I feel comfortable with additional training that I am receiving in my rotations to treat a specific population such as spinal cord injuries after attending Regis University.

Dave at CSM (Combined Sections Meeting) in New Orleans.

Now, as most of you may have heard, Regis prides itself in the “manual” side of physical therapy.  I asked a classmate, Dave, to give his thoughts on the subject since this last rotation has been spent in a manual-based clinic.  Thanks, Dave.  Here is what he had to say:

Prior to coming to Regis University, I was aware of its strong reputation for being a leading school in manual therapy education.  The Musculoskeletal Management series of classes at Regis have always been my personal favorite and I feel they are the most applicable to those who plan on practicing in an outpatient setting.  The manual skills that I have learned at Regis have given me a great basic skill set with which to branch from and expand upon in my clinical rotations.  I think that there is room for improvement in the area of an applicable evaluation process that could be taught in each of these classes.  Basic evaluation techniques are taught but more could be done to teach efficiency, relevance of findings, and problem solving in an orthopedic setting.  More focus could be given to test-re-test process and the use of comparable signs to show progress or effectiveness of interventions.  That being said, the argument could be made that these skills should be refined and mastered in a clinical setting.  An important strength of the program is that procedure and technique with mobilization and manipulation are paramount. 

After completion of the Musculoskeletal Management series, in my opinion, I felt comfortable with my basic skill set to the point that I would be able to perform all the basic treatments including mobilization and manipulation and diagnostic testing to evaluate and rule in or out a musculoskeletal condition.  Another strength of the program is that knowledgeable and experienced staff are utilized in the lab to assure that students feel comfortable with these techniques and not only answer questions, but provide alternative methods for those who may need them.  Given the experiences that I have had at Regis both in the classroom and the clinic, I am confident that Regis provides some the best manual skill education available.

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February 2011

The first month of this last clinical internship has come and gone.  From day 1, I was put to use.  It has been a little more difficult at my site because all documentation is done on the computer, so I’m trying to get used to all the ins and outs of the system; it’s getting quicker and quicker.  The neat thing about this internship is that my clinical instructor is certified in balance and vestibular disorders, so I’m learning a lot about this aspect of physical therapy.

Since school is slowly winding down, different things are on my mind in anticipation of graduation.  Our research “final” version project is due this week (it’s always fun trying to coordinate doing edits and changes over the internet), I am trying (note the trying) to work on my capstone project (it is all done online), I’m studying for the national boards examination off and on, and I’m starting to look for a job.  So, although I don’t have any homework to do, I am kept fairly busy. . . . and of course, being in Portland, we’re exploring and getting to the know the area.  It’s a great area, but I’m sorry, it’s not Denver. 🙂

Here, Spencer and I are dancing to the "YMCA" song at a Valentine's Dance.

About 25 miles outside of Portland, the Multnomah Falls was an amazing place. It was beautiful there.

The forests and trees here are really neat, so green and mossy. It is a lot different than Denver, that's for sure. I really miss the Rocky Mountains.

On to an unrelated topic:  When giving tours on campus, I have been asked by students who are planning on going straight from undergraduate to graduate school about how it is, so I asked a classmate who did just that her thoughts.  Here is Courtney, age 24, from one of the Hawaii islands (she has told me which one it is a million times, but I can’t remember which one right now).  Thanks Court.

What is it like for students who go straight from undergrad to graduate school?

The transition to Regis was not terribly difficult given that I came from Gonzaga, another Jesuit school. Going to Regis was basically like a continuation of my undergraduate studies – the class sizes, work ethic, and focus on service learning are very similar. Although my transition wasn’t difficult, I know others who have said that they absolutely needed some time to take a break before starting PT school. A friend of mine who did take some time off said that she enjoyed it because she had the opportunity to gain more experience and make some money. I thought it would be really difficult to get back into the “school mind set” if I gave myself too much time off. Actually it was really nice to move on to the next step and get started on my career fairly early. I agree that someone who is ready to go to grad school right away needs to be extremely motivated and committed to this career path. Others may need time to sort things out before making such an important decision. Ultimately this decision is completely based on personal preference.

What are the pros and cons? 

Pros – Going straight from undergraduate to graduate school was not difficult. I felt mentally and psychologically prepared for the academic challenges ahead.

Cons – I needed to face my fears full force. I didn’t have time to look back, and I didn’t allow myself to get caught up in “feeling drained.” I had to keep myself occupied with my studies and found healthy ways to relieve my stress. Although these aren’t really “cons,” I did start to feel burnt out in the first year and was glad I had the support of my family and friends to keep me going.

How did it make graduate school easier or harder for you? 

Again the transition seemed very simple. I knew that if I had taken some time off and gone home, I might have fought with myself about going back to school. But, I’m really glad I spent time volunteering in a variety of PT settings during undergrad to know that this was the field I truly wanted to get into. If not, I may have taken some time off to do just that. I strongly suggest volunteering or working at PT clinics to be sure that PT school is the right step for you. You don’t want to jump into something purely because the opportunity presents itself. I can honestly say that this was one of, if not the most important decisions of my life. I don’t mean that to sound cliché, and I certainly don’t want to be scaring anyone, but it is a huge commitment.

Any suggestions as to know if I’m burned out or if I should plug on through?

No matter what, there will always be times when you are feeling burnt out. I dealt with it by having a strict routine: sleeping at least 6-8 hours a night and working out to blow off some steam. As far as knowing when you’re burnt out, don’t worry, your family and friends will let you know!    

How were you able to get ready for graduate school with such little “rest” in between?

“Such little rest” isn’t fair to say about my transition. I made a little trip to Europe for 6 weeks which left me well rested and ready for PT school. I definitely suggest taking some time to prepare yourself for this next step, be it a couple weeks or a couple years.

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