October is National Physical Therapy Month: a time to celebrate the important work our therapists do every day to help patients move better, feel stronger, and live healthier. To mark the occasion, we asked our team a few questions about their work, their inspiration, and the moments that remind them why they love what they do.
What Do You Love Most About Being a Physical Therapist?
Naomi Maunu, DPT, Lebanon clinic: “I love getting to know my patients’ stories, help them improve, and then see them continue on without me. That’s the goal. I don’t want my patients to need me for long, and it’s bittersweet to see them go. But that’s what keeps me coming back. I want to help people.”
Nichole Miller, DPT, Platte City clinic: “Helping people feel better and getting back to the things they love/enjoy to do!! I absolutely LOVE that our body has the ability to heal itself through movement and other interventions such as manual therapy and modalities. The human body is an amazing thing and I get a front row seat every day to watch it “do it’s thang”!”
Melissa Brown, DPT, Ava & Rogersville clinics:“What I love most about being a physical therapy is getting to know each person’s story and then getting to be a small part of that story.”
Jessica Keltner, PT, Rogersville clinic: “What I love most about being a physical therapist is leaving people better than I found them.”
Megan Remmert, DPT, Cert MDT, South Kansas City clinic: I love getting to work with different people. No day is exactly the same even when I see the same people, because every day is different for every individual. I enjoy working with people to get them back to their goals and doing the activities they want and love to do.”
Kimberly Sumner, MSPT,TPS, Director of Marketing, Partner: “The human body and its ability to heal is quite amazing. Teaching patients about this and how they can be an active part of getting back to work or what brings them joy in life is very rewarding.
I also absolutely love getting to know people from all different walks of life. I have learned so many practical things as well as gained new perspective on all sorts of adventures that life takes us through.”
Emma Ebert, PTA, Manhattan & Topeka clinics: “I love being a PTA because I get to help my patient’s quality of life improve! Whatever they are struggling with, whether it’s pain, range of motion, strength deficits, or anything else, I get to help people feel better. It is truly a wonderful thing to work with someone all the way through their PT journey and get to witness their progression.”
Nicole Grimm, PTA, KCK clinic: “What do I love the most about being a PTA…pretty simple it’s the same reason you want to become a therapist: it’s helping people. Seeing people get better every day. Celebrating the small wins of getting a quad contraction, the big improvements graduating from crutches to walking without an assistive device, seeing people out in the community showing you they are still doing well, former patient’s stopping in to say hi and show you they are able to do new things. Those that return to see you again or refer their family and friends because you helped them several years ago. That’s why I still love being a therapist.”
Vanessa Shields, PTA, Ava clinic: “I love building a relationship with patients and watching them progress.”
Thank you to our therapists for leading with compassion, expertise, and dedication, and for helping us redefine excellence in healthcare every day.
