We recently connected with Neil Sheth and have shared our conversation below.
Neil, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
One of the first risks I’ve taken for my career set the path for where I am today when I decided to move halfway across the country to pursue a sports residency.
Early in grad school, I knew I wanted to be involved in sports professionally and that pursuing a sports residency would improve my skillset to succeed in that field. After graduation, many of my interviews for residency didn’t move forward because I didn’t have enough experience. I was distraught; I didn’t want to settle for a job that wasn’t going to push me toward my goals. I had one final interview in Texas, which went well! They valued new graduates for their residency program however, they could only offer me an orthopedic residency at the time. Although this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, I figured I would take the risk and through mentoring and specialized care it would be worth it. So I accepted the offer, packed up, and moved from New Jersey to Texas.
The risk was worth it! I was very fortunate and my mentor was also a sports specialist who was eager to help me become one as well. The clinic I was working in had the ability to support a sports residency so I was able to transition from the orthopedic residency I was originally slated for to the sports residency I wanted.
From there, I got everything I wanted in training, education, and mentorship. I learned what it took to work with athletes from the point of injury to performing at their highest level on the field.
That risk early in my career really set the trajectory for the rest of my career thus far. It allowed me to become a sports residency director and mentor residents that were in a similar position as I was years earlier. It also gave me the confidence to leave my full time position to start my own practice during the pandemic.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Like I mentioned earlier, that early risk in my career eventually gave me the confidence and skillset to open my own practice which is N1 Sports Rehab & Performance. I have a sports physical therapy specialty and I combine that with my performance background to help athletes anywhere along the spectrum from injury rehab to elevating their performance. My practice was created to lessen the barrier to specialized healthcare and give athletes high quality care and treatment.
My practice is different from traditional outpatient PT you probably have seen. In the clinic, the patient and I spend the entire session together one on one, with no distractions. When you are in my clinic, the sole focus is you, the patient, hence the name N1. Outside the clinic, I have also created a digital model to help athletes with their performance training no matter where they are. We still have several touch points through an app, text, and video. What I love about this iteration in my practice, is that I still have the time to get to know each athlete, understand the demands of their sport, and provide specialized training for each individual. I take pride in being able to create a practice where people have fun working towards their goals and providing them options to high level care without going through the medical carousel that many of us are burnt out from. With that said, I am always happy to chat with someone about their injury or performance goals on social media or by phone.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Communication hands down! Like most people in the healthcare field, my job relies on successfully communicating with patients and other clinicians. Rehabilitation and even performance training can be frustrating to the client as both take time. Being able to listen effectively, be empathetic, and provide education regarding treatment plans in ways they are understandable goes a long way. Additionally, being able to communicate why a symptom isn’t improving and manage the stress of an injury or pain has likely been the reason why my practice has been successful.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
About 9 months after starting my own clinic, I sought out a business coach. I was initially reluctant about this idea (why I waited so long) but it has provided me with a lot of guidance on the aspects of business that I was not an expert in such as growing and scaling my practice.
I also have done a lot of self-help in the form of podcasts, books, and connecting with other professionals through social media. Some of my recent favorite books have been “Think Again” by Adam Grant and “The Knowledge Illusion” by Steven Sloman and Phillip Fernbach.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.n1sportsrehab.com
- Instagram: @n1sportsrehab
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/shethneilb
- Twitter: @n1sportsrehab
Image Credits
A2z Sports Media