
John Huang
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Movement Specialists Physical Therapy
Movement Specialists Physical Therapy
Doctor of Physical Therapy
I help people return to the activities they love through movement education and training
As a physical therapist in the orthopedic setting, I evaluate and treat people with movement problems. These could result from an athletic injury, surgery, natural aging processes or chronic pain. My typical day involves seeing anywhere from 10-14 patients, educating them on proper movement and guiding them through therapeutic exercises to improve body awareness, decrease pain and optimize function. I also manage a staff of physical therapy aides to help keep the clinic running smoothly.
Working in any service industry will help you become a better healthcare professional. In essence, PTs provide a service and how we deliver and sell that service allows us to successfully impact the patient experience. My previous job as a disc jockey, while it seems unrelated to healthcare, gave me many skills that I use each day. It has helped me with my public speaking skills, my ability to stay focused under duress and my ability to read a situation (or crowd) and adapt accordingly.
Here's the first step for college students
Observe as many physical therapists and rehab settings as you can. The type of work and demand of the job is highly dependent on the setting and the patient population you work with. Be aware that there is much more to physical therapy than sports rehab - we work in hospitals, schools, home health, clinics, senior centers and more. Many clinics offer volunteer or paid aide positions, which will help expose you to the work flow of a PT and give you experience interacting with patients.
"Physical therapists are not real doctors. They are glorified masseuses. They don't make much money and are not well respected in healthcare."