One of the absolute BEST parts of my job isn't the direct patient care. Now, don't get me wrong... I love my job, I love my patients, and there's nothing more satisfying than watching my patients reach their goals. But there's also something about being in a learning environment, in a field that's constantly changing, that makes my job that much more exciting.
I have worked in outpatient orthopedics for almost 10 years... say what?! I came to the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute in 2014 from another hospital system, and was immediately intimidated by having a full healthcare team just down the hall. I soon realized the luxury of having my nurses and physicians so close! Questions about a patient's therapy script, information provided to my team about their progress, or their test results to assist a Return-To-Sport decision. The University of Missouri is a teaching hospital, where resident physicians and students from all healthcare fields are trained by the experts in their fields. Frequently, I've had the opportunity to crash our resident physicians' grand rounds presentations, listen to experts discuss updates in their fields at conferences and learn from research that is conducted in my own building!
During this time, learning from the other providers around me (physicians, nurses, DME specialists, lab technicians, and therapists) has expanded my knowledge on why a patient was successful (or not) in their recovery. I'm definitely a nerd for new information and research, especially when these elements help to shine light on what treatments work (or don't). This, my friends, is definitely my favorite part: learning, reaching for better, and sharing with those nearby.
My hope for this site is to share this ground-breaking research, interesting tidbits from our team members, treatment techniques, and any information that may help other therapists love their jobs as much as I do! There are knowledge bombs galore, and I can't wait to share!
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