Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in physical therapy?   

Being a multi-sport athlete, I had a strong desire to find a career where I can help people feel better allowing them to pursue their athletic dreams. 

Q. Can you share the moment you knew you wanted to be a physical therapist? 

Age 16 while volunteering with my high school athletic trainer.  

Q. What was the most challenging part of your journey to becoming a PT? 

 The schooling was very rigorous and intense. Our curriculum is very similar to a pre-med.  After practicing physical therapy for over 20 years I decided to go back and get my Doctor of Physical Therapy. It took 6 years, but I completed the program graduating in 2020.  

Q. Did you have any mentors or experiences that shaped your career path? 

 All of the professors in the orthopedic classes at Northeastern University for my undergrad and my DPT.  

Q. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in physical therapy? 

 It’s hard work and you may not be rich in $$, but you’ll be rich in job satisfaction.  You are making a difference in people’s lives every single day. You absolutely have job security for your lifetime. The career has so many different paths you can take from geriatrics to Pediatrics to sports Medicine.  

Q. How did you first hear about Fitzgerald Physical Therapy?  

 I met Holly in an online DPT class from Northeastern and at a continuing education class.  I then read about the Alter G antigravity treadmill and The Athletes for Life program on the website.  

Q. What sets Fitzgerald PT apart from other places you’ve worked or trained? 

It is truly a family run /family-based company where the staff really do care about each other. It’s the first private practice I worked at which has outsourced the HR and other business aspects of the practice. This allows the owner/ clinical supervisors to focus on the patient centered care as well as supporting the PT staff to grow to be the best therapist they can.  Fitzgerald PT even has built in a one-on-one mentoring program for new PT graduates. 

Q. What’s your favorite part of working at Fitzgerald PT? 

Working with staff who are fun and motivated to provide the best patient care outcomes. Fitz PT has a big focus on education and supporting the staff in developing their career path. I love being able to work on program development, promoting our services and building relationships in the community. 

Q. Can you share a memorable patient success story that had an impact on you?  

My favorite patient outcomes are seeing patients complete the Boston Marathon (or any other race) or returning to their favorite sport or athletic activity.  

Q. How does the team at Fitzgerald PT help foster growth and collaboration? 

Every other week we have 1 hour that is built into our patient care time to discuss challenging cases, evidence-based practice or just practice skills.  This one-hour block is truly a gift of time to brainstorm with your peers to produce the best treatments for patients. 

Q. How has being a PT changed you personally or professionally?  

Medicine is ever-changing and being a clinician for over 30 years I have worked hard on keeping up with best practice for the various diagnoses that I treat. Being in medicine is truly a lifelong learning process. We as PT’s need to stay on top of current research and learn new skills so that we can continue to give our patients the best possible outcomes. 

Q. What keeps you motivated and passionate about physical therapy? 

Attending continuing education conferences where I can learn new skills. Most recently I became dry needling certified which is opening up a whole new perspective on how to treat pain and dysfunction. 

Q. How do you stay up to date with the latest practices and innovations in physical therapy? 

 Taking continuing education courses in person and attending virtual discussion groups about various current research. I enjoy listening to podcasts and watching YouTube in learning as much as I can from my reputable PT’s on social media. 

Q. What do you like to do outside of work to recharge and stay balanced?  

It is super important for my mental health to exercise in the gym performing strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and Pilates to stay strong. Every year I participate in 1 to 2 sprint Triathlons. I also enjoy skiing and hiking with my children. Always trying to find the best work-life balance– juggling my two children and making sure my dog has plenty of walks. I also found listening to podcasts can be very educational for a wide variety of topics. 

Q. What does the future of physical therapy look like, in your opinion? 

  I am truly hoping that insurance companies will see the value in physical therapy treatment and increase our reimbursement rates. It would be great if insurance company value and pay for preventative care. The insurance companies should understand that they can save money by paying for PT which can allow patients to avoid expensive surgeries. I’m hoping to see legislation pass allowing physical therapists to order x-rays and MRIs since we have it in school, so it should be in our scope of practice.