What’s your personal and professional background?
I live in San Ramon in the East Bay. I got my undergrad from Chico State, where I studied Exercise Physiology, and then graduated from the University of St Augustine in August of 2017. I’m about a year and a half out of school. My background is in outpatient orthopedics, at first sports orthopedics and now I work full-time in general orthopedic.
What drew you to become a physical therapist?
I was always interested in biomechanics, anatomy, and how the body works. I originally wanted to go into computer science, but I’ve always been very active and didn’t want to be stuck behind a computer all day. Nowadays, technology is integrated into physical therapy in so many different ways, and I think it’s cool to think about how we can merge those two things together.
What's the greatest reward of your work?
It’s great helping people with regular injuries, but it’s very rewarding when you get to work with someone who’s debilitated due to a stroke, surgery, brain injury, etc. Being able to help them stand up from a chair, go up the stairs, or get out of bed is super rewarding to me. These are things I take for granted, and it’s cool to watch patients surprise themselves.
What's the greatest challenge?
Because I’m early in my career, I’d say my biggest challenge is taking on a variety of patient scenarios. Someone will come to you with a pretty complex situation, and it’s your job to put together all the pieces of the puzzle to help them. The other challenge would be trying to advocate for this profession to people who are not 100% convinced that physical therapy is just as important and beneficial as medication or surgery.
What’s the greatest part of being a part of the Lunaverse?
Luna has allowed me to gain more experience and supplement my income to pay off my student loans. When you’re working in a regular outpatient setting right after school, it’s hard to really put all your skills to the test. You’re typically stacked with patients, limited by time, double booked, and rushing around constantly. Luna gives me the opportunity to spend more one-on-one time and dive deep into what’s going on with my patients. It’s nice being able to utilize all the skills I've learned in school.
I also love Luna’s streamlined and simple business model. The whole process has been seamless, and their team is super accommodating. The app makes patient visits, communication, and scheduling easy. Generally, home health can be pretty challenging when it comes to documentation, paperwork, and travel. With Luna, everything’s easy. They take care of all that and give me the opportunity to focus on exactly what I want to.
“Luna makes physical therapists’ lives a lot easier.” #physicaltherapy #PTlife
What advice do you have for other physical therapists who are just graduating?
When I first got out of PT school, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have to say, it’s been a pleasant surprise. Physical therapy is a perfect fit for me, and I’m so glad to have found it. If you’re thinking about joining Luna, go for it. It may seem like it’s an extra load, but there’s so much flexibility and you set your schedule. The team is super accommodating and will work around your location and current work schedule. It’s a great way to gain more experience and provide the care that you’ve been wanting to.
What do you like to do for fun?
I play basketball and referee. I’m a huge fan of the game and love watching my Warriors. I’m also big on exercising and working out. I go to the gym pretty often and enjoy spending time with friends and family.
